E-Signatures for Sales Contracts: A Simple Guide

Sales contracts are the lifeblood of any growing business. But the old way of handling them—printing, scanning, and waiting for signatures—slows deals down and frustrates both your team and your clients. That's where e-signatures come in.

With electronic signatures, you can send, sign, and close contracts in hours instead of days, all while staying legally compliant. They're secure, easy to use, and built to fit the pace of modern sales.

In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about e-signatures for sales contracts: how they work, why they're legally valid, the benefits for sales teams, and the tools, like SignWith, worth considering. Whether you manage a lean startup or a scaling sales org, you'll walk away knowing exactly how to make contract signing faster, simpler, and more reliable.

What Are E-Signatures for Sales Contracts?

Digital vs. Electronic Signatures Explained

"E-signature" and "digital signature" are often used interchangeably, but they're not the same.

• Electronic signatures (e-signatures): Any electronic indication of agreement, like typing your name, clicking "I agree," or drawing a signature with a mouse.
• Digital signatures: A subset of e-signatures that use cryptographic technology for authentication and tamper-proofing.

For sales contracts, both can be valid, but most tools (including SignWith) focus on e-signatures that are legally binding and easy to use.

Legal Validity and Compliance Requirements

In most regions, including the US (ESIGN Act, UETA), e-signatures are legally binding for sales contracts. As long as the signature captures intent, identity, and an audit trail, it holds up in court. That means your reps can confidently close deals electronically - even high-value ones.

How E-Signatures Work in Sales Processes

Instead of printing, scanning, or chasing wet signatures, reps simply:

1. Upload the sales contract.
2. Add signature and date fields.
3. Send a secure link to the client.
4. Client signs on desktop or mobile, and both parties get a signed copy instantly.

It's faster, smoother, and leaves a digital trail that's easy to track.

Benefits of E-Signatures for Sales Teams

Accelerate Deal Closure

Traditional contract turnaround averages 5-7 days. With e-signatures, 82% of agreements are signed within 24 hours. That means faster bookings and fewer deals stuck in "pending."

Reduce Administrative Costs

Between printing, scanning, mailing, and storage, a paper contract can cost $25-$30 per agreement. With e-signatures, you eliminate most of that, freeing up budget for growth.

Improve Customer Experience

Nobody enjoys downloading, signing, scanning, and emailing back a contract. Clients expect a smooth digital flow. Sending a link they can sign from their phone makes your company feel modern and frictionless.

Enhanced Security and Compliance

Every signed document comes with an audit trail—time, date, IP address, and signer details. That's often more defensible than a handwritten signature, while also keeping contracts encrypted and secure.

ROI of E-Signatures for Sales Organizations

Time Savings

A study by OneSpan estimates that salespeople save $25,000 annually in recovered time when switching to e-signatures. Instead of babysitting paperwork, reps can focus on selling.

Revenue Impact

Faster signatures mean fewer deals lost to delay. Salesforce reports teams see 15 days faster contract cycles with e-signatures - directly accelerating revenue recognition.

Cost Comparison: Subscription vs. Pay-Per-Document

Most enterprise tools like DocuSign or Adobe Sign charge $25+ per user/month, whether or not every rep uses it fully.

Pay-per-document models, like SignWith, flip this. You can actually get your documents signed for as low as ~$0.5 per document. For sales teams with fluctuating volume, this can mean hundreds to thousands saved annually, without unused seats dragging ROI down.

Essential Features for Sales Teams

When picking a solution, focus on features that actually matter for sales:

Top E-Signature Solutions for Sales Teams

Getting Started with SignWith for Sales

Step 1: Assess Your Current Process

• Identify your most time-consuming contract workflows
• Calculate current costs (printing, courier, staff time)
• List all stakeholders involved in contract signing

Step 2: Choose Your Pilot Contracts

• Start with NDAs (high volume, simple process)
• Add sales proposals (high value, clear ROI)
• Include order forms (frequent, time-sensitive)

Step 3: Set Up Your Account

• Create templates for your most common contracts
• Configure signature fields and recipient workflows
• Test with your team before going live

Step 4: Train Your Sales Team

• 15-minute walkthrough for basic users
• Document your processes and templates
• Set up integrations with your CRM

Step 5: Monitor and Optimize

• Track time savings and cost reductions
• Gather feedback from clients and reps
• Expand to additional contract types

Final Thoughts

Sales move fast. The longer contracts take, the more deals you risk losing. E-signatures aren't just about convenience; they're about speed, professionalism, and trust.

For some teams, heavyweight platforms with dozens of features make sense. But if your goal is simply to send a contract, get it signed, and move on, lean solutions like SignWith are hard to beat. Quick to set up, legally compliant, and pay-per-document simple.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to close deals faster with e-signatures? Try SignWith.co - it's free for your first 3 documents each month, with no monthly subscriptions required.

Start Closing Deals Faster