ERL Action Plan

Get the Google Business Profile direct "Ask for Reviews" link. After every completed job: send review link via SMS (Twilio) immediately. Follow up in 3-5 days if no review. Respond to every review posted.

Write a professional, reassuring script for the first 30 seconds of emergency calls. Cover: we're available, we're coming, here's what to expect, here's the price range. The caller is stressed — the phone manner IS the sale.

Any quote/inquiry not responded to within 48 hours triggers auto follow-up via SMS: "Hi [name], just checking you received our estimate. If you have questions or would like to go ahead, we're here to help."

Missed call triggers immediate SMS via Twilio: "Sorry we missed your call. Tell us about your emergency and we'll call you right back: [intake form link]"

Mandatory 25-50% deposit on booking for scheduled work. Payment "due on receipt." Staged payments on larger jobs. If customer disputes deposit, walk away. Deposit = acceptance of T&Cs = binding agreement.

Cover: access requirements, scope change policy (changes priced separately), payment terms, cancellation policy. Send with every quote acceptance. Protects in small claims court.

Create individual pages: "emergency plumber London", "burst pipe repair London", "24/7 electrician London", "emergency boiler repair [borough]", "leak detection London". Each with contact form + WhatsApp + click-to-call.

Let customers send photos/videos of their emergency. Enables remote assessment before dispatch. Add WhatsApp prominently to website. Use for sending quotes (read receipts > email).

Single form on website: name, phone, email, address, job description, photo upload. Route all lead sources (Google, SMS, referrals, missed calls) to this form. Acts as tire-kicker filter.

Document package pricing (not hourly). Fixed price including call-out, diagnostics, repair, materials, cleanup. 2.5-3x multiplier for unsocial hours. Write objection scripts for "too expensive" and "can you do cheaper?"

Film emergency repair jobs (with permission): before/during/after. Post to YouTube, TikTok, Facebook. Phone camera + natural audio is enough. 2-3 short clips per week. Serves as marketing + social proof + SEO.

Update Google Business Profile weekly with completed job photos, short video clips, service updates. Google rewards active profiles with higher local pack rankings. Pack services section with every keyword variation.

Joel Cooke method: write down top 30 target property management companies. Contact every one. Send info even when rejected. LinkedIn for B2B — tradesmen barely use it. Track all outreach in CRM.

For each job: price quoted, materials, labor, fuel/travel, actual profit. Log costs in real time. Compare predicted vs actual monthly. Reveals which job types to pursue vs avoid.

Professional invoices auto-generated from CRM. Sent from the van immediately after job completion. Auto-receipt after payment, then auto-trigger review request. Full lifecycle automated.

Audit ROI on Checkatrade, Bark, Yell, FreeIndex. If organic leads have replaced paid ones, reduce spend. Goal: own your lead flow, not rent it. Keep listings active but redirect investment to owned channels.

Active on: GBP (primary), YouTube, TikTok, Facebook Business, Instagram. Post completed job content across all. Content created today generates leads months from now.

MTD launches April 2026 for £50k+ sole traders. Set up Xero/QuickBooks/FreshBooks/Sage. Check bank for free software (Barclays=FreshBooks, NatWest=FreeAgent). Connect bank feed. Claim all expenses aggressively.

Build content library: "what to do when pipe bursts", "how to shut off water main", "signs of electrical fault." Educational content drives long-tail SEO + positions ERL as the local authority customers trust.

From October: market winter-specific services aggressively (burst pipes, heating failures, storm damage, flooding). Build landing pages + content for seasonal demand. ERL's structural advantage over seasonal trades.