Contract / order form ??

Hi all fellow painters!

First i want to say that i am really glad to have found this forum! It is such a great resource!

I finally started my business doing face and body painting for money (after doing it for free for years!),
I was wondering about contract, by that I mean, when someone invites you for a gig do you have some "order form" or such thing that you make your costumer sign?

Thanks!
Inca

I have a contract on 2-part NCR so I can have a copy as well for my records. Even when I do freebies I have them sign my contract. That way everyone has an understanding of what to expect. I recently started a smaller version of my contract for my halloween appointments as well.

I always use a contract. It lets the customer know what they're getting, what their responsibility is & is also my contact info for the event.

It has a contact info section(event title, event date, contact name, name of bday child, phone number, address)

A details section(this is where I fill in services & any special instructions like gate codes, parking pass info, etc)

Then I have my terms section.

Total fees/deposits

An area for client & I to sign.

Also the Snazaroo website offers one to download - see the FAQs. They also have a model release for pics for use in your marketing. I love CabbyJ's tip about the NCR paper!

thank you for the good advice!
I usually don't see my client before the event, also most of the times i get booked last minute :/
when do you make them sign the contract and get a deposit?

I generally do not take any bookings on less than two weeks notice. My customers know to book early - most of my regulars book a year in advance.

I use a letter of agreement which is my contact in the form of a letter. I send them two copies, one they sign and return to me with the deposit. I print my terms and conditions on the back of their copy of the letter.

thanks everyone for the good tips. when starting out, i feel like a lot of bookings can be last minute, because you're taking what you can get.

do you think it's a good idea to maybe email a short notice client a copy of the contract, and then maybe have it say "by paying the deposit (via paypal), you are acknowledging you have read this contract and agreeing to its terms"?

Or maybe if you are getting paid a lump sum at the start of the gig, to email it to them early and have them sign a copy before you start painting?

let me know what you think. doing it by letter is good except for when it's shorter notice.

From a business perspective, both sound like excellent ideas.

pixieface wrote:Also the Snazaroo website offers one to download - see the FAQs. They also have a model release for pics for use in your marketing. I love CabbyJ's tip about the NCR paper!

I found that hard to find, so for future reference, it's here:
http://www.snazaroo.us/faqcontract2.htm

Thanks for the link. That is very helpful.

I don't bother with a contract unless it's a corporate event involving a lot of money. I do take a deposit for new clients that I've not worked with before. (I don't bother with that either if it's a repeat client.) So far I've not had any problems. I did just recently get my first cancellation (two weeks in advance). I didn't have a deposit for it so I just graciously thanked her for letting me know, but it wasn't a big deal since I filled the weekend almost immediately with another (better paying) gig.

For me personally, contracts seem like a lot of work to get filled out and returned. You have to keep up with who has returned theirs, who hasn't, and then there are the last-minute jobs where there isn't time for snail mail. (Plus, would I have the resolve to stand firm if someone broke the contract? Probably not!) That's just me though. I'm all about keeping it super simple. I charge the same hourly rate regardless of corporate or private, I take as little as humanly possible with me to gigs, and I skip contracts and deposits whenever possible. I know a lot of people who've been able to fall back on their contract when something went wrong at a gig, though. If I ever get burned I may start requiring them. Hoping that never happens!

I didn't use contracts to start with. Then I started using my letter of confirmation with corporate bookings. Then I started requiring a deposit for new corporate and out-of-town bookings (I got burned by a large event that cancelled on short notice).

Then this past year I've started using a written confirmation for birthday parties and a deposit on them if they are being held at a third party venue.

For regular birthday bookings at private homes I don't require deposits but now do send a written confirmation.

I have a written record and they have written confirmation from me.

Great info, thanks guys

I email the contract even if it's a last minute booking. If they can sign it, scan it & return it, that's fine. They can paypal the deposit. I have gotten booking a day in advance & 1 time a few hours in advance(their entertainment canceled last minute & I was able to fit them in). I usually just carry the contract w/ me(it's also my travel info).
The best part of the contract is the client knows exactly what they're getting & know exactly what my requirements are(ex. entertainers must have shelter from the elements) & has helped me in various areas.

Shannon don't you have some sort of contract on your blog resources?