What Do Copywriters Need to Include in Their Agreements?
Copywriters are business owners – they provide writing services to clients and are not employees to their clients. Therefore, it’s very important for copywriters to have their clients sign a Service Agreement before working together. The Service Agreement will set out all the terms the copywriter and client agree to, manage the client’s expectations, and most importantly, protect the copywriter.
In this article, we’ll explore the top five things copywriters need to focus on for their Agreements.
1. Scope of Work
The Scope of Work section outlines the Copywriter’s tasks. This section is critical because it serves as proof of what the Copywriter and Client agree the Copywriter will do. Copywriter’s should be specific about what work they will perform for the client. For example, instead of simply writing “The Copywriter will write an article”, it is better to include a word count range, number of pages and topic. Having a clearly defined Scope of Work section will help avoid disputes and prevent the Copywriter from performing extra work.
2. Revisions
Once Copywriters complete a writing service for a client, they will almost always need to edit it after the client reviews it. If the client is a perfectionist or very picky, they might want several rounds of revisions. To avoid this, it’s important to include a Revisions section in the Service Agreement. This section will outline the number of free revisions the Copywriter will provide and include a rate for any additional revisions so the Copywriter ensures he or she does not work for free and is not taken advantage of.
3. Communication
Setting guidelines for communicating with clients may not seem valuable, but it is. Setting out terms for communication prevents clients from constantly calling or emailing the Copywriter for updates. The Copywriter’s Service Agreement should set out when the client will receive an update on the service and a method for communication (i.e. an email address). We suggest providing the client with a professional email address for all communication, so that all correspondence is organized in one place.
4. Refund Policy or No Guarantee Policy
Clients may not always be happy with the finished product. As a service provider, a Copywriter’s Service Agreement should contain a clause about what to do in this situation. Although you want the client to be satisfied, it’s equally necessary for you to get paid for the service you provided. Copywriter Service Agreements can include a refund policy to keep the client happy, however, it is more beneficial for Copywriters to include a No Refund Policy or No Guarantee Policy to protect themselves and ensure they are compensated and not taken advantage of.
5. Copyright
The Service Agreement must include a section outlining who owns the Copyright to the work. As a Copywriter, you can assign copyright to the client or include a term that specifies that you retain the copyright. Because the client is paying for the work, they will likely want to be assigned the Copyright so they can own the work and publish it. If you choose to assign the copyright to the client, it’s crucial for you to include a term in the Service Agreement that sets out your rights. For example, you want to ensure that you can still include the work in your portfolio or use it as a sample to show others what you have written.
These are just five of the most important sections Copywriters need to include in their contracts. To make sure your Copywriter Agreement has all the terms you need to protect yourself and your work, we recommend having a lawyer draft your agreement.
Author Credits
Erin Kasner-Remer is a final year law student at the University of Ottawa and a 2022 EFV Legal Intern. She is interested in Business and Family Law, and can be found exploring new restaurants and cafes. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
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