The truth is no one should ever sign the first contract they get. EVER. A contract you get sent is just the starting point for a negotiation. First contracts are *always* written in favor of the person writing them. Once you receive a contract, you should carefully go over it (with a lawyer if there's ANY way you can) and make a list of what you'll agree to, and what you won't. Take your points of concern back to the company and start finding a middle ground. Be prepared to give some stuff up if they're doing the same, that's compromise. Be prepared to walk away if no mutually beneficial compromise can be reached. Some points they won't budge on, some they will reluctantly, and some parts of a contract are in there EXPECTING them to get removed, just so the other person can feel like they got a compromise.
That's right, there's almost always at least one thing in a contract that's so ridiculous it's insane. Of course, you're supposed to go back and say "no way, this part has to go", and they'll look like it's a big deal and they don't want to remove it, but eventually they'll say "ok, we'll take that out, but in exchange we're not going to do this other thing you asked for" (the "other thing" being the part they really do care about and don't want to lose).
All contracts are negotiable. Negotiating *is* the business side of the industry. Get good at it, and the world is yours. But always remember...
Never sign the first contract they give you. It will ALWAYS be the best deal (for them) they think they'll get away with.
Analogy time: A fruit vendor sells a very special apple that he knows he needs to get $5 each for to stay in business. You want to buy the apple and don't know how much he really needs or is willing to sell for, and he doesn't know how much you're willing to pay.
HOW IT SHOULD GO:
You: "How much is that apple?"
Vendor: "It's a very special apple, and I'm the only one in the world who has them. $25.00!"
You: "WTF? It's an apple. I'll give you 50 cents."
Vendor: "It's not *just* an apple, it comes from a far off land and is very hard to get. I can't take less than $15.00."
You: "It is a nice apple, but that's ridiculous. $1.00."
Vendor: "10.00"
You: "$5.00, that's my final offer!"
Vendor (fake crying): "The gods have cursed my old bones! My wife will kill me! My children will starve! But you drive a hard bargain. I will sell it for $5.00, but just this once and tell no one you got the best of me!"
You: feel happy, didn't get ripped off (these particular apples are totally worth $5.00)
Vendor: Got what they needed, just not more than that.
HOW IT SHOULD NEVER GO:
You: "How much is that apple?"
Vendor: "It's a very special apple, and I'm the only one in the world who has them. $25.00!"
You: "OK!"
(PS - if you're slow with analogies or subtext - this is exactly what you're doing when you sign the first contract you get.)
TLDR; Go with whatever network you want. Negotiate the things that are important to you. If they can't meet you in the middle on those points, walk away and negotiate with someone else.
(PS PS - not that we don't work for our best interests in any deal so we can stay in business, but we do start with pretty fair deal terms. And yes, somethings are very important to us and we won't budge much if any at all, but there's always a few things we're willing to negotiate more than others if you ask. We expect you to negotiate.)
(PS PS PS - this post is a copy of an answer I gave in another thread, but it seemed like a good thing to offer as stand alone advice to everyone and not just the other thread's OP)
That's right, there's almost always at least one thing in a contract that's so ridiculous it's insane. Of course, you're supposed to go back and say "no way, this part has to go", and they'll look like it's a big deal and they don't want to remove it, but eventually they'll say "ok, we'll take that out, but in exchange we're not going to do this other thing you asked for" (the "other thing" being the part they really do care about and don't want to lose).
All contracts are negotiable. Negotiating *is* the business side of the industry. Get good at it, and the world is yours. But always remember...
Never sign the first contract they give you. It will ALWAYS be the best deal (for them) they think they'll get away with.
Analogy time: A fruit vendor sells a very special apple that he knows he needs to get $5 each for to stay in business. You want to buy the apple and don't know how much he really needs or is willing to sell for, and he doesn't know how much you're willing to pay.
HOW IT SHOULD GO:
You: "How much is that apple?"
Vendor: "It's a very special apple, and I'm the only one in the world who has them. $25.00!"
You: "WTF? It's an apple. I'll give you 50 cents."
Vendor: "It's not *just* an apple, it comes from a far off land and is very hard to get. I can't take less than $15.00."
You: "It is a nice apple, but that's ridiculous. $1.00."
Vendor: "10.00"
You: "$5.00, that's my final offer!"
Vendor (fake crying): "The gods have cursed my old bones! My wife will kill me! My children will starve! But you drive a hard bargain. I will sell it for $5.00, but just this once and tell no one you got the best of me!"
You: feel happy, didn't get ripped off (these particular apples are totally worth $5.00)
Vendor: Got what they needed, just not more than that.
HOW IT SHOULD NEVER GO:
You: "How much is that apple?"
Vendor: "It's a very special apple, and I'm the only one in the world who has them. $25.00!"
You: "OK!"
(PS - if you're slow with analogies or subtext - this is exactly what you're doing when you sign the first contract you get.)
TLDR; Go with whatever network you want. Negotiate the things that are important to you. If they can't meet you in the middle on those points, walk away and negotiate with someone else.
(PS PS - not that we don't work for our best interests in any deal so we can stay in business, but we do start with pretty fair deal terms. And yes, somethings are very important to us and we won't budge much if any at all, but there's always a few things we're willing to negotiate more than others if you ask. We expect you to negotiate.)
(PS PS PS - this post is a copy of an answer I gave in another thread, but it seemed like a good thing to offer as stand alone advice to everyone and not just the other thread's OP)
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Glad you liked the post!
