Handy Andrew growth plan
The goal: more of the jobs you like, fewer wasted calls, and a steady calendar all year. You're not starting from zero. You're starting from 101 Google reviews averaging 5.0, which most handymen never get. This plan is mostly about putting that in front of more people and making it easy for them to text you.
Where you stand
Strong5.0 on Google from 101 reviews, customers who call you by name ("Handy Andy"), over ten years of work, a clear phone number, a real service list and a set of towns.
Holding you backStock photos instead of you, reviews hidden halfway down, buttons that only call when you'd rather people text, a hard contact form, a "team" you don't have, and no real way to send you a photo. The site tour goes through each one.
Stage 1: quick fixes this week
On the site you have now, if you or Review Genie Pro can make the changes.
- Swap the top photo for a real one of you. Phone photo, daylight, you and the truck or your tools. Andy
- Put "5.0 on Google, 101 reviews" right under your name at the top. site
- Change the top button from "Our Services" to Text Andy, which opens a text to (608) 220-3149. Keep the call button beside it. site
- Replace the stock collage and stock service photos with your gallery photos. site
- Say "I" everywhere and take out "our skilled team". site
- Add one-line captions to the gallery. Andy writes, site posts
- Fix the "© 2025" and drop the "Powered by" and the big map. site
- If you're insured, say so near the top. It's one of the first things people want to know before letting someone in. Andy
Stage 2: the new site, next 30 days
Built from the new look. I can build it and host it on my Cloudflare at no cost to you, and it stays on handyandrewllc.com.
- Made for phones first. A text and call bar that stays on the screen, and the job list that texts you what they need. Adrian
- A form that takes a photo and lands on your phone, so you can quote fast. Adrian
- A page for each of your big four (TV mounting, appliance installs, furniture assembly, fitness equipment), each with your own photos and a review about that kind of job. These are the pages people find when they search "TV mounting Madison". Adrian, with Andy's photos
- Town pages only if they're real: a job or two you did in Middleton, a review from someone in Verona. Copy-paste town pages don't help, and Google can tell. later
- Your reviews shown in full, with a link to all of them on Google. Adrian
- [email protected] forwarding to your Gmail, so nothing changes for you except how it looks to customers. Adrian
- Simple numbers: free, privacy-friendly visitor counts (Cloudflare's own), and Google Search Console so we can see what people search to find you. Adrian
Before Stage 2 we need to know who controls the domain and the current site (see your calls). If Review Genie Pro is part of a plan you pay for, it may make sense to keep them for some things. No rush and no drama either way.
Stage 3: every week, about 20 minutes
This is where most of your customers come from: your Google Business Profile, the box with your reviews that shows up when someone searches "handyman near me".
- Post one or two job photos a week to your Google profile, with a line about the job and the town ("Mounted a 75-inch over a stone fireplace in Waunakee"). Fresh photos tell Google you're active. Andy, from his phone
- Ask every happy customer for a review by text, right after the job, with your review link (Google gives you a "get more reviews" share link in your profile). The text to copy is below. Andy
- Reply to every review, even with one line. People read the replies. Andy
- Keep the profile complete: the Handyman category, every service you do, your towns as the service area, your hours, and a photo of you. once, then check monthly
- Take a "before" photo on every job. Before-and-afters are the best posts you can make, and the best gallery pictures. Andy
Stage 4: steady work that comes back
- Landlords and property managers. Turnovers, smoke detectors, faucets, doors, blinds: repeat work that isn't one-and-done. A short intro text or email to a few local property managers, plus a fair, simple rate for them. (I can tell you what a landlord needs from a handyman. I am one.) Andy, Adrian can help
- Real estate agents. Pre-listing punch lists and post-inspection fixes are small, urgent and paid quickly. One or two agents who send you their clients is a lot of work. Andy
- Your past customers. Three or four times a year, a friendly seasonal text to people who've hired you before (see the seasons). Not spam, just a reminder you exist when the list builds up again. Andy
- Nextdoor and Facebook. A free Nextdoor business page and a Facebook page with your job photos. Neighbors recommend handymen on Nextdoor constantly, and a page lets them tag you. Andy, Adrian can set up
- Something to leave behind. A magnet or card with a QR code that opens a text to you. It sits on the fridge until the next job comes up. Adrian can design
- Paid lead sites (Thumbtack, Angi and the like) charge you for every lead, whether you get the job or not. Worth a test only if your calendar has gaps after the free stuff is working. later, maybe
Prices: your call, here are the options
A lot of "how much?" texts are people who would book in a second if they had a ballpark. You don't have to publish every price. Three ways other handymen handle it:
- "Starting at" prices for your four most common jobs (for example, "TV mounting from $__"). It filters out the bargain hunters and gets the rest to text.
- A clear minimum or first-hour charge, so small jobs are still worth the drive. Then point people to bundles.
- Bundles: "TV mount plus hide the wires" or "three small jobs, one visit". Bundles make the trip worth it for you and feel like a deal to them.
I wouldn't put numbers on the site that you don't actually charge. Tell me what you want public and I'll set it up.
The seasons, Wisconsin style
What people need when, so your Google posts and past-customer texts always have something to say.
January and FebruaryNew-year treadmills and home gyms, closet systems, Christmas-gift assembly, TV mounts after the holidays.
March and AprilScreens and storm doors, fence posts after the frost, grills and patio sets coming out.
May and JunePatio furniture, grills, ceiling fans before the heat, window A/C units going in.
July and AugustWindow A/C, and late-summer move-ins around Madison: furniture assembly, TV mounts, shelves for new places.
September and OctoberWindow A/C coming out, smoke and CO detectors (clocks change in early November), dryer vents before the heavy-use season.
November and DecemberBlack Friday TVs and gifts to mount and assemble, fixes before family visits, smart locks and doorbells.
Texts to copy
Asking for a review, right after the job:
Thanks for having me out today, [name]! If you have a minute, a quick Google review really helps a small business like mine: [your review link]. Andy
The seasonal check-in to past customers:
Hi [name], it's Andy (Handy Andrew). Fall's a good time to test smoke and CO detectors and get the window A/C out. If anything's on your list, text me a photo and I'll get you a quote.
An intro to a property manager:
Hi, I'm Andy with Handy Andrew LLC in Madison: TV mounts, appliance installs, assembly, doors, fixtures and small repairs, rated 5.0 on Google from 101 reviews. If you ever need a reliable handyman for turnovers or tenant requests, I'd like to be on your list. (608) 220-3149.
How we'll know it's working
| What | Where to find it | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Texts and calls from new customers | Your phone; a tally is enough | Weekly |
| How they found you | Ask every new customer: "How'd you find me?" | Every job |
| Calls and website clicks from Google | Your Google Business Profile, the Performance section | Monthly |
| Reviews | Your Google profile (101 today) | Monthly |
| Website visitors, and what people searched | I'll send you a short note monthly once the new site is up | Monthly |
Your calls
Things only you can answer. Text me whenever.
- Who controls the site and the domain? Can you log in and edit it yourself, or does Review Genie Pro make every change? Who's the domain registered with, and are you paying them monthly?
- Do you have the login for your Google Business Profile? That's the most valuable thing you own online.
- Are you insured? If yes, we say it. If not, it's worth a quote; a lot of customers ask.
- Which jobs do you want more of, and which less? The site can steer people toward the work you like.
- Prices: starting-at prices, a minimum, bundles, or none of the above?
- Weekends: really closed, or "Saturday by request"?
- A photo of you. Anything from your phone works. I'll make it look good.
- How do most customers find you now? Google, word of mouth, Facebook, Nextdoor? It tells us what to do more of.