Resources
Practical guides for running a service business.
Pricing, quoting, getting paid, scheduling crews, and getting found on Google. Written for owner-operators, with worked examples and templates you can use today.
Latest guides
Latest · MarketingThe Google Business Profile checklist for contractorsYour profile decides whether you show up on the map. Here is every field worth filling in, and the routine that keeps it working.Read the guide
More new guides
- Getting paidHow to get paid faster: 10 invoicing habits that work
- Pricing & quotesHow to raise your prices without losing good customers
- Scheduling & crewsThe rain delay playbook: rescheduling without losing customers
- Running the businessJob costing for small service businesses: find out which jobs make money
5 guides
Pricing & quotes
Charge what the work is worth and put it in writing so customers say yes.
How to raise your prices without losing good customers
If you haven’t raised prices in a while, you’ve already given yourself a pay cut. Here’s how to fix it with your best customers still on the schedule.How much of a deposit should a contractor ask for?
A deposit protects your calendar and your materials budget. The trick is asking for the right amount, at the right time, in writing.Estimate vs. quote vs. bid: what’s the difference?
Customers use the words interchangeably. You shouldn’t, because each one sets a different expectation about the final price.How to write a contractor quote that wins the job
Customers rarely pick the cheapest quote. They pick the one they understand, from the business that seems easiest to work with.
How to price lawn mowing jobs: a simple formula that covers your costs
Guessing from the curb works until it doesn’t. Build your price from your real costs and you’ll know every yard is worth mowing.5 guides
Getting paid
Invoices, terms, deposits, and reminders that turn finished work into money in the bank.
How to get paid faster: 10 invoicing habits that work
Most late payments aren’t about money. They’re about friction. Remove it, and the checks come in sooner.How to ask a customer for payment: 6 reminder templates
Chasing money feels awkward until you have the words ready. Copy these, adjust the details, and send them without a second thought.Progress billing for contractors: how to bill big jobs in stages
Floating two weeks of labor and materials on a big job is how small contractors run out of cash. Billing in stages fixes that.Invoice payment terms explained: due on receipt, Net 15, and Net 30
Payment terms are a promise about when money arrives. Pick the right ones for each kind of customer and spell them out every time.Card vs. ACH vs. check: which payments should a service business accept?
Every payment method has a cost. Sometimes it’s a processing fee, sometimes it’s a trip to the bank and a week of waiting.4 guides
Scheduling & crews
Routes, calendars, rain days, and job records that keep the week running.
The rain delay playbook: rescheduling without losing customers
Weather will wreck your week several times a season. A simple playbook turns a mess of phone calls into a 15-minute reshuffle.Whiteboard, spreadsheet, or scheduling software: when it’s time to switch
The whiteboard isn’t the problem. The problem is that only the person standing in front of it knows what’s going on.
Before-and-after photos: how job documentation prevents disputes
“That scratch was already there” is a lot easier to say with a timestamped photo. Good documentation takes two minutes a visit.How to build efficient recurring routes for lawn, pool, and cleaning crews
On a recurring route, the time between stops is where your margin disappears. Tighten the map and the same crew does more.4 guides
Marketing
Get found on Google, earn reviews, and turn searches into calls.
The Google Business Profile checklist for contractors
Your profile decides whether you show up on the map. Here is every field worth filling in, and the routine that keeps it working.How to get more Google reviews (the right way)
Reviews are the closest thing to word of mouth on a search page. You earn them by asking at the right moment, every time.What every service business website needs: a page-by-page checklist
A good trade website isn’t fancy. It answers four questions fast: what you do, where you do it, why you, and how to reach you.Google Ads vs. Local Services Ads vs. SEO for home service businesses
Three ways to show up when someone searches for your trade. They work differently, cost differently, and suit different stages of a business.2 guides
Running the business
Know your numbers and make changes without disrupting the work.
Job costing for small service businesses: find out which jobs make money
Revenue tells you how busy you were. Job costing tells you which of those jobs were worth doing.How to try new business software without disrupting your week
You don’t have to switch everything on a Monday. Run a few real jobs through the new system while the old one keeps the lights on.Ready when you are
Put your name
on less paperwork.
Start with a few jobs alongside the way you work today. Keep your current software, spreadsheets, or paper running until you’re ready to switch.