Real advice for real work delivered monthly

What you need to know this month

• Why more pros are raising prices (and winning)

• Demand is still strong across home services

• Skilled trades are still in short supply

• What would you do with $100,000?

• AI is becoming the new office assistant

Most service pros raised prices last year. Here’s why it worked.

According to the Jobber Home Service Trends Report, 65% of service pros increased prices in the last 12 months, and most didn’t lose business.

Demand across home services hasn’t slowed down, and homeowners are prioritizing trust and quality over simply finding the cheapest option.

Here’s what we’re seeing across the industry.

1. Demand is still strong

A lot of service businesses aren’t trying to find work right now. They’re trying to keep up with it.

• 58% of pros say demand increased last year
• 80% are booked or near capacity
• Only 3% struggle to fill their schedule

Jobs are getting bigger, too. More than half say their average job size increased.

If your calendar feels full, that’s not just your market. It’s happening across the industry. The opportunity right now isn’t just more work. It’s better margins. As contracting pro Tom Reber puts it, “If it costs you a buck, charge at least two.”

2. Price increases are the norm

Labor and material aren’t getting any cheaper. Most pros have stopped trying to absorb those costs and started adjusting prices instead.

• 65% raised prices in the last year
• 95% feel confident charging what they’re worth

And most say the same thing: customers care more about how the job turns out than whether you were the cheapest quote.

What customers are prioritizing most:

• Quality workmanship (69%)
• Competitive pricing (62%)
• Positive reviews (51%)

The pros winning the job are selling the outcome, not just the work. Sales coach Kevin Cook recommends focusing on how the customer’s life will improve after the job is done. 

3. Reputation is king

For most businesses, the biggest source of work hasn’t changed. It’s still happy customers calling you back or sending referrals your way. 

But digital channels are quietly pulling more weight too:

• 32% of leads come from Facebook
• 20% come from Google Search
• 19% come from Local Services Ads
• 25% come through local networking

When something breaks, most customers aren’t researching 10 companies. They reach out to someone: a) they already trust or b) who looks trustworthy online.

Is most of your work coming from one channel, or are you spreading your bets? 

Quick temperature check

Does this match your year so far?

Busier than ever

About the same

Slower than expected

We’re running a quick poll to see what pros are seeing in the field.

👉 Head to Facebook and share your take.

IN THE NEWS

NFIB: Small businesses are still feeling good.

Optimism is above average, even with higher costs. If your schedule’s full, don’t let rising expenses talk you into charging less.

AP News: Even the big guys can’t hire fast enough.

Walmart’s building its own trade programs to fill roles. If they’re training talent, that’s your cue to build your bench too.

Fortune: Construction needs 500,000 more workers.

The industry needs more workers to keep up with demand. Hiring won’t magically get easier, so hold onto your good people.

FROM THE JOBBER COMMUNITY

A service pro recently asked a question that comes up all the time:

How do you approach pricing when a client wants more than their budget allows?

A few experienced pros shared the same advice: adjust the scope, not the price.

Instead of discounting the job, break the project into phases or offer a smaller version that still solves the customer’s problem.

That way, you protect your margins, and the customer can still move forward.

TIPS FROM THE FIELD

5 minutes could equal $100,000
Jobber Grants are back, and this year we’re awarding $250,000 across 9 grants, including grants up to $100,000 to recognize blue collar excellence. Applications take only about 5 minutes to complete.

Too busy for Jobber Summit?
No worries, the replay’s ready when you are. Pick one session that fixes your biggest headache and try one idea this week.

Get your evenings back with AI 
Phil Risher and Ryaan Tuttle say to treat AI like a teammate. Feed it real business data and let it handle estimates, marketing, and hiring.

STRAIGHT FROM THE JOB SITE

Blake Albertson is keeping it real in Kansas City. When someone says, “Why so much?”

Just a mower that costs more than a vacation, a truck that drinks gas like it’s happy hour, and a whole lot of sweat behind those straight lines.