💰 Pricing: Stop Undercharging
Know your actual costs
Most electricians set their hourly rate based on what the guy down the street charges. Wrong. Calculate your actual costs: truck payment, insurance, tools, license fees, fuel, materials, your time. Add 20-30% margin. That's your rate. If it's higher than your current rate, raise your rate.
Charge for the drive, not just the work
A 30-minute service call with a 45-minute drive each way is 2 hours of your time. If you're only charging for 30 minutes, you're working for free 75% of the time. Add a trip charge or minimum service fee. $75-$125 is standard.
Stop giving free estimates for big jobs
For a simple outlet install? Sure, give a quick price on the phone. For a full panel upgrade or commercial buildout? Charge for the estimate. $50-$150. It filters out tire-kickers and values your expertise. Serious customers will pay it.
📈 Growth: Get More Jobs Without More Ads
Google Business Profile is free and powerful
If you haven't claimed and optimized your Google Business Profile, do it today. It's free. Add photos of your work, respond to reviews, keep your hours updated. Most electricians get 40-60% of new customers from Google Maps. It's the highest-ROI marketing you can do.
Ask for reviews (seriously, ask)
After every job, ask: "Would you mind leaving us a review on Google?" Most happy customers will say yes. They just need to be asked. Text them the link. A business with 50+ reviews at 4.8 stars gets dramatically more calls than one with 5 reviews.
Referral bonuses work
Tell your customers: "If you refer someone and they book a job, I'll give you $50 off your next service call." Simple. Effective. Your best marketing is a happy customer telling their neighbor about you.
👥 Hiring: When and How to Add Your First Employee
Hire when you're turning down work, not when you're slow
The temptation is to hire when you're busy. The reality is you need to have been turning down work consistently for 2-3 months before hiring makes sense. One busy week doesn't justify a salary.
Start with a helper, not a journeyman
Your first hire doesn't need to be a licensed electrician. An apprentice or helper at $18-$22/hr can handle a lot of the physical work while you focus on the skilled stuff and running the business. It's a lower-risk first hire.
Use software from day one
The moment you have one employee, you need a system. Scheduling, job details, customer info — it can't live in your head anymore. Set up your software (like CrewDash) before you hire, not after. Your new employee onboards into a system, not chaos.
💵 Cash Flow: The Business Killer Nobody Talks About
Cash flow isn't the same as profit
You can be profitable on paper and still go broke. How? Because you're owed $15,000 that nobody has paid yet. Cash flow is about timing — money in vs money out. If your customers pay in 45 days but your supply house wants payment in 30, you have a cash flow problem.
Invoice immediately, every time
This is the single biggest thing you can do for cash flow. The day you finish a job is the day you send the invoice. Use your phone. Takes 30 seconds with the right app. Every day you delay invoicing is a day you're financing your customer's project for free.
Keep 3 months of expenses in reserves
Winter is slow for most electricians. A bad month happens to everyone. Having 3 months of operating expenses saved means you can weather the dip without panic, without taking bad jobs, and without borrowing money.
Ready to Run Your Business Like a Business?
CrewDash handles scheduling, invoicing, payments, and crew management — so you can focus on growing. $39/month. No contract.