Your First Three SOPs: What to Document and Why It Matters
You’ve heard the advice: “Just build SOPs so you can delegate.”
But where do you even start? How much detail is too much? And what if your business is still evolving?
Here’s the truth: most founders wait too long to document the simple stuff, then burn out doing it over and over again.
So if you’re tired of repeating yourself or dreading handoffs, here are the first three SOPs every founder should create, and why they matter more than you think.
First: What Even Is an SOP?
SOP stands for Standard Operating Procedure. But don’t let the term scare you.
It’s just a step-by-step guide for how something gets done in your business. Think of it like a recipe: follow the instructions, get the same result every time.
A good SOP is:
Clear and action-oriented
Easy for someone else to follow
Living, not perfect (you can update it as things evolve)
It’s not a novel. It’s not a process map with 42 arrows. It’s just what works—written down.
Why SOPs Matter More Than You Think
They reduce decision fatigue: no more reinventing the wheel
They’re a delegation shortcut: hand off tasks faster
They make hiring easier: onboard VAs or team members with less stress
They help you work faster, too—because you’re not remembering from scratch each time
And when you’re the system (and the bottleneck), that’s gold.
SOP #1: How You Onboard a New Client or Customer
This is the first thing to document because it’s:
High impact
Easy to forget a step
Often repeated
What to include:
The steps after someone pays or signs a contract
What you send (welcome email, form, scheduler)
What platforms or templates you use
Internal tasks like adding to your CRM or project board
Bonus tip: Write this SOP like you’re leaving for a 2-week holiday and someone else has to keep the client experience smooth.
SOP #2: How You Publish Content or Send a Newsletter
Even if you’re not consistent (yet), this SOP is a gift to your future self—and any VA, writer, or marketing support you bring in.
What to include:
Where you plan your content
How you draft, review, and publish it
What tools you use (Notion, Canva, Substack, scheduling tools)
Checklists for format, links, CTAs, tags, etc.
This is also the SOP you’ll thank yourself for when you’re batch-creating content or prepping for a launch.
SOP #3: How You Handle Inquiries or Discovery Calls
You’re a founder. People reach out all the time.
Clients, leads, partners, even press.
Without a clear process, this becomes a scattered inbox mess, and costs you leads or follow-ups.
What to include:
How people book a call (link, intake form, etc.)
What gets sent before the call (reminders, calendar holds)
Your post-call process (notes, CRM update, next steps email)
How you track leads or proposals
You can even use email templates and save them inside this SOP for faster replies.
Bonus: How to Store and Use Your SOPs
Once you create them, keep them accessible:
In a shared Notion space
In a Google Drive folder
Inside your task/project management tool (ClickUp, Asana, etc.)
Name them clearly (e.g. “Client Onboarding – Step-by-Step”) and link to templates or tools within the doc.
The easier they are to use, the more likely you (and your team) will actually use them.
You Don’t Need Dozens, You Just Need These Three. If you’ve been meaning to “get more organised” or “prep for a VA,” start with these SOPs. They’ll make the biggest impact with the least effort. Want help figuring out what to document and how to do it faster? Grab the Clone Yourself Starter Kit or Take the Scale Readiness Quiz to find your biggest bottleneck
