Next Job Playbook

Find the next job

Four ways working contractors fill the schedule without buying ads or making cold calls.

Contractor reviewing past customer invoices

Method 1

Work your past customers

Why it works: They already trust you. A quiet schedule usually means you stopped asking, not that the work dried up.

Time: ~45 minutes Sunday

Do this

  1. Pull the last 12–24 months of jobs from invoices, texts, or your calendar.
  2. Sort by neighborhood or job type (roof, siding, ducts — whatever you actually sell next).
  3. Send a short note this week: postcard, text, or email. One ask, one offer.
  4. Put a reminder 6–9 months out for seasonal follow-ups (gutters before fall, HVAC before heat/cold snaps).

Steal this

Hey [Name] — we finished your [job] last [month/year]. Booking the next few weeks if you (or a neighbor) need [related job]. Text me back if you want a quick look. — [Your name], [phone]
Door-hanger on a neighbor's front door

Method 2

Mail and door-hangers near active jobs

Why it works: Neighbors already see your truck. Warm curiosity beats a cold call from a stranger.

Time: 20 minutes at the end of each job

Do this

  1. Before you leave a job, walk 8–12 nearby houses (same side + across the street).
  2. Leave a door-hanger: your name, what you’re doing down the street, one clear offer, phone number.
  3. Same day or next morning, drop a matching postcard to those same addresses if you have a small mail batch.
  4. Track which streets convert. Double down on blocks that reply.

Steal this (door-hanger front)

We’re working at [street / house color] this week — [roof / siding / ducts].
Neighbor rate if you want the same crew while we’re already here.
[Name] · [phone]
Reviewing public building permit records

Method 3

Public permit records

Why it works: A recent permit means someone’s investing in that house. The next job is often sitting right next to the one they already filed.

Time: 30–60 minutes once a week

Do this

  1. Open your city/county permit portal (free). Filter by your trade or by “building / mechanical / roofing” for the last 30–90 days.
  2. Skip jobs that are clearly still under another contractor’s active bid if you know the street — focus on completed or newly issued permits where the homeowner may need adjacent work.
  3. Mail a relevant offer (not a sales pitch about “leads”). Speak to what usually comes next after that permit type.
  4. Keep a simple list: address, permit type, date mailed, follow-up date.

Steal this

Saw the [permit type] on [street]. A lot of homeowners next ask about [adjacent job]. Happy to take a look while that work is fresh — no obligation. — [Name], [phone]

Want this done for you? Exterior: Exterior Permits. HVAC (ducts / air quality / insulation after the install): After the Permit.

Two tradespeople talking at a job site

Method 4

Adjacent-trade partners

Why it works: Other trades walk into the same houses you do — and they don’t want your job, they want someone reliable to hand it to.

Time: One coffee / one text this week, then a 5-minute check-in monthly

Do this

  1. Pick one complementary trade (roofer ↔ gutter; HVAC install ↔ insulation/ducts; siding ↔ windows).
  2. Offer a clean swap: you send them overflow, they send you theirs. Agree on what a “good” handoff looks like.
  3. Exchange a one-line intro text they can forward to homeowners.
  4. Send one thank-you when a referral closes — so the loop stays alive.

Steal this (intro text they can forward)

This is [Name] — I handle [your trade]. [Partner] said you might need [job]. I can swing by this week if useful. [phone]

Make it a habit

Pick one method and run it every week for a month. A little steady prospecting beats a panic push when the calendar’s already empty.

This week’s checkbox

Next: Close the job →