Myth: "Contracts are overkill for small UGC gigs."

Myth: "Contracts are overkill for small UGC gigs."

Small gigs are exactly where verbal deals blow up, because nobody documented usage. The fix isn't a 12-page agreement, it's a one-page standard you reuse.

The Minimum Viable Agreement checklist:

— Deliverable count, format, and length.
— Usage scope and term (organic only vs paid; 90 days vs perpetual).
— Revision rounds included and the rate beyond them.
— Payment: deposit percentage, balance trigger, late fee.
— Kill fee if cancelled after work starts.

Five lines. Same template every time. Standardize it, send it before you shoot, and you never argue about "I thought that included ads" again. Save this and stop free-styling small deals.