Got Time? 5 Free (or VERY cheap) Legal Tasks For Your Small Business.... FROM HOME!
/In our very official Instagram Poll, it seemed as though people needed a break from COVID-related resources. ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!
We all have unexpected TIME on our hands right now. And TIME is a great thing!
We can check off those boxes for admin tasks we have been avoiding, forgetting, or just plain ignoring because “I can’t worry about that right now,” or “I’ll wait until off season to do that.” So while we’re stuck in the house, let’s get some things taken care of!
Here’s a list of the Top 6 Free Legal Tasks For Your Small Biz, aka “those legal things we need to complete but that get pushed to the side when we’re busy.” Let’s rock. 🤘
Update Your Address with Your State Corporations Division
This is easy and super critical— so start here!
MAKE SURE YOUR ADDRESS IS CORRECT WITH YOUR STATE CORPORATIONS DIVISION.
In different states, these have different names, including “State Corporations Commission,” “Secretary of State- Corporations Division,” or otherwise. But this is where your Partnership records, LLC, or Corporate records are filed.
Simply look up your own company and make sure your address is right. A lot of times, people forget to keep it up to date (especially for home based offices!) but it’s really critical that you’ve kept it updated. This is because important government documents go there: Registration renewal notices, some tax info, SUBPOENAS and lawsuits, and other very important pieces of paper.
If your address isn’t right, you won’t be getting these documents! And that can lead to a lot of “bad things,” including having your LLC/ Corporate status revoked (yikes), missing notice of a lawsuit and losing by default (double yikes!!) or missing subpoenas (let’s not have warrants out for our arrest, OKKURRRR!?!").
Usually, you will be able to update these online with only a few clicks. Spend some time clicking around or ask a friend in your state if they know how to fix it. We have time, so let’s FIGURE IT OUT! And then you’ll be set the NEXT time you move :)
File Your DBA*
This one has a little asterisk because it’s going to depend on your state. SOME STATES (including Virginia) allow you to file DBAs (also called a “doing business as” or a “fictitious name filing”) online. You use a DBA when your company name is “NAME, LLC” and you just want to use “NAME” without the LLC designation. OR you can use a DBA if you’re a sole proprietor operating under a trade name, like “Sweetbriar Garden” for a sole proprietor florist.
Filing a DBA used to require an in-person sworn declaration and notary, and then mailing paper checks (ew), but boom technology! So now we can file these online with the State Corporations Commission, Division of Corporations, or whatever other name your state’s corporations division is called. Hint: It’s likely wherever you filed your LLC/ Corporation paperwork.
Check to see if your state allows filing of DBAs online, via email, or by fax (if fax is required, use a free trial or free service like HelloFax). If so, it’s likely a fee of under $30 to get this filing completed.
Update your website’s Privacy Policy
With the increasing focus on email marketing and privacy protections, this is a GREAT time to make sure your privacy policy is up to date!
So how do you do this?
First, make sure you have a privacy policy. It’s the law, y’all. American law, not just European!
Second, you need to disclaim every add-on, app, service, and platform you use to collect or store information about your users. Some common ones?
Facebook Pixel
Google Analytics
Gsuite
Mailchimp, Flodesk, ConvertKit, SendInBlue, or any other mail service provider;
Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCartel;
Squarespace (forms!)
Any Wordpress Add Ons
Shopify Extensions
Affiliate Link creators/ trackers
Literally anything else you use that collects, keeps, or stores details about people that visit your website. Don’t remember everything? Try BuiltWith, a website that analyzes all the add-ons on your website!
Update your website’s Terms and Conditions
If you’ve got the time, why not comb through those dusty terms and conditions you wrote 100 years ago and never looked at again?
Yeah, they need to be kept up-to-date as well. Do they actually reflect the way you do business?
Check out the following terms to (i) make sure they are covered, and (ii) make sure the terms and conditions ACTUALLY reflect the way you operate (note: A lot of these may apply to online SHOPS, but are good to consider for services as well!):
Is your business address up to date on the website?
What about your contact email?
Refunds— do you accept them? Under what circumstances?
Do you allow user uploads/ submissions/ reviews? Have you put a release in your terms and conditions so you can use those uploads/ submissions/ reviews?
If you have a blog or other area where users can comment, have you stated what can get someone “kicked off” or “banned” from your website?
Throw another reminder that your website is copyrighted to YOU. It’s always good to reinforce that!
How can people contact you if they have issues/ concerns with things on your website?
Who is your DMCA Agent?
Tighten and Revise those Contracts!
I think everyone is aware of just how important it is to have a strong, tight, comprehensive contract— especially now.
This is a great time to revise yours. Look at the pieces. Organize your contract based on your client journey, not just in chunks that you’ve thrown together":
Start with the beginning: how do they book you? What do they have to put down as your retainer?
Move to the middle— What do they expect on the months leading up to the event?
Hit the event day itself— what and when and how will you make it the best day ever?
Then follow with the “post event” process— what happens with overage fees, how do you return any items/ follow up on damage, and especially for my photographers/ videographers: how do you send the final files, what’s the timeline, etc.?
This is a great way to illustrate your client’s experience with you, and it also makes your contract seem more professional.
Some other ways to spring clean that contract:
Don’t forget to make sure you’re not contradicting yourself anywhere
Cut out extras if you’re repeating yourself every few paragraphs
Keep language consistent: use “retainer” or “deposit” but not both. Use “images” or “photographs,” but not both. Make it CLEAR what you’re talking about, and keep those words consistent through the document.
(note: We’re working on an entire post dedicated to tidying up your contracts, so be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to get that!)
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I know this is a TOUGH time. But for me, keeping busy, productive, and occupied is a way I deal with anxiety and my “control-freak-feeling-out-of-control” feelings. And if you need other resources on COVID, visit http://info.engagedlegal.com for everything we’ve got for ya (including our postponement/ cancellation templates)!
Hang in there, guys. We’re going to get through this. There is light at the end of this tunnel. I’m here for you. ❤💛❤
