A Finder is a middleman. He simply finds and introduces two interested parties, bringing them together for a business transaction such as a joint venture or the sale of a business. They themselves negotiate an agreement and consummate the deal without the Finder’s input. Finders are extremely useful for, say, a busy Atlanta playground salesman who simply does not have the time to develop leads.

The Finder would develop his own list of contacts and try to interest them in the product. If they are sufficiently intrigued, he would then make the introduction so that the salesman could make the actual sale.

This constitutes a valuable service that is recognized in law.

A Finder’s Agreement, also known as a Finder’s Fee Agreement, should define the terms under which the finder operates, such as limits on their ability to represent the company or make promises on its behalf.

Read carefully through FastDue’s free interactive Finder’s Agreement template, clicking on any clause that you wish to alter or delete.

Sign and send. Remember that the agreement is not complete until both parties have signed.

An electronic signature can be as simple as typing your name into the signature space and preserving the accompanying electronic paper trail. More complex (and therefore more secure) forms include iris or fingerprint scans and encrypted digital signatures that use Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) such as VeriSign.

Electronic signatures are valid for a wide range of applications; they are not, however, valid for wills, court orders and other court documents. It is always smart to keep a back-up paper copy, and if you have any concerns at all about using an electronic signature it is a good idea to use FastDue’s free interactive template and messaging system to thrash out the details of an agreement; then print out the final result and sign in the traditional fashion.