Slides accompanying WordCamp Kansas City 2016 talk about contract basics for WordPress & Web Professionals.

1. Contract Basics for Web
& WP Professionals
By Kristin Falkner
kristin@kristinfalkner • @KristinCodesWP
www.kristinfalkner.com

2. Who am I?
▣ Web developer specializing in WordPress
▣ Started developing websites when I was a teenager
▣ Self-employed/freelance so I do all the things

3. 1.
Should I Use a Contract?
Spoiler Alert: Yes.

4. Why are contracts important?
▣ Set clear expectations and boundaries
▣ Define specifics like deliverables, timeline and fees
▣ Create accountability between the parties
▣ Define what happens if things go wrong

5. Always use contracts

6. 2.
Common Contract Myths

7. Contract Myths
▣ An official written contract is required to be enforceable
▣ Contracts need to be written in complex legal language
▣ Contracts will make your client “nervous” or make them not
want to work with you.
▣ Contracts are best as a create-it-once-and-forget-it type of
document.

8. 3.
Core Contract Elements

9. PARTIES INVOLVED
Who is the contract between? Make
sure parties are authorized to enter
into a contract.
EFFECTIVE DATE
When does the contract take
effect?
SCOPE OF WORK
What are you doing? What are
the deliverables? Be specific.
Basic Contract Elements
TIMELINE
When are you doing it?
PAYMENT
What are you being paid & when?

10. 4.
Web Contract Considerations

11. REVISIONS & CHANGES
Is there a limit? How are these
handled?
HOSTING & DOMAINS
Are you providing hosting?
Who is responsible for domain
registration & renewals?
SEO
Define what you are or are not
offering there.
Web Contract Considerations
CONTENT CREATION
Who has the responsibility to
provide the site content?
CROSS BROWSER SUPPORT
What exactly are you supporting?
RESPONSIVENESS
How is this handled in various
situations?
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Who owns the work being done
and when, if ever, does that change
DESIGN ASSETS
Photography, stock photography,
logo and other branding

12. 6.
WordPress Contract Considerations

13. CONTENT ENTRY/
MIGRATION
Who is handling this?
THEME/PLUGIN LICENSING
If the site requires the use of premium/
licensed themes and/or plugins, how is
that handled?
BACKUPS
Who is responsible?
WordPress Contract Considerations
SUPPORT & UPDATES
How is this handled?
DISCLAIMER
Not sole author of WordPress
& plugin files.
TRAINING
What is being provided there?

14. 7.
Client Contract Considerations

15. COMMUNICATION
Set expectations & boundaries
CLIENT DELAYS
If the client stalls in providing
feedback or similar, what
happens?
LATE PAYMENTS
Is there a late fee or other
implications of untimely
payments?
Client Contract Considerations
POINTS OF CONTACT
Establish who you’re
communicating with / who the
decision makers are
CLIENT MISSTEPS
If a client abuses a license or steals
work from another party for the
project without your knowledge

16. 8.
When Things Go Wrong

17. ESCAPE CLAUSES
What happens if either party wants
out? Is there a kill fee? What
happens to work completed?
LITIGATION
Venue, choice of law and
jurisdiction over the parties
LIABILITY LIMITATION
Commonly limited to dollar
amount of contract
If Things Go Wrong

18. In Conclusion
▣ Not comprehensive list of clauses (common misc. clauses not
covered like confidentiality, relationship between the parties)
▣ Figure out the contract clauses that work best for you
▣ Allow your contract to grow with you & your needs
▣ Worth having lawyer review contract terms for best assurance
& protection

19. Any questions?
You can find me at @KristinCodesWP & kristin@kristinfalkner.com
Or in the WCKC Community Support Lounge – 3pm hour
Always use contracts