Classroom
Fix it yourself. This week.
Four short lessons with the exact steps and words. Tick items off as you go; your progress stays saved in this browser. No email required.
Lesson 01 · Follow-up
Set up a 5-minute reply this afternoon
You don't need software to stop losing leads at night. You need every inquiry to get a useful reply right away.
1. Turn on an auto-reply at every door
- Instagram and Facebook: Meta Business Suite → Inbox → Automations → Instant reply
- Website form: switch on the "autoresponder" or confirmation email
- Google Business Profile messages, if you use them
- Your business email: a rule that replies to messages sent to your contact address
2. Use a reply that asks one question
"Thanks, we'll be in touch" doesn't start a conversation. A question does.
3. Test it tonight
From your personal phone, send yourself an inquiry through every door and time each reply. Fix any that take longer than five minutes. For the full picture, read how fast you should reply.
Lesson 02 · Websites
Rewrite your homepage headline in 20 minutes
Your headline is the first thing every visitor reads, and often the only thing.
Examples
- Studio: "Get strong without getting hurt. Coached classes for adults in Burlington." Button: "Book a free intro class".
- Contractor: "A finished basement, on budget and on schedule. Renovations across Oakville and Milton." Button: "Book a site visit".
- The headline names the result, not the service
- Only proof I can back up: licences, warranties, real reviews with permission
- One button. A second choice splits attention between two next steps
- I read it on my phone and it fits on the first screen
Want a worked example for trades? Read what a contractor homepage must do.
Lesson 03 · Ads
The one-offer ad
One offer, one audience, one page. Most local ads fail because they try to say everything.
1. One offer
A specific, low-risk first step: a free intro class, a free written quote within 48 hours, a fixed-price furnace tune-up. Not "contact us for more information".
2. One audience
Set the location to the area you actually serve and choose people living in that location. Leave interests broad at first and let the offer do the filtering.
3. One page
The ad's promise and the landing page headline match word for word. One button, and it leads to booking.
- Meta Pixel or Google Ads conversion tag installed
- Sent myself a test lead and saw the conversion register
- Every lead gets an instant reply (Lesson 01)
- I judge results by cost per booked appointment, not cost per click
Not sure which platform to start with? Read Meta vs Google ads for local businesses.
Lesson 04 · Local search
The Google Business Profile checklist
For "near me" searches, your profile is often seen before your website. Go through it once, then every quarter.
- Primary category is the most specific one that fits
- Service area lists the towns I actually serve
- Name, address and hours match my website exactly
- Each service added with a one-line description
- Real photos of my space, team at work and finished jobs
- Booking link points to the booking page, not the homepage
- I reply to every review within a few days
The full walkthrough is in our Google Business Profile guide for service-area businesses.
Book a call
Find the leak first. Then fix it.
Thirty minutes. We look at how leads reach you today, where they slip, and which one system would pay back first. You leave with the answer whether or not we work together.