New Year’s Resolutions for Contractors: How to Own Your Territory in the New Year

Happy New Year! A fresh calendar isn’t just a fresh start—it’s open ground. It’s your chance to grab the controls and decide exactly what this year will look like for your business. For too long, you might have felt like you were just reacting—to the economy, the weather, or whatever jobs happened to fall in your lap.

But what if you could take control? What if you could build real momentum, claim your territory town by town, and make the phone ring on your terms? At The Cherubini Company, Pat and Angie Cherubini believe success isn’t luck. It’s about being visible exactly where people are looking for your services. It’s about showing up consistently and proving you’re the best choice for the job. You can absolutely do this. With a few smart moves, you can build a business that works for you, not the other way around.

This isn’t a list of cheesy, forgettable resolutions. It’s a practical guide for contractors who want more control, more calls, and a stronger business. Let’s look at a few simple systems that will help you own your territory and build a strong, profitable year.

1. Build Your Lead Machine Website

This New Year, make a resolution that pays you back all year long. Stop thinking of your website as just an online brochure. Instead, turn it into a “Lead Machine” built for one purpose: to make your phone ring with new job inquiries from customers in your service area.

A Lead Machine website is your best employee. It works 24/7 to show up when people are looking online and turn visitors into phone calls. It’s simple: it has clear pages for each of your services (like septic installation or land clearing) and for each town you serve. Big “call now” buttons make it easy for folks on their phones to get in touch right away. It’s not complicated, and it works.

How to Build Your Lead Machine

This approach has helped contractors get a steady stream of calls. You don’t need to be a computer whiz. There are some small business website design tips to boost conversions that are easy to follow.

Here’s how simple it is to get started:

• Make a Page for Each Service & Town: Create a separate page for “Excavation in Springfield” and another for “Excavation in Shelbyville.” This helps you show up when people search for your specific services in their town.
• Make Calling Easy: Put your phone number and a “Call Now” button right at the top of every page. No one should have to hunt for it.
• Show Off Your Work: Add pictures of your crew and equipment on the job. Throw in some reviews from happy customers in those towns. This shows you’re a real local pro.

This is a powerful New Year’s resolution because it gives you control. You can build a system that brings in work. We can help you with this. To see how it works, you can learn more about turning your website into a Lead Machine.

2. Use Ads to Accelerate Your Growth

This year, make the resolution to show up exactly where your customers are looking. Once your website is ready to catch leads, it’s time to send good, local traffic its way. Running simple ads on search or Facebook is like putting your truck on the main digital highway in your service area. It’s not about tricks; it’s about being seen.

These ads are aimed right at homeowners and property owners in the towns you serve. This puts your business in front of people actively looking for services like excavation or septic repair right now. Think of it as acceleration—a way to build momentum faster once your foundation is in place. It’s a direct way to turn your ad money into phone calls and booked jobs, helping you gain ground faster.

How to Use Local Ads

This simple strategy has helped contractors expand their territory from just one or two towns to owning five or more. It builds momentum that keeps your crews busy. The key is to be smart and targeted. You can do this.

Here’s how to start:

• Target People Ready to Buy: Focus your ads on words that show someone needs help now, like “emergency septic repair” or “driveway installation cost.” This gets people who are ready to hire.
• Draw a Line on the Map: Set up your ads to only show in the towns you actually serve. That way, you only pay to reach customers you want.
• Track Your Calls: Use a simple system to know which ads are making your phone ring. This helps you see what’s working so you can do more of it.

This New Year’s resolution gives you a dial you can turn up when you need more leads. We can show you how to make ads a profitable part of your growth. For more, check out these insights on Google Ads for contractors.

3. Expand Your Territory, Town by Town

This year, make the resolution to stop being the best-kept secret in your county. If you’re ready to grow your territory, it’s time to expand your footprint. You can plant your flag in surrounding towns without the cost of opening new shops. It’s all about being visible where the work is.

This works by making sure you show up online in all the towns you want to work in. When people in those towns search for excavation or septic services, you’re the first one they see. This isn’t just about getting a few more calls; it’s about systematically taking over new ground. We’ve seen contractors use this approach to go from serving two areas to over 15, tripling their business. This is within your reach.

How to Claim More Territory

The heart of this plan is your Lead Machine website. By building pages for every town you want to target, you show people you’re a serious, local expert in their area—even if your main shop is a town over. This is a powerful resolution for contractors ready for real growth.

