“An Honest Man Never Hesitates to Put It in Writing”
As soon as Google finishes scanning out-of-print books in their partner libraries, I’ll be able to tell you from whence this quote comes.
No matter.
It was told to me as I started out in business, and it’s an important thing to remember.
You see, some business people get so excited about an opportunity that they avoid “the details” of getting a contract executed. I know. I would tend to hesitate to execute a contract, because I am a bit afraid of asking for the sale. Most of us aren’t professional sales people, and closing the sale is a bit intimidating for us. We feel more comfortable coasting along and starting work without a contract.
Working without a contract is a bad idea. Obviously we have nothing to fall back on if a problem arises.
However, we also don’t get the opportunity to put down in writing the agreement. Are you on the same page with the client? Who does what, when, and how? Without this breather, we are doomed to misunderstanding and conjecture, which is just one step from resentment and anxiety.
When we remember “An honest man never hesitates to put it in writing” we can screw up the courage to get a contract in place.
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