How do I create service agreements?

A service agreement is the standard contract for any service relationship — consulting, design, marketing, IT, professional services. Required clauses:

1. Parties — service provider + client legal names. 2. Services — itemized scope. Specific deliverables, milestones, exclusions. 3. Term — start date, end date, or 'until services complete.' 4. Payment — fee structure (fixed, hourly, retainer), schedule, method, late fees. 5. Deposit — 25-50% upfront for projects over $500. 6. Expenses — what's billable separately (travel, software, materials). 7. Deliverables — formats, delivery method, acceptance criteria. 8. Revisions — number included, cost of additional rounds. 9. IP ownership — who owns work product on payment. 10. Confidentiality — protect client info. 11. Independent contractor status — provider is not an employee. 12. Termination — for cause and convenience, notice period, kill fee. 13. Indemnification — limit liability on both sides. 14. Limitation of liability — cap damages at contract value or 2x. 15. Force majeure. 16. Dispute resolution — mediation first, then arbitration or court. 17. Governing law — your state. 18. Entire agreement — supersedes prior discussions. 19. Signatures + date.

• Consulting: emphasize advice-only, no fiduciary duty.
• IT services: SLAs (uptime, response time), data security.
• Marketing: deliverable specifications, performance metrics (or disclaim).
• Professional services: licensing acknowledgment.

Master Service Agreement (MSA) + Statement of Work (SOW) structure: MSA covers ongoing terms once; each project has its own SOW with scope and price. Best for repeat clients.

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