Even if you have a contract ready, it can be a real pain to get it signed. An unsigned contract provides zero value to your business. So let’s make life easier by learning about electronic signatures.
Electronic signatures make it easier for people to enter into contracts.
Electronic Signatures In Practice
The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) came into force in the year 2000. The Act answers whether or not an electronic signature counts as a “signature” for the purpose of enforcing a contract. The law states that electronic signatures equal paper signatures. It says that “a document or signature cannot be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form”.
So how do you do it? There are a few platforms that enable electronic signing.
The ones that we have used include: Docusign, Echosign and Docracy. They all function in similar ways so I won’t go into a full review, but if you are interested in more information, this article from PC World goes through these platforms and presents details on how electronic signing works. I don’t endorse any particular one, so check them out to see which ones work for you.
Benefits of Electronic Signatures
Contracts make your business run better. Electronic signatures make contract benefits more accessible.
- Your deals close faster.
- You engage in less back and forth with the other party.
- You send agreements quickly.
- Using electronic signatures can have a real impact on your business as it can help you get paid on time.
