The Woodworker Starter Kit
A working first week for woodworkers — pricing framework, your first-job SOP, three social templates, and the 7-day launch tracker. Built from 13years operating Spiker Carpet & Tile Care in Galt, California. Print it, use it, start.
Skip the online portfolio. The fastest way to land your first paying woodworking job this week is to walk into a local cabinet shop, trim carpenter, or handyman’s shop at 7:30 AM. Ask for the owner. Say: “I’m a woodworker starting out. I’ll sand, stain, and apply finish to any small project you’re backed up on—for free. You keep the full customer price. I just need a job for my portfolio and a written review.” They will hand you a drawer front or a table leg within ten minutes. Your first-job checklist: sand with the grain only, wipe dust with a tack cloth before stain, apply one even coat of pre-stain conditioner, then stain, then two thin coats of polyurethane with 220-grit sanding between coats. Deliver the piece 24 hours early, wrapped in clean moving blankets. That punctuality and finish quality earns a five-star review and a referral before you finish the second job.
1 · Price with an anchor, not a guess
Don’t pick one price — present three. Most customers pick the middle tier, so build it as your most profitable package. Research 3–5 local competitors’ public rates first (their websites, their Google Business profiles), then set:
- Bronze. The stripped-down version — beats the cheapest competitor on simplicity, not price. This tier exists to make Silver look right.
- Silver. Your real offer. Price it at the local mid-market rate + 10%, justified by ONE guarantee competitors don't make (same-day response, photo documentation, fixed quote).
- Gold. Silver + the premium add-ons stacked in. Some buyers always take the top — never leave it off the menu.
2 · Your first-job SOP
- 01Scope in writing. Before starting: deliverables, timeline, price, and what's NOT included — in one short email the client confirms. Scope creep dies here.
- 02Kickoff with a question list. Collect everything you need in one structured intake — not fourteen back-and-forth messages. Your intake form is in the full bundle's CRM.
- 03Show progress early. Share a first slice at 25% done. Early correction is cheap; late correction is a refund request.
- 04Deliver + walk through. Never just send the file. A 5-minute walkthrough (loom or call) turns a deliverable into a relationship.
- 05Ask for the review. At the moment they say thanks: 'Reviews are how I compete with the big agencies — 30 seconds, here's the link.'
- 06Log + follow up. Log the project in your Woodworker CRM. Follow up at 2 weeks: how's it performing? That message is where repeat work comes from.
3 · Three posts to announce you exist
I just opened a woodworker business serving [your area]. Here's the one thing I'm doing differently: [your guarantee — same-day response / fixed pricing / photo documentation on every job]. First [3] customers get [founding-customer offer]. DM me or call [number].
[Before/after photo or work sample]. This is what [job type] looks like when it's done right. If you've been putting this off, this week's schedule has [2] openings — [booking link].
"[Paste a real customer review — never invent one.]" — [first name], [area]. Reviews like this are why I do this. If you need woodworker work done, the link to book is in my bio.
4 · The 7-day launch tracker
- Day 1 — Duplicate your Woodworker Notion CRM and load your first 10 prospects
- Day 2 — Customize the 3 highest-impact Canva templates with your name + colors
- Day 3 — Set up your Google Business Profile using the provided checklist
- Day 4 — Send your first outreach using the AI Sales Assistant scripts
- Day 5 — Publish your first 3 social posts from the marketing pack
- Day 6 — Set your pricing with the Bronze/Silver/Gold anchor system
- Day 7 — Book your first job and trigger the review-ask sequence