What Should Be in Every Business’s SOP Playbook
A no-fluff guide to documenting your systems so you can scale smarter.
If you’re constantly repeating yourself, retraining contractors, or stuck in the day-to-day grind it’s probably because your business lacks SOPs. Standard Operating Procedures aren’t just for big corporations. They're how real businesses scale sustainably without reinventing the wheel every week.
Because winging it doesn’t scale and burnout isn’t a business model.
Let’s be honest most business owners are winging it way more than they care to admit. They’re hiring contractors, onboarding clients, launching offers… all without a real system in place.
That’s where the GTA SOP Playbook comes in.
SOP stands for Standard Operating Procedure, and if your business doesn’t have one yet, don’t panic but don’t put it off any longer, either.
SOPs aren’t just some corporate buzzword. They’re the step-by-step guides that let you run your business like a business, not a never-ending to-do list. They’re how you scale sustainably, onboard with ease, and finally get things off your plate without sacrificing quality.
🧠 What Is an SOP, Really?
An SOP is a documented process that breaks down how a task is completed in your business. It’s more than just a checklist it’s a repeatable system for how work gets done, so you’re not re-explaining the same task 10 different ways to 10 different people.
It’s the difference between:
“Ugh, I don’t have time to train anyone”
vs.“Here’s the link—follow the SOP.”
Good SOPs = clarity.
Great SOPs = freedom.
🚩 5 Signs You Need SOPs Yesterday
You’ve hired support, but you're still answering basic questions.
You dread onboarding new clients or contractors.
You’re stuck doing admin tasks that someone else could handle.
You keep saying, “I’ll write it down later.”
You’re mentally juggling way too much, and it’s showing.
If your operations live in your brain or scattered across Google Docs, Slack threads, and screenshots your business is at risk of burning you out or breaking down as you grow.
✍️ What to Include in Your SOP Playbook (Start Here)
Don’t overthink it. Start with your most repeated, most annoying, or most delegatable tasks. Here's a solid base to build from:
🔹 Client Onboarding
What happens after someone pays you?
Step-by-step, include:
Welcome email template
Contract & invoice process
What info you need from them
Timeline expectations
Link to client portal, dashboard, or first deliverable
💡 Pro tip: Add a Loom walkthrough of your client experience flow.
🔹 Client Offboarding
Most businesses ignore this—but offboarding well leads to referrals and repeat sales. Include:
Wrap-up email template
Final deliverables link
Testimonial request process
Offboarding survey or feedback form
Optional: re-engagement sequence
🔹 Sales & Inquiry Response Flow
If someone reaches out—what happens next?
Document:
Inquiry response template
Booking link or sales call steps
Proposal or contract flow
Payment collection method
💡 Pro tip: Build this out as an automation later with tools like Dubsado or HoneyBook.
🔹 Content or Social Media Posting
If content is part of your lead flow, systemize it.
Include:
Content calendar structure
Posting schedule
Caption template
Hashtag banks
Where to post + when (IG, email, Pinterest, blog, etc.)
🔹 Internal Operations Tasks
Things you do weekly or monthly to keep the biz running. Examples:
Weekly CEO check-in
Invoice process
Monthly metrics/reporting
Password management or tool list
Team meeting agenda template
🧩 Where Should Your SOPs Live?
The best SOP is the one that’s easy to find. Keep everything in one central home (aka your digital HQ).
Recommended tools:
ClickUp – best for task-based SOPs and team workflow
Notion – great for wiki-style databases and internal ops
Google Drive – easy for folders, Loom links, and docs
Tango – for step-by-step screenshot walkthroughs
💡 Not sure where to start? Just pick one tool and build from there. Your SOPs can evolve as you do.
🧩 Where Should Your SOPs Live?
The best SOP is the one that’s easy to find. Keep everything in one central home (aka your digital HQ).
Recommended tools:
ClickUp – best for task-based SOPs and team workflow
Notion – great for wiki-style databases and internal ops
Google Drive – easy for folders, Loom links, and docs
Tango – for step-by-step screenshot walkthroughs
💡 Not sure where to start? Just pick one tool and build from there. Your SOPs can evolve as you do.
💼 Why This Matters More Than You Think
You might think you don’t need SOPs yet.
You’re solo. You’re still “figuring things out.”
But here’s the truth: the sooner you build your SOPs, the sooner you can:
Hire better (and faster)
Deliver consistently
Take a day off without panic
Scale your business with structure
Make more money with less burnout
You don’t need a 50-page manual.
You just need to start documenting what you’re already doing—so someone else can help you do it.
✨ Want to Build Your SOP Playbook Without Doing It Alone?
At Grit Truly Agency, we specialize in taking messy backend systems and turning them into clean, clear, scalable structures.
We help you build your playbook, organize your workflows, and finally delegate the pieces that are draining your time.
Because scaling should feel powerful, not chaotic.
📥 Book a Discover Call for a Business Systems Upgrade
Let’s turn your messy backend into a system that supports your next level.
