Service Agreements

The situation

A marketing agency provides monthly SEO services to a client for $1,500 USDC per month. Both sides want transparent records: the client wants proof of deliverables before each payment, and the agency wants guaranteed payment for completed work.

The solution

Each month, the client creates a milestone escrow agreement tied to that month’s deliverables:

Agreement settings:

• Type: Escrow with milestones
• Approval: 1-of-1 (client approves each milestone)
• Deadline: End of month
• Network: Base (live mode)

How it plays out

1. Client deposits $1,500 USDC at the start of the month
2. Agency delivers the SEO audit → client approves → $500 released
3. Agency implements changes → client approves → $700 released
4. Agency delivers results report → client approves → $300 released

Each month is a clean cycle with its own agreement and on-chain record.

Alternative: Terms-only for the SOW

Before starting the engagement, use a terms-only agreement to lock in the statement of work:

1. Create a terms-only agreement describing scope, deliverables, timeline, and pricing
2. Both parties sign — creating a permanent on-chain record of the agreed terms
3. Then create monthly escrow agreements for actual payments

This gives you both a signed scope document and payment protection.

Why this works for ongoing services

• No surprises — payment amounts and deliverables are locked in before work begins
• Milestone flexibility — break each month into logical phases that match your delivery workflow
• Transparent history — every month’s agreement is independently verifiable on-chain
• Easy scaling — add more milestones as the scope grows, or create separate agreements for additional projects