As an online business owner, you probably already know that you need to have certain contracts to protect your business, but the thought of writing them from scratch probably feels a little overwhelming.
Like where do you even start? What clauses do you need to include? What language do you need to use?
Even as a lawyer, I understand the overwhelm. There’s a lot that goes into writing a business contract that actually protects your business, which is why I always encourage online business owners to NOT start from scratch.
You didn’t go to law school for this, but other people (myself included!) did, so why not make things a little easier on yourself and use a contract template to help you write a business contract?
If I didn’t write contracts for a living, that’s what I would do! But since I do, I know that not all contract templates are created equal, so it’s important to choose a contract template that covers all your bases, like one from The Boutique Lawyer!
In this blog post, I’m walking you through how to write a business contract using a TBL contract template, sharing what makes TBL contract templates different, and answering some of the top FAQs people have about how to write a business contract.
TL;DR: You don't need to write a business contract from scratch. Start with a lawyer-drafted contract template designed for your industry, customize it with your business details, scope of work, and payment terms, and get it signed before work begins.
How to Write a Business Contract Using a TBL Contract Template
To write a business contract, choose a template that fits your industry, customize the core details and scope of work, set your payment terms, review the legal clauses, and get it signed before work begins.
If you’ve ever Googled “how to write a business contract”, you’ve probably realized pretty quickly that most advice out there either feels way too vague or way too legal.
One article tells you to include “the essential terms.” Another tells you to add clauses like indemnification, limitation of liability, governing law, force majeure, and intellectual property ownership… and suddenly you’re ten tabs deep wondering if you accidentally enrolled in law school.
Here at The Boutique Lawyer, we believe that writing a business contract doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be done correctly.
That’s exactly why using a contract template from The Boutique Lawyer can save you hours of guesswork and potentially thousands of dollars in mistakes!
Instead of starting with a blank document, here’s exactly how to write a business contract using a TBL contract template:
Step 1: Choose the Right Contract for Your Business
The first step is choosing a contract template that actually matches the type of business you run and the services you provide. This matters because a generic “service agreement” pulled from the internet may completely miss clauses your industry actually needs.
For example, if you’re a coach, your contract may need clauses around client responsibility, results disclaimers, and call attendance or rescheduling policies, while a copywriter might need clauses around things like revision limits, intellectual property ownership, and content approvals.
This is why TBL offers contract templates designed specifically for online business owners, not one-size-fits-all templates!
Step 2: Customize the Core Business Details
Once you’ve chosen the contract template that’s the best fit for you, the next step is personalizing it to your business.
This usually includes things like:
- Your business name
- Client name
- Contact information
- Service details
- Project or program name
- Start and end dates
This may seem basic, but getting these details right matters more than people realize.
A contract can only protect what it clearly identifies, so take your time here!
Step 3: Define Your Scope of Work
This is one of the most important parts of your business contract. Your scope of work clearly explains:
- What you’re delivering
- What’s included
- What’s not included
- How revisions, edits, or support are handled
This is also where you prevent scope creep before it starts!
For example, if you’re a social media manager, instead of saying: "Monthly social media management services", a stronger scope would say something like: "Creation of 12 Instagram posts per month, including captions, hashtag research, and content scheduling. Engagement management, DMs, and paid advertising are not included unless otherwise agreed in writing."
See the difference? A strong contract doesn’t leave room for assumptions!
The good news is that TBL contract templates already include language designed to help you define these boundaries clearly!
Step 4: Customize Your Payment Terms
Your payment section is another area where your contract should reflect how your business actually operates. This might include:
- Flat project fees
- Payment plans
- Retainers
- Non-refundable deposits
- Late fees
- Failed payment policies
For example, if you require a deposit before work begins, your contract should clearly state how much is due upfront, whether it’s refundable, and what happens if payment isn’t made on time.
This part of your contract isn't just about getting paid – it’s about setting expectations from day one!
Step 5: Review the Key Legal Clauses
This is the part most business owners worry about… and understandably so.
All of the different contract clauses like cancellation policies, refund policies, termination rights, intellectual property, confidentiality, and more can feel intimidating if you’re writing from scratch.
But this is exactly where a lawyer-drafted template becomes invaluable!
Instead of trying to piece clauses together from random blog posts or free downloads, your TBL contract template already includes the legal language your business actually needs.
When writing a contract for your business, your job shouldn’t be to reinvent the wheel – it should simply be to review the terms, understand how they apply to your business, and customize where appropriate.
Step 6: Send, Sign, and Store It Properly
Once your contract is customized, it’s time to make it official! To do that, make sure both parties review the agreement, both parties sign the same version, and the final signed copy is saved securely.
Whether you’re using HoneyBook, Dubsado, DocuSign, or another platform, your contract should be fully executed before work begins.
I'll sign it later" or "we'll figure it out as we go" aren't good enough when it comes to your client working relationships. While emails and other written communications can sometimes carry legal weight, a formally signed contract puts you on much stronger footing.
Get everything in writing and make sure it’s signed and sealed before you start your work. That’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make when working with clients and it can end up costing you so much time and money!
What Makes The Boutique Lawyer Contract Templates Different
Now that you know how to write a business contract using a TBL contract template, it’s important to understand that not all online business contract templates are created equal!
And if you’ve ever downloaded a cheap template online only to realize it barely addressed your actual business model, you already know this firsthand.
So here’s what makes a contract template from The Boutique Lawyer different:
Lawyer-Drafted
If there’s one thing to look for in the contract templates that you choose to purchase online, PLEASE let it be this one!
