Creating a Standard Operating Procedure Manual for Your Dog Training Business

Successfully running a business is no easy feat, but standardizing the way you run it is a huge help to you. Every business benefits from having a standard operating procedure (SOP) manual.

Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil, Transcribed by Gem Sheps

Why Do You Need an SOP Manual?

If you’re used to running things on the fly and making procedures up as you go, sitting down to create an SOP manual may sound finicky and daunting. However, there are a number of ways having one would benefit you and your business:

Increase consistency in organizing your documents and invoices and ensure important paperwork is not lost
Lay out plans for marketing and social media content strategies
Effectively onboard new clients in a way that is stress-free for both you and the client
Productively manage your time and prevent miscommunication with clients
Lay out procedures for potential occupational hazards (such as working with aggressive dogs)
Serve as a guide if you end up taking on employees in the future

A solid SOP manual can be the foundation to a well-organized, successful business. Be thorough — you want your manual to be easy for you (and anyone else who may use it in the future) to follow.

How to Outline Your SOP Manual

Now that you know why you need an SOP manual, you need to know how to start creating one.

Title Page

Open up a new Word or Google Doc and begin by creating a title page with essential information:

“Standard Operating Procedures,” company name, date last updated (which, in this case, is today), your name, your contact info

SOP manuals can get pretty hefty — you’ll want a table of contents to help you navigate it.

If you run your business solo, keeping your SOPs for all elements of your business (sales, marketing, training methods, etc.) in one document is fine. Later on if you end up hiring employees you may decide to create separate documents for certain sections depending on the kind of help you need.

Add these sections to the table of contents:

Operations — this section will include things like business hours, emails, templates, intake forms, testimonial request process, procedure for documenting case studies, procedure for maintaining client records, tracking mileage, etc
Marketing — this section will include social media process (how you create content, when and where you post, frequency, etc.), branding guide for print and digital, editorial calendar, process for direct outreach, testimonials, referrals & rewards, etc.
Sales — this section will include new client inquiry call response, scripts, discounts, unique selling propositions, monthly & quarterly goals, track results, etc.
Client Management / Customer Service — this section will include new client onboarding processes, client support, communication methods, your rules re: training methods and tools, payments & cancellations & refunds, etc.
Delivery Systems — this section will include an overview of your services and fees, scheduling classes / sessions, how you’re going to launch & market services, handouts, phone etiquette, evaluation procedures, process for running classes, information on behavior modification management, etc.

Adding Content to Each Section

Once you’ve laid out the sections you’re going to use, it’s time to start documenting your procedures. I recommend using bullet points (and flow charts if you’re a visual learner) to keep things clear, concise, and step-by-step.

Use checklists to support your process — things don’t always have to happen in the exact same way. Still, you should at least have a checklist of the steps necessary to successfully complete a task.

Utilize headers — each section’s title should be an H1 or 2, and subsections should be H2 or 3. This makes it so that the table of contents links with the content.

Remember that this is a living document. As your business evolves and grows, it’s okay to change things! You’re going to be adding, removing, and changing your procedures over time. Just make sure you’re appropriately documenting the process to make things easier on your future self.