If there’s one thing the majority of the world can agree on, it is skipping reading the terms & conditions (T&Cs). But why? Probably because they’re incredibly long and, yes, boring. This is why companies are fortunate when someone lends five minutes of their time to read them because, admittedly, the words are often hard to understand, and scrolling can seem to last forever.
Whether you offer a product or service, this should never be the way to go. It’s the perfect time to put the user experience at the forefront of designing terms and conditions. This way, you will be able to get your points across without overwhelming anyone, and they will appreciate understanding what must be a simple contract agreement.
As a business owner, it’s time to deliver something special to your customers. You should also go beyond the overwhelming legalese and show your customers what you want them to know in a way they would easily understand.
If this is what you want to know more about, here are five ways you can simplify your terms and conditions:
1. Make Your Terms and Conditions Creative and Representative of Your Brand
When you say terms and conditions, most people think clearly and straightforwardly. But these people usually translate this instruction as being too formal. It’s time to change that and try to become more human.
Try your best to mirror your brand’s image into your terms & conditions. The more creative you can go, the better. Keep in mind that people often find it easier to remember catchy, witty, and clever wording. If you want the small print to have a similar effect, grab that opportunity and surprise your customers.
2. Keep Your Terms and Conditions Short and Simple
Many companies tend to make their terms and conditions long, especially if they want to cover everything that might come up. This fact is especially true in contracts for musicians and artists.
However, if your target audience is a regular person, there’s no need for that. Ideally, your T&Cs should focus on what the customer needs to know, as providing information overload might just make them miss the point.
3. Utilize Headings and Better Formatting to Make Your Terms and Conditions Understandable
There’s often a general feeling of intimidation when people see legal writing. With tons of numbered paragraphs and guidelines, people might just feel put off and skip the entire thing.
Instead, try formatting your T&Cs like your usual article. Make it into something that you would actually read. You can start by using headings, summary lines, and divisions so that the reader will be able to absorb the information better and not be bombarded with information.
4. Measure the Readability Score and Try to Reach 65
Another way you can entice people to read your T&Cs is by simplifying the words you use and shortening your sentences. If you’re unsure where to start, run your T&Cs through a readability checker and check the score. A score of 65 would be your best bet, so if it’s too far from that, do some revisions and chop up sentences until you reach the goal.
5. Have Lawyer Friends Review Them and Help You Simplify the Words
You can also try consulting with a lawyer, especially a contract maker, to help you form the legal information in a simple way. They deal with these things every day, and most probably, they will be able to explain terms to you in an easy-to-understand language.
The Wrap
Terms and conditions play vital roles in keeping a good communication flow between a business and its stakeholders. By making sure that it is understood, you can protect your relationship and avoid future misunderstandings with them.
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