Here’s how to start:

• Map Your Next Move: Pick 3-5 nearby towns where you know there’s good work. Think about where the growth is happening and plant your flag there first.
• Show Up Online: Build a page on your website for each new town (e.g., “Septic Systems in Smithfield”). Put pictures of jobs you’ve done nearby to build instant trust.
• Be Ready to Roll: Make sure your trucks and crew can easily serve these new areas before you start advertising. You have to be able to back it up.

Expanding your territory gives you more control and a steady stream of bigger, better jobs. To see exactly how to set this up, you can learn more about getting more calls in nearby towns.

4. Get Found on the Map (Local SEO)

This year, make a resolution to be the first contractor people find when they search for your services online. Your online business profile is the most powerful free tool you have to show up on the map and get calls. Think of it as your digital storefront right where people are looking.

Fixing up your profile is a simple way to climb the rankings and beat competitors who ignore it. A profile with lots of good reviews, fresh photos, and correct info tells the search engines that you are a trusted, active local business. This easy New Year’s resolution can lead to a huge increase in calls without spending a dime on ads.

How to Fix Your Profile

A strong online presence is a must for growth. You can do this. To dominate your area, you need to use smart local marketing strategies that put you in front of the right customers.

Here’s how simple it is:

• Fill In All the Blanks: Add all your services, the exact towns you cover, your hours, and a good description of your business. The more you fill out, the better you’ll rank.
• Post Pictures Weekly: Add photos of your crew finishing a septic job or your new excavator clearing land. This shows you’re busy and gives customers confidence.
• Get More Reviews: Make it easy for happy customers to leave you a 5-star review. More good reviews help you stand out and get the best jobs.

This is a powerful resolution because it directly gets more local customers to find and call you. To get into the details, you can learn more about Local SEO for home services.

5. Build a 5-Star Review Machine

This year, make the resolution to let your happy customers do the selling for you. Stop leaving your reputation to chance and start building a simple system that brings in five-star reviews. This creates a machine that builds trust before a potential customer even calls you.

A steady flow of good reviews tells people searching for excavation or septic services that you’re the trusted, reliable choice. For contractors, having dozens of recent, positive reviews makes your phone ring more often. It’s one of the easiest ways to stand out from the other guys. You can do this.

How to Get More Reviews

A good reputation is a tool that helps you win more jobs. We can show you how to build a system for it. It’s not complicated.

Here’s how to get started:

• Ask When They’re Happy: The best time to ask for a review is right after the job is done. Train your crew to mention it as they wrap up.
• Make It Easy: Send customers a direct link to your review page by text or email. Don’t make them search for it. One click is all it should take.
• Show Off Your Best Reviews: Post your top reviews on your website’s homepage. This builds immediate trust with new visitors.

This is a great New Year’s resolution because it builds a bank of trust that pays you back for years. To learn more, check out these online reputation management tips.

6. Make It Easy for People to Call You

This year, make it ridiculously easy for customers to call you. Most people looking for your services are on their phones, and they want to talk to a person, not fill out a form. Making your site “click-to-call” turns it into a direct line to your business, turning visitors into ringing phones.

Think about it: when a potential customer has a burst pipe, the last thing they want is to hunt for your number. A big, obvious “Call Now” button gets them on the phone with you right away. Contractors who make calling this simple see a big jump in calls because they remove all the hassle.

How to Get More Phone Calls

Making your phone number the star of the show is a simple but powerful change. This resolution focuses on one thing: getting your phone to ring more often with good jobs. It’s a small tweak that can bring in huge business. You can do this, and you’ll see the results.

Here’s how to do it:

• Put a “Call Now” Button Front and Center: Place a big, bright button at the very top of every single page on your website. Make it impossible to miss, especially on a phone.
• Make Your Number Tappable: Make sure anywhere your phone number appears on your site, someone can just tap it to call you.
• Test It Yourself: Grab your phone and go to your website. Is it easy to call your business? If not, fix it. It’s that simple.

This easy resolution ensures that when someone needs your help, you are the easiest contractor to reach. It’s a direct path to owning your territory this year.

7. Have a Simple System for Leads

This year, make a resolution to stop letting good leads slip away. How fast you answer the phone can be the difference between winning a job and losing it. It’s time to build a simple system for handling leads and responding fast.

