Do You Have Terms And Conditions?
I know I’m not supposed to admit to this but I’m having writers block this morning and really struggling to find an interesting way to start this email!
I’ve been faffing for about 20 minutes with different first sentences that I’ve deleted 42 times. So I’ve got a new plan.
I’ll just try cracking on and we’ll see how it goes shall we? 🤷♀️
I’m going to talk to you today about one of the least sexy areas of business. Terms and Conditions – woohoo!
There are loads of reasons/excuses for not putting Terms and Conditions in place in your business. A tiny sprinkling of those excuses are:
I don’t have a clue where to start
I don’t have £800 to pay a solicitor to do it properly
I don’t want to download some dross off the internet and get it all wrong
I don’t want my customers to feel like they’re jumping through hoops
I might lose customers if they think it’s too serious or too legal
My customers are all amazing and trustworthy so I just don’t need them
And so many more!
I know the whole idea of Ts and Cs can feel quite intimidating. But the simple truth is that they’re there to protect your business. They’re just like all the insurance policies you pay for and hope you’ll never actually use. A waste of money? Or protection and peace of mind?
The thing I’ve seen repeatedly over the years is that the one thing that’s most likely to push you into finally getting this sorted is when a trusted customer lets you down.
Maybe somebody cancels and doesn’t give you any notice because without Ts & Cs you’ve never clarified the length of notice they’re supposed to give you (or maybe you chatted about it but you’ve got no way of proving that now without looking like a dick)
Perhaps someone has agreed to work with you, the dates are all booked in, you’ve done a bit of pre-work, everything is ready – and then they change their mind. But they haven’t signed your Terms so you’re left high and dry.
And that’s even worse if you’ve already turned down other work because you weren’t going to have the capacity for it! 🤦♀️
So … as you can probably guess this week’s vlog goes into more detail about how to get started with some Ts & Cs in a way that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. And also explains some of the key things you’ll want to factor in to give you the level of protection you need.
The vlog also explains why Ts and Cs don’t have to be a hoop for your customers to jump through. They can actually be a mark of your professionalism and a way to create clarity and confidence for you AND your customer. It’s in their best interests too!
Phew! I got there in the end and I’m feeling fairly satisfied now with my efforts. 😃
I should probably go back and change the first couple of sentences into something much more professional and profound. Or I could just leave them as they are so you can see the actual truth instead of the glossy, polished perfection we’re all supposed to pretend is naturally us.
Anyway, please watch the video and take advantage of my tips. And if you’d like some help with your growth plans get in touch.