If your goal of implementing a business contract is for it to actually protect you legally, then it needs to be written by a… lawyer… who went to law school!
Not by a copywriter or another creative who sort of kinda knows the ins and outs of online business law. I don’t care if they’ve interned at a law firm or went through paralegal training!
Your business contracts need to be written by practicing lawyers so you can be confident the language and clauses are drafted to hold up when it matters most.
And that’s the first thing that makes The Boutique Lawyer Contract Templates stand out! Every single template in our shop is professionally drafted by a lawyer – not copied from a Facebook group, blog post, or AI-generated legal document.
That means the language is intentional, strategic, and built with real legal protection in mind.
Industry Tested
In addition to being lawyer-drafted, TBL contracts are also industry tested, meaning they aren’t being created in a vacuum.
All of the contracts in our shop have been built based on real-world client experiences, real disputes, real scope creep situations, real payment issues, and real online business scenarios.
In other words, these contracts are built for what actually happens in online business.
Which brings me to this…
Niche-Made for Online Business Owners
The Boutique Lawyer contract templates are niche-made for online business owners because a photographer doesn’t need the same contract as a business coach and a podcast editor doesn’t need the same terms as a copywriter.
TBL templates are designed specifically for online business owners who need contracts that reflect how modern businesses actually operate!
Oh and it’s worth mentioning that they’re made FOR online business owners BY an online business owner.
Not only am I (Amber – Chief TBL!) a practicing lawyer, but I’m also an online business owner, meaning I know exactly what the industry needs when it comes to legal protection.
Affordable
Take it from me – hiring a lawyer for a fully custom contract can easily cost you thousands. But again, as an online business owner myself, I know that most online business owners don’t have the budget for that, especially if you’re just starting out.
But that doesn't mean your legal protection should wait!
At the root of what we do here at TBL, we give online business owners access to high-quality legal protection without requiring a massive upfront investment.
We do this through offering various online business contracts, but we’ve even taken it a step further with our Chief Legal Officer Suite – an all-in-one contract bundle for online business owners!
The CLO Suite includes 40+ attorney-drafted legal templates that cover the most essential areas of your business and each template is easy to customize and includes built-in instructions so you can confidently fill in your details and start building your legal foundation right away.
Customizable
As we’ve previously established, all businesses are different, which means there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all contract. But again, that doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch!
All TBL contract templates are designed to be customizable for your business. They give you a strong legal foundation while still allowing you to customize your services, pricing, and policies.
And the best part is that you aren’t left guessing on how to customize the contract template. With every TBL contract purchase, you receive a customization guide (visual and written) with step-by-step directions on how to customize the contract for your business.
Easy to Use
And lastly, when creating TBL contracts, my number one goal is to make sure they’re actually easy to use! The last thing I want is for a business owner to buy a contract template and then just let it collect dust in their email – that doesn’t help anyone.
You don’t need a law degree to use these templates – they’re designed to be user-friendly, practical, and easy to implement into your business immediately!
FAQs About How To Write a Business Contract
Can I write my own business contract?
Technically, yes. But writing your own contract without legal experience often leads to vague language, missing clauses, and weak protection, which can become expensive later. That’s why using a lawyer-drafted, customizable contract template is often the better choice!
Are free business contract templates okay to use?
Free templates may seem convenient, but they’re often overly generic, outdated, or not written with your industry in mind.
What “works” for one business may leave another completely exposed, which is why the TBL Contract Template Shop includes various contract templates for various industries.
Can I customize a contract template?
Yes and you should! A good contract template gives you the legal foundation while still allowing you to customize your business details, pricing, services, and policies.
Do online contracts count as legally binding?
Yes! As long as your contract includes the essential elements of a valid legal agreement and is properly signed, digital contracts are generally enforceable.
When should I send my contract?
Always send your contract before work begins, before strategy calls, before onboarding, and definitely before deliverables are sent. Legal protection starts before the project does!
What should a basic business contract include?
At a minimum, a strong business contract should include the names of both parties, a clear scope of work, payment terms, cancellation and refund policies, intellectual property terms, confidentiality protections, and signatures from both parties.
Do I need a lawyer to write a business contract?
You don't necessarily need to hire a lawyer to draft a fully custom contract. A lawyer-drafted contract template gives you the legal foundation you need at a fraction of the cost, while still allowing you to customize it for your specific business.
The Best Contract Templates for Online Business Owners
Overall, learning how to write a business contract doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch.
In fact, one of the smartest things you can do as a business owner is not start from scratch and start with a contract template that was created for your specific industry or niche instead!
A strong contract should protect your time, your income, your boundaries, and your client relationships and that’s exactly what the templates inside The Boutique Lawyer are designed to do!
So if you’re ready to stop piecing together legal language from Google and start using contracts that actually work for your business, CLICK HERE to browse the TBL Contract Template Shop to find the contract(s) that your business needs.
And if you aren’t sure which contracts your business needs, CLICK HERE for a general list to help you get started.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, AMBER GILORMO – ATTORNEY AND FOUNDER OF THE BOUTIQUE LAWYER
Amber Gilormo is the cool lawyer behind The Boutique Lawyer – a one-stop contract template shop for creative entrepreneurs, online business owners, coaches, and service providers.
From client agreements to digital product terms and everything in between, our lawyer-drafted templates take the guesswork out of staying legally protected online (no legal jargon required).
Here’s how you can stay connected:
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