A good lead system is like having an organized truck. You know exactly where everything is, and you can get to work right away. It helps you spot a “good lead” (the right job, in the right town) and makes sure your team follows up quickly. Answering in 5 minutes versus 5 hours means you get the first shot at the job.

How to Set Up Your Lead System

Many fast-growing contractors find that answering calls in under 30 minutes helps them close more deals. You can do this by having a simple plan.

Here’s how to get started:

• Know What a “Good Lead” Is: Write down the jobs you really want. What’s your minimum job size? What towns do you serve? This helps your team spot the best opportunities.
• Set a Response Time Goal: Aim to answer every call or email in under an hour, or even better, in less than 15 minutes. The first contractor to call back often gets the job.
• Create a Simple Script: Have a short list of questions ready for whoever answers the phone. Ask for their name, number, address, and what they need. This makes sure you get the right info every time.
• Track Everything: Use a simple notebook or spreadsheet to log every lead and what happened. This helps you see what’s working.

This is a smart New Year’s resolution because it turns your leads into a well-oiled machine. It makes sure the calls you get are handled right, giving you the best chance to win more work.

8. Show Off Your Work with Service Pages

This New Year, resolve to show customers exactly what you do and how well you do it. Stop using one generic “Services” page. Instead, create separate pages for each major service. This turns your website into a portfolio that proves you’re an expert and answers customer questions before they even call.

Think of it like this: someone looking for “septic system installation” has different questions than someone looking for “driveway grading.” Special pages for each service can address their specific problems, explain how you work, and show them real results. By adding before-and-after photos, you build instant trust and show folks you’re the expert for their exact job. This is a simple New Year’s resolution for contractors who want bigger, better jobs.

How to Build Your Service Pages

Creating these focused pages helps you show up more often when people search for specific jobs. It’s easy, and we can help you get it done.

Here’s how to start:

• One Page for Each Big Service: Don’t lump everything together. Make a separate page for each of your top 3-5 services that make you the most money.
• Explain the Problem & Your Fix: Start the page by describing the customer’s problem (e.g., “Need a new septic system for a new home?”). Then, explain your step-by-step process in plain language.
• Show Off Your Best Work: For each service page, add 2-3 examples of jobs you’ve done. Include good before-and-after photos, a short description of the project, and a quote from the happy customer. This is your proof.

Building out your service pages is a smart move. It gives you a solid foundation that helps you own your territory and attract the exact type of jobs you want.

8-Point Contractor Resolution Comparison

You Can Do This: It’s Your Year to Own

Look at the resolutions we just covered. Building a Lead Machine website, expanding your territory, getting your business to show up where people are looking, and creating a system for 5-star reviews. Nothing on that list is out of reach. In fact, every single item is a straightforward, practical step you can take to build the business you’ve always wanted. These aren’t just ideas; they are a blueprint for taking control.

This is your year to stop waiting for the phone to ring and start making it ring. This is about belief, discipline, and leadership. Success in this business isn’t about luck. It’s about being visible and consistent. It’s about showing up day after day where customers are searching for a contractor they can trust. You don’t need to reinvent your entire operation overnight. You just need to commit to taking these simple, disciplined steps, one at a time. The ground you gain this month becomes the solid foundation for a massive year ahead.

Instead of just reacting to whatever jobs come your way, this is your chance to get ahead of the game and own your year. It’s about leadership and the confidence that comes from knowing you have a system that works.

Your Plan to Win the Year

• Be Seen: If customers can’t find you online, you don’t exist. Your Lead Machine website and local search presence are your best tools for getting seen.
• Own Your Territory: Don’t stay stuck in one town. A smart plan to expand into nearby towns is how you claim more ground and land bigger, better jobs.
• Build Trust: A steady stream of 5-star reviews does the selling for you. It tells new customers you are the right choice before they even call.
• Systems Give You Freedom: Simple systems for leads and reviews make your growth predictable. They free you up to lead your crew and run your business.

This list of New Year’s resolutions for contractors isn’t about adding more work to your plate. It’s about working smarter. It’s about putting simple, powerful systems in place that bring in leads automatically. You absolutely can do this. The momentum you build now will carry you through the entire year.

Ready to stop chasing leads and start building a machine that brings them to you? Pat and Angie at The Cherubini Company specialize in helping contractors like you dominate their local market with powerful Lead Machines and smart visibility advertising. Take the first step toward owning more territory this year. Schedule a call at The Cherubini Company.