Why must I sign the T.O.S?

And honestly, that's a very good question! So, let's start from the beginning.

TOS stands for Terms of Service! Which is a set of rules that determines how, when and what'll happen during the service being provided, by either a person or a company, small or big.

So why do artists and many other small businesses have a Terms of Service in place, even though it is not legally required?

Well, to put it simply, these sets of rules help to determine how interactions between seller and buyer will occur during the exchange.

Otherwise, without them, how would you know what to expect?

It'd be like going into a shop, grabbing a product and being unable to find the counter to pay for it. Or, requesting a service without knowing when, how or if it'll happen when you need or want it.

Absurd, right? If bad costumer service drives people away, not having an organized production process to follow through, keeps them out of the door for good! Even if they do happen to buy anything, they might just never return, which isn't our goal.

That said, usually the terms cover basic things like:

• Payment (methods, installment plans, billing and refunds)
• Intellectual rights (Copyright, ownership, privacy, commercial rights)
• Time management (Initiation, updates, delivery and delays)
• Revisions (How many, if they're free or not, which kind, etc)
• Policies (Recompensations, cancellations, remedies)

Those are all conditions that need to be met for the work to be done as smoothly as possible, with responsibilities to be fullfiled by both the Creative and their Clients. It is a team effort, in a way!

Some artists prefer to cover those things with a much more simpler outlook, while others go all out and deep dive into details and explanations, being either too rigid or too lax. Which isn't exactly an issue! 

Though, either of those might not be the best for people who are seeking their services, in my humble, personal opinion.

Too rigid of a rulebook? People might not have the patience to read, or follow all of their instructions. Therefore, they most likely won't respect the boundaries set, and it'll inevitably form a strain in their communication and possibly cost them a connection.

Too lax of an outlook? It'll leave margin for errors, for confusion, for all sorts of mistakes on both the Creative's and the Client's part.

They won't know what to expect from each other, and feeling lost isn't the best thing when we're talking about building trust and reliability between a business and their costumers.

Finding a middle ground that feels fair and square for both should be the number 1 priority, and that usually begins on the Creative's side.

Signing my terms of service is important to keep both me and my clients safe from scam situations. And, because it helps to set clear boundaries for an easy, efficiente and professional interaction.

It is a necessity, not a want.

Setting up expectations and defining the once blurry lines between the personal and professional areas of our lives is a necessity. Any artist you contact for work isn't a friend,

They're an independent entrepreneur of their field and should be treated as such, with respect and politeness.

On that note too, a pleasant behavior is a must for all good costumer services, including but not limited to, artists towards their clients.

You might notice a lot of artists who are serious about their work like to keep it strict, and for good reason! A lot of people think once you become friends with an artist, you'll get better discounts or even free art???

It is pure entitlement. And may I say, not a good look on them.

That having been explained,

As long as you remember the boundaries drawn and follow them as best as you can, you'll most likely be A-OKAY in their books ♥

*Although, it is pretty neat when a client-seller relationship turns into a friendship! So, don't think you can't ever be casual or playful at times too! Art is all about connecting with others.