Introduction
As a marketing consultant, having a clear Master Services Agreement (MSA) is essential for managing multi-phase projects, getting approvals, and ensuring smooth handoffs. An effective MSA protects your creative work while setting expectations with clients. You can customize your Master Services Agreement now to suit your needs!
Legal Terms: What Matters Most for Marketing Consultants
Intellectual Property (IP) Ownership
- Ensure you retain ownership of your work until full payment is received. This protects your creative output and makes sure clients value it appropriately.
- Specify that clients cannot use your work in AI models without your permission. This keeps your unique creations safe from being used in automated environments.
- Clarify attribution requirements, so both you and your client understand when and how credit should be given for the work.
Revision Limits, Acceptance Criteria, and Payment Milestones
- Set clear limits on the number of revisions included in your project. This helps manage your time effectively and ensures clients know what to expect.
- Outline acceptance criteria for each project phase, so both parties can agree on what “done” looks like.
- Create a simple milestone payment schedule based on deliverables. This keeps cash flow steady and clients engaged.
Scope Creep and Change Orders
- Define what triggers a change order to prevent scope creep. For example, additional features requested after project kickoff should be documented.
- Include price guidelines for changes, so clients understand any cost implications for altering the original agreement.
- Incorporate language that explains how changes can impact the project timeline, keeping both parties aligned on scheduling.
Other Helpful Clauses for Marketing Consultants
- Consider including portfolio rights to showcase your work. This can help attract future clients while ensuring you keep ownership of your creative output.
- A limitation of liability clause protects you from unforeseen issues that could arise from your services, giving you peace of mind.
How Counsel Club Helps
Counsel Club re-imagines legal for startups, freelancers, and creative entrepreneurs. Our platform allows you to search for lawyer-drafted forms for startups, freelancers, content creators, and other creative entrepreneurs. Our platform guides you through modifications, both to the contract and the scope of work. Counsel Club has the most sophisticated drafting tool on the market, and it was designed and developed by lawyers. If you want more help, reach out to a Counsel Club lawyer through our Concierge program. Our legal agent, Amicus, was trained on proprietary legal data to be your best legal assistant. Finally, legal for today, that is fast, protective, and cost-effective.
Questions to Ask Amicus
- What rights do I retain if I deliver my work before the client pays?
- How many revisions should I allow in my contract?
- What is the best way to define the scope of my project?
Closing CTA
To wrap up, creating a Master Services Agreement tailored to your needs and pairing it with Statements of Work can simplify your projects and protect your work. You can customize your Master Services Agreement now to get started!
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