Your First 3 SOPs as a One- or Two-Person Business

1. Define the trigger

Write one clear line at the top:

This tells you exactly when to open the document and follow it.

2. Internal setup – organise your side first

Before you send anything, you prepare your own systems smoothly. Your SOP can describe actions such as:

• Create a folder in your file storage with a simple naming convention, for example:
  Clients → [Client Name] → [Project Name]
• Add the client to your contact system or CRM sheet with key details:
  Name, email, phone, business name
  Time zone, preferred communication channel
• Create a project or task list in your task manager:
  Add a few starter tasks: "Onboard [Client]", "Schedule kickoff", "Draft phase 1 plan"
• Create a short "client snapshot" note summarising:
  What they do
  Why they reached out
  Key outcomes they want from working with you

When you follow this internal setup every time, new projects don't feel like they're "floating". They land in a system.

3. Welcome email – one template, many uses

Next, your SOP should reference a welcome message template. This is not just a polite hello; it's a structured message that:

• Confirms what you've agreed
• Explains what happens next
• Shows the client you know what you're doing

Your SOP can include an outline like:

• Thank the client for choosing to work with you
• Restate the purpose of the engagement in your own words
• Mention the main phases or milestones ahead
• Share how you'll communicate (e.g., "I primarily use email, with WhatsApp for urgent messages")
• Share how to book the first call or the next step
• Attach or link any documents they need (agreement, questionnaire, prep guide)

You don't need to write the full email in the SOP; you can link to a "Templates" document. But your SOP should clearly say:

That sentence alone can stop days of delay after a "yes".

4. Information collection – don't chase details later

Many onboarding problems come from not asking key questions early. Your SOP can define:

• Do you send a short intake form?
• What are the exact questions?
• At what point do you ask for access to any documents or tools?

For example, your SOP might say:

You might then specify:

This way you never start work based on half the information.

5. Kickoff and confirmation – start clearly, not vaguely

Finally, your SOP should describe how you:

• Run the first structured conversation
• Confirm everything in writing afterwards

Your SOP might include bullets like:

At the end, add a "Done when…" statement:

From that point, you and the client are on the same page. You're not operating from a vague feeling; you're operating from a shared plan.

1. Define the stages of your service

Take your main offer and break it down into 3–6 stages. For example, if you provide strategy documents:

• Discovery and understanding
• Outline and agreement on direction
• Deep work and drafting
• Review and refinement
• Final packaging and delivery

In your SOP, write a short paragraph about each stage in plain language:

This gives you and future collaborators a map of the experience, not just the tasks.

2. Detail the actions that belong to each stage

Under each stage, list the actions you take. This is where you move from vague phases to clear steps.

For "Deep work and drafting", your SOP might say:

• Block at least two focus sessions in the calendar for this client's work.
• Re-read discovery notes before starting.
• Build a rough structure (sections or slides) before filling in content.
• Draft content in your writing tool; don't worry about perfection yet.
• Keep a small note open for ideas that belong to later phases.

These are still simple actions, but now they sit inside a clearly defined phase.

3. Create a "ready to share" checklist

This is one of the most valuable parts of a Delivery & Quality SOP. For each important deliverable type, define what must be true before you share it.

For example, for a written strategy document:

• The file name follows your convention and doesn't include "v9_final_FINAL".
• Spelling and grammar checks are complete.
• All headings use consistent formatting.
• You have removed internal notes or comments.
• Every promise in the original agreement or proposal is clearly addressed.
• You have added a short summary at the beginning so the client knows what they're looking at.

Instead of hoping you remember all of this at the end, you simply tick through the list. This makes your work predictably high-quality, even on days when you have low energy.

4. Define how you package and send work

Delivery isn't just the content; it's the container.

Your SOP can specify:

• Whether you send a PDF, editable file, link, or combination
• Where you store the final version in your folder structure
• Which template you use for the delivery email or message

For example:

You can even include a script like:

Those little touches come from having thought through the experience once, instead of improvising every time.

5. Close the loop internally

Finally, your Delivery & Quality SOP should describe how you mark work as delivered in your own systems:

• Update the project status ("Phase 1 delivered", "Awaiting client feedback").
• Note the date of delivery.
• Set a reminder to follow up if you haven't heard back by a certain date.

This means projects move through your system in a traceable way. When you look at your list of clients, you know exactly where each one stands.

1. Choose your "money & admin" slot and write it into the SOP

Start by deciding when you're going to do this every month:

Writing this into the SOP turns it from a good intention into an actual appointment with yourself.

2. Prepare your tools and views

Before dealing with numbers, you prepare your workspace. The SOP can specify:

• Open banking and payment accounts in separate tabs.
• Open your income and expenses spreadsheet or money-tracking tool.
• Have your calendar or client list open for the month you're reviewing.

This keeps you from bouncing back and forth later.

3. Log and review income

Next, you look at what came in:

• List all clients or income sources for the month.
• For each, confirm:
  • Did I send an invoice?
  • Has it been paid?
• Update your income log with:
  • Client/source, project, amount
  • Invoice date, payment date (or "unpaid")

You're not building a full accounting system here; you're making sure you know who paid, who didn't, and roughly how much came in.

This alone often reduces a lot of anxiety because you're no longer guessing.

4. Identify and handle unpaid invoices

Then you focus on money that should have come in but hasn't:

• Filter your log for invoices marked "unpaid" and older than their due date.
• For each invoice, decide whether it needs:
  • A first reminder
  • A second reminder
  • A different kind of conversation

Your SOP can link to or include short reminder templates that sound polite but clear. For example:

Handled on a schedule, this feels neutral and normal, not emotionally loaded.

5. Log and scan expenses

Then you flip to the "Money Out" view:

• Check your bank and card statements for the month.
• Log any new expenses in your expenses sheet:
  • Vendor, purpose, amount, monthly vs one-off.
• Highlight anything that looks unfamiliar or surprisingly high.

Your SOP can prompt you to ask simple questions:

• "Is this subscription still useful?"
• "Am I paying for similar tools that overlap?"
• "Is there a free or cheaper option that would be enough for now?"

You don't need to optimise everything every month. The goal is to stay aware and make one or two small improvements.

6. Do a mini admin tidy

While you're already in "maintenance mode", your SOP can guide you through quick admin actions that often get ignored:

• Archive finished project folders or emails.
• Move loose files into the right client or project folders.
• Check that key documents (contracts, receipts, agreements) are in your "important" space.
• Review your list of active projects and check if any can be formally closed.

You're not trying to reorganise your whole digital life every month. You're just preventing build-up.

7. Capture a simple monthly snapshot

To finish, your SOP can ask you to answer a few reflective questions in a log:

• Roughly how much did I earn this month?
• What percentage came from my main offer(s)?
• Did anything feel especially easy or especially heavy about money this month?
• What is one decision or small change I want to make for next month?

This keeps you connected to the direction your business is moving, rather than just reacting to daily fires.