How to review a brand's edits to your contract

How to review a brand's edits to your contract
When you send terms and they send back changes, those edits are the real negotiation. Read them like a hawk, kindly.

Do this every time:
— Compare old vs new side by side (most apps show 'track changes')
— Watch for added words: 'exclusive,' 'perpetuity,' 'unlimited,' 'sole discretion'
— Check if your payment terms got stretched (Net 30 quietly became Net 60?)
— Confirm your deposit and kill fee survived their edit

Example: they 'just cleaned it up' but usage rights jumped from 30 days to 6 months. That's a price change, not cleanup.

Your move: never sign a returned contract without re-reading it fully. The dangerous changes are always the quiet ones.