Image Consulting Contract Template
Most consulting disputes are not about money, they are about what was included. A short agreement everybody reads is worth more than a long one nobody does, and it is the cheapest protection in this profession.
See the coursesEverything on this page is yours to copy and adapt. The courses cover the decisions behind it: what to charge, what to promise, and what to put in writing.
What yours needs to cover
- ✓ Scope, in specifics: what is delivered, over how long, and what counts as a separate booking
- ✓ Payment terms, deposits, and what happens to the deposit if nobody turns up
- ✓ Cancellation and rescheduling, with a notice period you will actually enforce
- ✓ Photography and testimonials, opt-in and revocable rather than assumed
- ✓ Privacy: what personal information you hold, why, and for how long
- ✓ The limits of the advice, which is what protects you when somebody buys something and changes their mind
How to use it
- Send it with the invoice for the deposit, so agreeing and booking are the same act.
- Keep it to two pages in plain language. An agreement nobody reads protects nobody.
- Put the cancellation window in numbers, not in "reasonable notice".
- Have somebody qualified in your jurisdiction read it once before you use it.
Where consulting disputes actually come from
In image consulting the arguments are rarely about the price itself. They are about whether a follow-up email was included, whether the shopping trip was part of the audit, whether a client who cancelled that morning gets the deposit back, and whether you may post a before-and-after photograph. Every one of those is settled in advance by a clause, and every one becomes awkward when it is not.
The agreement is not a sign of distrust. Clients generally find a clear, short document reassuring, because it tells them exactly what they are buying.
It also protects the relationship. When a client asks for something outside the booking, you can point to the scope and offer it as a separate service at a stated price, rather than either doing unpaid work or refusing in a way that sounds personal. The document does the uncomfortable part of the conversation for you.
Clause by clause
Scope comes first and it should be specific: the service, the length of the session, where it happens, what the client receives afterward and by when, and what counts as a new booking. "Wardrobe audit, up to four hours in the client's home, followed by a written gap list within five days" leaves nothing to interpret.
Payment and cancellation belong together. State the deposit, when the balance is due, how much notice a reschedule needs, and what happens to the deposit for a late cancellation or a no-show. Use numbers (48 hours, 50 percent) rather than words like "reasonable".
Photographs and testimonials should be opt-in and revocable, with the client choosing whether their face appears at all. The privacy clause says what personal information you hold, including measurements, and how long you keep it.
The limits of the advice
The clause people leave out is the one that protects them most. Your recommendations are advice, the client makes their own purchasing decisions, and you are not responsible for a garment they bought and later regretted or for a retailer's return policy. Say too that your work does not extend to medical, cosmetic or body-related advice, and that alterations are carried out by a tailor the client engages.
Have a qualified professional in your state read the finished agreement once. Contract law varies, and a single review is inexpensive compared with the dispute it prevents.
A filled-in example
| Service | Wardrobe audit, up to four hours in the client's home |
|---|---|
| Delivered afterward | Written gap list and outfit photographs within five business days |
| Deposit | $150 at booking, balance due on the day |
| Rescheduling | Free with 48 hours notice, once per booking |
| Late cancellation or no-show | Deposit retained |
| Photographs | Garments only, client face never shown, consent revocable in writing |
| Advice limits | Purchasing decisions remain the client's, alterations by a tailor of her choice |
Mistakes to avoid
- Vague scope. Words like "full styling support" invite argument. Name the service, its length, where it happens and exactly what is delivered afterward.
- Assuming photo consent. Posting a client without clear, written consent can end a relationship and your reputation. Make photographs opt-in and easy to withdraw.
- A cancellation policy you will not enforce. If you waive it every time, it becomes meaningless. Set terms you are comfortable applying, then apply them politely.
- Copying a contract from another profession. Generic service agreements miss the clauses this trade needs, such as home visits, measurements and the limits of appearance advice.
Image Consulting Contract Template FAQs
Do I really need a contract for a single session?
Yes, and a single session is exactly where the arguments happen: what was included, whether the shopping trip was extra, and whether a no-show is refundable.
Is an email enough?
An email that sets out scope, price, dates and cancellation terms, and which the client agrees to in writing, is an agreement. What matters is that both sides can point at the same words later.
Can I use one agreement for corporate work?
No. A business client needs a statement of work, an invoicing schedule and usually their own procurement terms, which is a different document and covered in Unit 9.
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