When business owners are thinking about branding, they usually concern themselves with logos, signage, and other marketing items. They usually do not think about their contracts. The language and look of a company’s contracts has a major impact on how the customers perceive that company.
A contract that is downloaded from the web and mixed and matched with clauses from a variety of sources displays an air of disorganization and unprofessionalism. On the other, hand a well crafted contract reflects business savvy and attention to detail. Even the formatting and layout of the contract can affect the customers perception.
Contracts can also be a useful sales device if properly drafted. A contract should be drafted to make the person receiving it feel like they are getting more. By putting the terms they are looking for first, they are less likely to concentrate on the “boilerplate” where clauses that limit liability and affect issues that come up at trial are placed. Just like in any sales pitch, a contract should highlight the positives and downplay the negatives, without being dishonest or misleading.
Having contracts that look professionally prepared and that are structured with the customer in mind, will improve the overall perception of your company. It will associate a positive “feeling” to your customer’s experience with you, and result in increased referrals . After all, that is what good branding is all about.
