What is a PPC contract?
Whether you’re a newbie in the freelance world or you’re one of the PPC freelance gurus who has been in the market for a while, you need to work with a PPC management contract. The freelance business is very risky, and working without a contract may just put your earnings at risk. The truth is, you’re probably meeting your client for the first time, and so, how are you going to trust them without a PPC agreement? They may never keep their payment promises if there isn’t a binding agreement between you and them. As a freelancer, the last thing you’d want to happen to you is to miss your wages at the end of the project or get less than what you intended. Therefore, to be safe, you better start working with a PPC management contract.
So, what’s a PPC agreement or PPC management contract?
Simply put, a PPC contract is a document that is used to seal the deal between the PPC consultant and the client. A contract helps both parties understand the terms of the agreement, projections, and milestones. The contract will also help identify the "out of scope" work that has the potential to increase your revenue.
While in most cases you might need the PPC agreement more than the client, they too need it for the sake of the services you offer. Just as you need to be paid at the end of the project, so does your client expects you to carry out the tasks as stipulated by the contract. Sometimes PPC freelancers promise more than what they can deliver and end up disappointing the clients in the end. For this reason, a client also needs to work with a PPC management contract to ensure they get what they pay for. Nobody wants to pay for services they’ve not enjoyed, and you know that, right? That’s why a PPC management contract is of the essence.
So, what exactly is a PPC agreement meant for? Well, you already have a glimpse of this, but it’s not a bad idea to brush through the benefits once more. Just like other contracts, a PPC agreement protects the interest of both parties - you and the client. It ensures both of you are working within your boundaries and delivering as per the expectations. That’s essentially what PPC agreement documents are there for.
They are meant to establish the work to be delivered and the terms and timeframe for providing the work. The agreement will also protect your interests as a consultant. Despite the mutual trust expected from both parties, projects sometimes fail, and you need a solid plan that will protect you from financial loss as well as protect your reputation as a consultant.
1. Before you start with your PPC management contract
It's widely accepted that the contract process is more successful after a first meeting where a verbal agreement is in place. Before you work on the PPC contract, you may need to walk the potential client through the whole PPC process so that they can scale their expectations to the situation on the ground. Don’t be afraid of saying what you’ll help the client achieve, but of course, ensuring you’re as realistic as possible. It’s good to build confidence in your client, but be truthful in everything you say.
For starters, there has to be clarity about expectations from both sides. You have to determine what the client wants to achieve - the needs of the client. That means you’ll have to give them an ear to note down their expectations and goals. Remember, they’re hiring you to provide solutions to their business, and so, you better understand their business needs before you begin working.
You also need to be careful before you commit to the business relationship. Watch out for a client who cannot articulate their needs. You should also be cautious of the clients who expect you to transform their business. Even the best competitive intelligence tools won't help you determine what their companies need. If they expect miracles, you will have a tough time collecting payments, and it can eat into your reputation. Make sure you talk to the client and establish a verbal agreement before you submit a written one.
Don’t let a client push you to the wall. It’s better you drop the contract and look for something more favorable than agree to what you can’t achieve. As we mentioned earlier, a PPC management contract should protect both interests. So, your client should be ready to work with what you can deliver and not force you to achieve what you can’t.
2. Determine the budget for the PPC management contract template
The best way to determine the budget for your PPC contract is to rely on projections, assumptions, and math. Some equations use these three parameters to estimate the number of clients a PPC campaign aims for, and the possible revenue these customers will bring. So, a little mathematics is required here. However, if you’re not so good at numbers, don’t you worry. We’ve got tools in place to help you do this effortlessly within a short time. Just get the relevant software and you’ll be good to go.
Another critical determiner for budgeting is how effective the PPC campaign will be when compared to other existing marketing strategies. For example, PPC campaigns are only considered necessary when other tactics have failed to bring in the projected revenue. Paid advertising can make up for shortcomings of other tactics like SEO and social media marketing. Depending on the performance of the existing marketing channels, you will work out a budget for the contract. Here, you’ll need the help of your client. They know what has worked and what hasn’t worked before. So, they’ll be in a position to guide you.
What should be included in a PPC contract template?
As much as possible, avoid defining projected results in the PPC contract regardless of how much the client insists on it. Remember that results are not always within your control. The client will have to participate if the results are to be realized, and you cannot predict your client's level of commitment. Also, bear in mind that some clients will expect your strategies to be the magic bullet that brings in sales, and this will set them up for disappointment.
Well, the truth is, you’d like to please your client as much as you can to create a good relationship with them. However, that doesn’t mean you make false promises. You should realize that promising more than you can deliver will put you in trouble with them. In fact, it will worsen the relationship than you least expected. While most freelancers may be excited by your projections, they’ll only feel satisfied when you achieve the set goals. So, be careful before you specify the results. You should realize that you’ll bear most of the weight in the end, and so, why tighten things on your side.
So, even if your client insists that you specify results, be smart enough to escape from it politely. Most freelancers have ended up losing their contracts because they made a promise that they didn’t keep, and you don’t want to be one of them. They say, better safe than sorry. Therefore, protect your freelance business by being as honest as possible in whatever you include in the PPC management contract.
What are the essentials of a PPC contract?
There are a few metrics that influence results.
3.1. Client activity
The results based on the contract assume that the client will play their part. The service provider cannot force the client to participate. That means you’ll achieve results depending on how faithfully you deliver the services expected. Of course, you’ll always do your best to meet your client’s expectations, but it’s not always a guarantee that all will go well. There are some bumps and valleys along the way that both you and the client should prepare for.
3.2. The autonomy of the service provider
Rarely do clients ever relinquish full control of the end-to-end running of the PPC campaign. This lack of independence raises the number of factors that can influence the campaign, making results unpredictable. While your client trusts that you can handle the job well, they still need to be there to ensure things are running as they’d want them to. Definitely, it’s not bad to do this. It only means that your services are somehow guided by the client and that means the results you get at the end of the day are determined by efforts from both sides. That’s why you shouldn’t promise specific results to avoid blames in the end.
3.3. Adjustments drive results
Unless the contract is fully adjusted to the client's market, then you can't get the best results from a PPC campaign. Having been in the freelance business for quite some time, you know that different markets have different demands, and your PPC management should factor this in. If you don’t fully understand your client’s market, then expect some negative results. That’s why you need to carry out thorough market research before you start. But even then, you might never get to exhaust the details of the market before you start. No wonder you shouldn’t make any promises.
In essence
There are simple clauses in the contract that could set you up for failure. Failure to get the correct information on the client's needs will also set you up for failure. Similarly, promising too much will set you up for failure. Therefore be cautious about what you put in your PPC contract.
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