If you’re a photography business owner, you know first-hand the importance of contracts. They protect both you and the client and set up a degree of professionalism that’s appreciated by all involved parties. (Psst. BP4U offers lots of guidance when it comes to photography contracts. We even sell pre-written contracts for your various photog needs.)
You can always have your contracts signed the old-fashioned way: in person at a time that’s convenient for both you and your client. Still, providing the option of digital contracts may prove worthwhile to you in the end. Not only is it good for the environment (the trees thank you), digital contracts save you office space, keep you better organized and are, in general, more convenient for everyone involved.
The technology for digital contracts is here and we recommend taking advantage. Here are our current favorites.
Best Options for Digital Contracts
Adobe EchoSign
Cost: $14.95/mo
Adobe EchoSign is an “electronic signature solution” that businesses both large and small rely on every day. The secure, well-trusted program works on any electronic device and costs only $14.95 per month. Once you sign up for an account, you’ll be able to prepare documents and send them, via email, to your client. From there, your client can e-sign any contract you send their way without having to download any additional programs. We love that you receive an instant notification letting you know the document has been signed. You’ll also get notifications when the document has been opened, when it’s been forwarded and when it’s been viewed. Once signed, a copy of the contract is sent digitally to all parties and is securely stored.
ShootQ
Cost: $39.95/mo to $79.95/mo
ShootQ is a company founded by photographers and always has photographers in mind. In fact, their motto is “Shoot More, Work Less.” Who doesn’t love the sound of that? It’s essentially a digital assistant that works with you from the moment you find a prospective client all the way to the delivery of products and pictures. One of ShootQ’s features is streamlining the contract signing process. The site manages all the details of your transactions for you and allows your clients to easily review and sign contracts online. They provide various price points ranging from $39.95/mo for “start ups” to $79.95/mo for their premiere “hub” option. Note that ShootQ is more than a digital contract signing service, so it’s more expensive. That said, the other features available may be worth the additional money spent.
DocuSign
Cost: $10/mo to $30/mo.
Another ink-free, digital contract option is DocuSign. This program is secure and trusted by companies both large and small. In fact, big dogs such as HP, Sony and Red Bull use DocuSign for their digital contract needs. We recommend the $20/mo “Professional” plan, which allows you to send unlimited contracts through the month. It also allows for company branding and shared templates. The “Business” plan, which costs $30/mo, offers those features, plus more. Once you have an account, all you have to do is upload your document (Word, PDF or other common format) and then add the names and email addresses of your client(s). After placing all the appropriate tags, you send it off for your client to sign. Upon signing, the digital contract is stored and can be easily retrieved from your account.
Photographers Contract Maker: iOS / Android
Cost: $2.99 iOS, $9.99 Android
Finally, we want to introduce you to a digital contract making app designed for iOS and Android devices. For the up front cost of $2.99 (a limited time introductory rate) on iOS, you get four customizable starter contract templates, including a photo shoot contract, model release, copyright release and 2nd shooter/work for hire contract. From there, you can purchase the “Pro Placeholder Pack Upgrade” for more customizable options. For Android, the app costs $9.99 and comes with an additional contract (underage model release). Whichever operating system you’re on, you’ll be able to create, edit, sign and email contracts right from your electronic device. There are also options for embedding images and branding. Each contract allows you to go in and customize it with the clients’ names and session date and time.
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