5 SOPs Every Small Business Needs

If you’re a small team or a solo founder you’re probably making dozens of decisions a day just to keep things moving. You might not think of yourself as someone who “needs” SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), but the truth is: if you’re repeating a task more than once, it deserves a system.

SOPs aren’t about overcomplicating your work. They’re about reducing the mental load and building consistency, so you can focus more on doing the work instead of figuring out how to do it every time.

Here are five SOPs every small business should have in place, whether you’re scaling up or just trying to stay sane.

1. Client Onboarding

First impressions matter. Having a documented onboarding process ensures your clients feel confident, supported, and clear from the start.

A strong client onboarding SOP includes:

• A welcome email or packet

• How and when contracts and invoices are sent

• Tools or portals clients need access to

• First-call prep or kickoff procedures

This SOP saves time and makes your client experience feel thoughtful and professional without needing to reinvent the wheel.

2. Weekly (or Daily) Task Review

How does your team (or just you) know what’s happening and what matters this week? A quick review SOP keeps priorities visible and helps prevent that “what did I miss?” feeling.

Include:

• When the review happens (Friday PM? Monday AM?)

• Where tasks are tracked (ClickUp, Notion, paper?)

• What gets reviewed (tasks, deadlines, blocked items)

• Who’s responsible for making updates

Even a 10-minute routine can shift your week from scattered to strategic.

3. Content Publishing Workflow

If you’re creating content regularly, you need a repeatable system. Otherwise, it’s too easy for content to get stuck in “draft” forever.

Your content SOP might cover:

• Drafting → editing → scheduling process

• File naming conventions

• Image sourcing and alt text

• How and when content gets shared or repurposed

Consistency builds trust, and a good SOP makes consistency doable.

4. Payment + Invoicing Process

Getting paid shouldn’t be stressful. But for many small business owners, it’s one of the first systems to fall apart under pressure. An SOP helps you bill clients clearly, track payments, and follow up professionally.

Include:

• When and how invoices are sent

• What platform you use (QuickBooks, Stripe, etc.)

• Late payment follow-up steps

• How to log and track income

This process doesn’t just support cash flow, it protects your peace of mind.

5. Tech or Tool Onboarding

Every time you bring on a new team member or even change platforms, there’s a learning curve. An SOP helps get people (and tools) up and running without constant hand-holding.

Include:

• Login access steps

• Where key documentation lives

• Basic setup instructions

• Any “how we use this tool” notes

  
  

A tech onboarding SOP ensures smoother transitions and fewer last-minute questions.

Final Thought

SOPs don’t have to be long or fancy. They just need to be clear enough that someone else (or future-you) could follow them without guessing.

Start with one process you repeat often. Document it once. Notice the relief of not having to hold it all in your head anymore.

That’s operations: quietly making everything run a little smoother behind the scenes.

Ready to build the systems your business actually needs?

I can help you design SOPs that fit your team, your pace, and your goals.

👉 Get in touch here.