Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the website, services, and communications of Advocate 1917, a brand of Blashton LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company (“Advocate 1917,” “we,” “our,” “us”). By accessing our website, engaging us for services, or providing your contact information to us, you (“you,” “client”) agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.

1. Description of Services

Advocate 1917 is a digital marketing agency offering a defined set of services to local and small-to-mid-market businesses:

• Website development on our preferred technology stack.
• Local search engine optimization, Google Business Profile management, and local 3-pack work.
• Local Services Ads, Google Ads, and Meta Ads campaign management.
• Reviews and reputation work (acquisition velocity, response, and recovery).
• Workflow automation focused on speed-to-lead — including SMS-on-lead notifications, email nurture sequences, and lightweight client-side data support — built to add to a client's existing operations, not to replace working systems.
• Call tracking to validate lead flow on guarantee-based engagements.

Services not listed above are out of scope. Where a client need falls outside our scope (for example, replacement of an existing CRM, quoting or estimation software, field-service management software setup, point-of-sale integration, customer-loyalty program software, vehicle wraps, or direct mail), we will refer or recommend, but will not deliver, those items as part of our services.

2. Engagement and Payment

Specific deliverables, timelines, exclusivity terms, pricing, and any performance commitments are defined in a written engagement agreement or proposal between Advocate 1917 and the client. These Terms apply to all engagements but do not by themselves create a service obligation; that obligation arises only under a signed engagement.

Unless otherwise specified in your engagement agreement:

• Invoices are due on receipt unless a payment schedule is documented in the engagement.
• Late payments may incur a service charge of 1.5% per month on outstanding balances, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
• Advocate 1917 may suspend services on accounts more than 30 days past due.
• All advertising budgets, third-party platform fees, software subscriptions, and pass-through expenses are billed separately from service fees, unless explicitly bundled in the engagement.

3. Performance Commitments

Where an engagement includes a performance commitment, the specifics — target metric, measurement window, and remedy if the target is not met — are documented in that engagement. Our standard remedy is qualified-lead based: where the named target is not met within the measurement window, we cut the client a check for the agreed-upon shortfall remedy as defined in the engagement.

Exclusivity is offered per vertical, per location, on a defined basis described in your engagement. We do not take on competing clients in the same defined market during the term of an engagement.

4. Client Responsibilities

You agree to:

• Provide timely access to the assets, accounts, content, and approvals reasonably needed to deliver the services (for example, domain DNS, advertising platform access, content materials, and decision-maker availability for approvals).
• Respond to deliverable reviews within the time windows specified in your engagement.
• Pay invoices in accordance with the engagement.
• Use our work product and communications in compliance with applicable laws and platform policies, including advertising platform policies and consumer-protection laws.

Delays caused by missing inputs, slow approvals, or third-party access issues may extend timelines and are not the responsibility of Advocate 1917.

5. Intellectual Property

• Pre-existing IP: Each party retains ownership of intellectual property it owned or developed prior to the engagement.
• Work product: Upon full payment of fees, ownership of final deliverables produced specifically for you (for example, custom-written copy, custom website code, and brand-specific creative) is assigned to you, except for any underlying tools, components, libraries, frameworks, methodologies, or pre-existing materials that remain ours and are licensed to you on a non-exclusive, non-transferable basis for the engagement's purpose.
• Portfolio rights: We retain the right to reference the engagement and its results — including business name, logo, and high-level metrics — in our portfolio, case studies, and marketing materials, unless you specifically request otherwise in writing in the engagement.

6. Confidentiality

Each party will protect the other's non-public business and customer information with the same care it uses for its own confidential information, and will not disclose that information except to deliver the services or as required by law. This obligation survives termination of any engagement.

7. SMS and Email Communications

By providing your phone number or email address to Advocate 1917, you consent to receive communications from us as described in our Privacy Policy, including SMS appointment reminders, project updates, and (if you have opted in) marketing messages. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to any text to opt out, HELP for assistance. Email recipients may unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link.

No mobile information you provide to us will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

8. Warranties and Disclaimers

Advocate 1917 will perform its services with reasonable care and skill, consistent with prevailing industry standards.

Except as expressly stated in a signed engagement, all services and deliverables are provided “as is,” without warranty of any kind. We disclaim all implied warranties, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that our services or third-party platforms will be uninterrupted, error-free, or achieve any particular result except where a specific performance commitment is in a written engagement.

Advertising platform results are subject to the platforms' rules, algorithms, and policies, which can change without notice and are outside our control.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Advocate 1917's total liability arising out of or related to your use of our services or these Terms will not exceed the fees you paid to us in the three (3) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim. We will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits or lost business opportunities.

10. Indemnification

You will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Advocate 1917 and its officers, members, employees, and contractors from any claims, damages, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from: (a) content, data, products, or services you supply to us or instruct us to use; (b) your breach of these Terms; or (c) your violation of applicable law or third-party rights.

11. Term and Termination

Engagements run for the term specified in your engagement agreement. Either party may terminate for material breach if the breach is not cured within 15 days of written notice. Outstanding fees accrued through the effective date of termination remain payable. Pre-paid amounts for unstarted work will be refunded on a pro-rata basis at our discretion. Sections 5 (IP), 6 (Confidentiality), 8 (Disclaimers), 9 (Liability), 10 (Indemnification), and 12 (Governing Law) survive termination.

12. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute will be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Williamson County, Tennessee, and you consent to personal jurisdiction there. Before filing any formal action, the parties will attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute through direct discussion.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms periodically. Updates will be posted on our website with the “Last updated” date revised accordingly. Continued use of our services or website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

14. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms: