These guides answer the questions that come up on almost every first call with a Coquitlam owner. They're written so you can act on them yourself this week. If you'd rather have us do the work, each one links to the matching service.
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What a Coquitlam lead is worth, and what you should pay for one
Your break-even cost per lead equals gross profit per job multiplied by your close rate. Once you know that number, every marketing decision gets easier, from Google Ads bids to whether a directory listing is worth renewing.
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Setting up a Google Business Profile as a Tri-Cities service-area business
If you travel to customers instead of receiving them at your premises, Google treats you as a service-area business. That means hiding your address, drawing a realistic service area and earning prominence through reviews and real activity.
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Trust signals Coquitlam homeowners check before they call
When people compare three local businesses, the one that looks most verifiably real usually gets the call. That comes down to visible credentials, recent reviews with replies, photos of real work, clear prices or ranges, and a fast response.
What a Coquitlam lead is worth, and what to pay for one
Read the lead value guide. It walks through the arithmetic that should sit under every marketing budget: job value, margin, close rate and repeat business. You'll come away with a break-even cost per lead for your own business and a simple way to check whether any campaign, agency or directory is worth what you're paying.
It's the right place to start if you've ever looked at an invoice for ads and wondered whether it paid for itself. It also explains why a seasonal business should set different ceilings for different months, and how to account for jobs that come back year after year.
Best for: owners setting a budget for the first time, or reviewing one that doesn't feel right.
Setting up a Google Business Profile as a Tri-Cities service-area business
Read the service-area profile guide. Most trades in Coquitlam work at customers' homes, which makes them what Google calls a service-area business. The rules for those profiles differ from storefront rules, and getting them wrong can mean a suspended listing.
The guide covers the address question, drawing a service area that matches your real travel time, choosing categories, adding photos and services, and building a review routine that stays within Google's guidelines. It closes with a monthly maintenance checklist that takes about 20 minutes.
Best for: trades and mobile services that don't receive customers at their premises. Shops and clinics will find most of it useful too.
Trust signals Coquitlam homeowners check before they call
Read the trust signals guide. When someone in Westwood Plateau or Maillardville compares three businesses, small details decide who gets the call: a licence number, recent photos, how quickly reviews get replies, or whether the website names the neighbourhood.
This guide lists the signals that matter most, explains the BC bodies homeowners may look you up with, such as Technical Safety BC and WorkSafeBC, and shows how to present your credentials honestly on your website and profile. It doesn't give compliance advice; it links to the regulators so you can confirm what applies to your trade.
Best for: businesses that get traffic and profile views but fewer calls than expected.
What the guides deliberately leave out
These guides don't tell you what licences or permits your trade needs, how to price a specific job, or how to word a contract. Those questions belong with the relevant regulator, your industry association, your accountant or your lawyer. Where a guide touches on a regulated area, it links to the official body and summarises its role, nothing more.
They also don't promise outcomes. A well-built profile and sensible ad ceilings improve your odds, but competition, reviews, prices and response speed all play a part. The goal is better decisions, made with your own numbers in front of you.
We'll add more guides as Coquitlam owners raise new questions. If there's a topic you'd like covered, mention it when you get in touch.
How to use these guides
Read them in order if you're starting from scratch: work out what a lead is worth, get found, then make sure people trust what they find. If you already know your numbers, skip to the second or third guide.
Each guide links to the relevant service if you'd like help: local SEO, Google Ads or the full services hub. For the bigger picture of how Coquitlam's districts differ, see the areas page.
Questions after reading? Call, text or email; the contact page explains what to include.
Frequently asked questions
Are these guides really free to use?
Yes. Use the worksheets, checklists and examples in your own business. There's no sign-up and nothing to download.
Do the guides apply outside Coquitlam?
Most of the method applies anywhere in Canada. The examples and regulators mentioned are specific to Coquitlam and British Columbia.
How often are the guides updated?
We review them when Google or BC regulators change something that affects the advice. Each guide shows the date it was last updated.