How to Feel Good Using Client Agreements
When you’re creating a new one-on-one program or service, there’s no doubt, it can feel overwhelming and scary.
Maybe it’s the first one-on-one program you’ve ever done. You’re getting ready to roll it out and you’re just not sure how to protect yourself. Or maybe you just did a beta test for a small group of hand-picked clients and now you are ready to launch it broadly. Or maybe it’s your first high-end VIP Day and there’s a lot of money at stake.
I hear those things from clients all the time.
Creating boundaries is scary. But not having boundaries is even scarier.
That’s why I want to give you the gift of knowing how to cover your buns – in a way that feels good too!
Your Client Agreement is your go-to answer for protecting your “business baby”—your service that you have poured HOURS over to develop (not to mention the blood, sweat, tears and dollars) and the income that you plan to earn.
If you’re a bit squeamish about using a Client Agreement, here are 3 reasons to help you feel good about it:
- Client Agreements help your clients feel comfortable and safe.
Your Client Agreement creates COMFORT. It spells out the details of how exactly you will work together going forward. Knowing details creates safety. In fact, the client wants you to tell them what to do – really! When you tell the client right from the start what they need to do to be successful out of the gate, they feel relieved because they know what’s expected of them.
Remember, they’re waiting for you to tell them what they need to do to be successful. They want you to give them instructions for how to interact with you. Believe it or not, direction provides comfort. Your Client Agreement gives your client that direction.
- Client Agreements take care of your clients.
Your Client Agreement shows you CARE. Most business owners want their clients to feel comfortable, supported and stretched in a way that feels good and you want them to know you’ll take care of them.
Clients easily can get overwhelmed with lots of details shared on the phone or in a discovery session, but having all of your policies in writing in one place to reference later gives them security and ups their trust in you.
When you lay out awkward details that can be uncomfortable to discuss— like handling late payments, missed calls, potential disputes—you help clients feel comfortable and safe by preventing ambiguity, confusion, or misunderstandings later. Client Agreements create reassurance, comfort and safety.
- Client Agreements feel good to use when you know what to say.
The way you present the Client Agreement will set the tone for the client’s reaction. Your confidence and tone help the client feel comfortable.
For example, if you speak with ease and confidence, the client will accept the Agreement with ease. Conversely, if you are nervous or uncomfortable, the client will sense your hesitation and may feel uncomfortable as well.
Your job is simply to present the Agreement to the Client in a caring way. To do that, you just need to get into the right mindset.
How do you get into the right mindset to send out a Client Agreement?
Here’s how:
Focus on the fact you are giving the client two main gifts of #legallove: COMFORT and CARE.
Know that when you share the Client Agreement with peace and confidence, that’s how it will be received by your client and what they will reflect back to you.
When you’re getting ready to send off a Client Agreement to a potential client, breathe deeply and feel in your heart that you are approaching your client from an open, warm, and loving place, just as you would when you approach them for a free discovery session or client session. (This is what I mean by coming from a place of “Legal Love”.)
Set your intention that you want to give your Agreement to the client in a relaxed way, and the client will relax too. You may not realize it, but the client watches your cues to determine how to react. They follow your lead. They pick up on your energy.
Infuse your love into the words on the page.
Let the client know that you want them to read through the document and if they have any questions about anything written in the document, that they can call or e-mail you to talk through it. Let them know that you want them to feel totally comfortable with it before they sign it so you can answer any questions and be sure you are on the same page.
Choosing to start your relationship with conscious intention, care and concern lays the groundwork for a happy working relationship and reduces the risk of getting into Legal Pickles.
Remember, your ease and confidence creates their ease and confidence.
Know that your Client Agreement can be both loving AND legally strong and can help your clients feel COMFORT and CARE.
I’m celebrating right alongside you the next time you present your Client Agreement to your client with boatloads of #legallove.
And if you don’t have your Client Agreement for your 1-on-1 clients but you’ve been meaning to get it in place, you can click here to create your own Client Agreement in a way that saves money and gets you legally covered 24/7.
Here’s to feeling good using Client Agreements!
Don’t forget to join us TOMORROW at 12 pm ET for the LIVE Simplero webinar! Simplero is the online platform that I use for my e-newsletters, invoices, affiliates, and MORE! (It’s one of my fave Biz Tools on my website Resources page.) I’ll give you a peek behind the curtain of my business and share why this is the tool that I personally use and love. The Simplero team will share how Simplero eliminates software stress and why it’s so easy-peasy to use. Register for the SImplero webinar here and be sure to join us LIVE as Simplero will be offering YOU a very special bonus if you’re looking for a new online platform!
AND…If you’re a freelancer, here’s one more opportunity for you!
Freelancing Mastery School hosted by Alan Ojeda beginning June 19 is chock full of hand picked speakers to show you, step by step, how to start, grow, scale, and manage your online business.
Here’s a sampling of the 25 speaker presentations – including my own:
- How to Use LinkedIn to Get Clients and Build Profitable Relationships with Trevor Turnbull
- How to Create High Converting Sales Funnels and WHY Every Online Business Needs One with Julie Stoian
- How to Build a Facebook Group to Over 40,000 Members and Turn Them Into Customers with Jill Stanton
- Mastering Facebook Live with Holly Gillen
- Legal Protection For Your Online Business (with me!)
Register for the Freelancing Mastery School here.
