Is Your Agreement a Plain English SaaS Agreement?

Short answer: you can figure out whether you are selling legal simplicity or legal complexity with two quick checks: is your agreement short and written in plain English, and is your sales team actually trained to handle it. Simplicity closes deals. Complexity stalls them.

Are your agreements simple or complex? Have you ever stopped to ask whether you have a plain-English SaaS agreement or plain-English terms of service? Most companies do not think about it, or if they do, it sits at the bottom of the list. Let me help move it up, because it quietly affects how fast you close.

Step 1: The Agreement Itself.

Your SaaS agreement or terms of service should be genuinely simple. Vet it internally and make sure it is:

• Written in plain language, with the legal jargon stripped out.
• Limited to the clauses you actually need (talk to your attorney; there are almost always clauses in there that do not fit your model).
• As short as it can be without losing the protection that matters.

Every unnecessary clause and every bit of legalese is friction that slows your sales cycle. A buyer who can read your agreement once and understand it signs faster than one who has to route it to outside counsel. (This is the same simplify-the-paper idea I cover in Write Better EULAs and SaaS Agreements.)

Step 2: The Negotiating Process.

The contract is only half of it. How is your sales team actually handling the negotiation? Are they trained to answer questions from end users and channel partners, and do they fully understand the contract they are asking people to sign? Have them read Getting to Yes as a starting point. A salesperson who understands the paper, and treats the buyer like a person, removes friction that a thick contract creates (more on that in Software Negotiations by Showing Respect).

This is not hard, but it is usually addressed too late. Run these two checks, decide whether you are selling simplicity or complexity, and adjust. One of them helps you win; the other quietly costs you deals. I hope this helps.

For the broader playbook on managing customer expectations across the deal, see Contract or Policy? When Software Companies Should Use Each.

Common Questions About Plain English SaaS Agreements.

What is a plain English SaaS agreement? One written in plain language, limited to the clauses you actually need, and as short as it can be without losing real protection.

Does plain language really speed up sales? Yes. A buyer who can read and understand your agreement once signs faster than one who has to route it to outside counsel.

What else affects the deal besides the document? Your sales team. They should understand the contract they are asking people to sign and be trained to negotiate it.

Resources:

• Write Better EULAs and SaaS Agreements
• SaaS Agreements Are Not Good Communication Vehicles
• Contract or Policy?

Disclaimer:

This post is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not legal advice. You should hire an attorney if you need legal advice, which should be provided only after review of all relevant facts and applicable law.