--- title: "Blog: Business Phone Guides for Small Businesses | GBPN" description: "Plain-English guides for contractors and small-business owners: starting a business, money, marketing, and business phone numbers." canonical: "https://gbpn.com/blog/" --- > This is the plain-text Markdown version of [the canonical page](https://gbpn.com/blog/). GBPN Resource Hub # Run a sharper small business. Plain-English guides for contractors and small shops: business phones, money, marketing, and honest price checks. - [Starting a Business 3 guides](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/starting-a-business/) - [Business Essentials 4 guides](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/business-essentials/) - [Bookkeeping & Money 3 guides](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/bookkeeping/) - [Business Phone Tips 2 guides](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/business-phone-tips/) - [Marketing Your Business 3 guides](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/marketing-your-business/) - [Costs & Comparisons 10 guides](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/costs-and-comparisons/) [ Featured Starting a Business 5 min read ## LLC vs Sole Proprietor: Which One Makes Sense for a Contractor? LLC or sole proprietor? A plain-English look at liability, taxes, cost, and paperwork for contractors and home-service owners just getting started. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/llc-vs-sole-proprietor/) ## Starting a Business Forming your business, getting an EIN, licenses and insurance. [See all 3 →](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/starting-a-business/) - [ 5 min read ### LLC vs Sole Proprietor: Which One Makes Sense for a Contractor? LLC or sole proprietor? A plain-English look at liability, taxes, cost, and paperwork for contractors and home-service owners just getting started. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/llc-vs-sole-proprietor/) - [ 4 min read ### How to Get an EIN for Your Business (Free, in About 15 Minutes) Get an EIN free from the IRS online in minutes. What you need, the steps, when you need one, and the paid sites to skip. Written for trades owners. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/how-to-get-an-ein/) - [ 5 min read ### How to Start a Cleaning Business: A Real-World Checklist Start a house cleaning business the practical way: pricing, supplies, insurance, paperwork, getting first clients, and looking legit from day one. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/how-to-start-a-cleaning-business/) GBPN ## A business number on the phone you already carry. We set it up for you, record your greeting, and you keep your cell. **$30/month total, taxes included.** 30-day money-back guarantee. [See available numbers →](https://gbpn.com/get-started/?source=blog-index) ## Business Essentials The things every business needs, like a bank account, a business phone number, a website and invoicing. [See all 4 →](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/business-essentials/) - [ 4 min read ### Free Business Phone Number: What You Get and the Catch Yes, you can get a free business phone number. Here's what free Google Voice, TextNow, and free trials actually include, and the catch with each. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/free-business-phone-number/) - [ 4 min read ### How to Get a Business Phone Number Without Buying a New Phone How to get a business phone number that rings the cell you already have. Step by step, plus how virtual numbers work and what to watch for. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/how-to-get-a-business-phone-number/) - [ 4 min read ### How to Get a Second Phone Number on Your Cell Phone Four ways to get a second phone number on the cell you already have: a second line, a free app, a paid app, or a business number that rings your phone. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/how-to-get-a-second-phone-number/) - [ 4 min read ### Should You Get a Separate Phone Number for Your Business? Can you use your personal phone for business? Sure. Should you? A quick gut check, the real tradeoffs, and how to separate them without a second phone. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/separate-business-phone-number/) ## Bookkeeping & Money Tracking expenses, invoicing, taxes, and keeping business and personal money separate. [See all 3 →](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/bookkeeping/) - [ 4 min read ### Business Bank Account for an LLC: What You Need and How to Open One How to open a business bank account for your LLC or sole proprietorship: documents banks ask for, fees to watch, and why keeping money separate matters. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/business-bank-account-for-llc/) - [ 4 min read ### Contractor Invoice Template: What to Include So You Get Paid Faster A simple contractor invoice template you can copy, plus what every invoice needs, payment terms that work, and a polite reminder text for late payers. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/contractor-invoice-template/) - [ 4 min read ### Bookkeeping for Small Business: A Simple System for Trades Owners Simple bookkeeping for small business owners who'd rather be working: what to track, a 15-minute weekly routine, receipts, and when to hire help. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/bookkeeping-for-small-business/) ## Business Phone Tips Voicemail greetings, call forwarding, spam calls and texting customers. [See all 2 →](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/business-phone-tips/) - [ 5 min read ### Business Voicemail Greeting Examples for Contractors and Home-Service Pros Real-sounding business voicemail greetings for contractors and home-service pros. Copy-paste scripts for job sites, after hours, holidays, and by trade. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/business-voicemail-greeting-examples/) - [ 5 min read ### Professional Voicemail Greeting: Scripts You Can Copy A professional voicemail greeting without sounding stiff. Scripts you can copy, how to record it (even if you hate your voice), and mistakes to skip. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/professional-voicemail-greeting/) ## Marketing Your Business Your website, Google Business Profile, social media, reviews and getting more jobs. [See all 3 →](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/marketing-your-business/) - [ 4 min read ### How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Being Awkward About It) Simple, by-the-rules ways to get more Google reviews for a local service business, plus copy-and-paste text and email requests and reply examples. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/how-to-get-more-google-reviews/) - [ 4 min read ### Google Business Profile Setup: A Step-by-Step Guide for Service Businesses Set up your free Google Business Profile step by step: service areas, hiding your home address, categories, photos, phone number, and getting verified. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/google-business-profile-setup/) - [ 4 min read ### Lawn Care Flyers That Actually Get Calls (With Copy You Can Use) What to put on a lawn care flyer so people call: headline ideas, copy-and-paste text, design tips, where to hand them out, and mistakes to avoid. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/lawn-care-flyers/) ## Costs & Comparisons What phone service costs, and honest comparisons. [See all 10 →](https://gbpn.com/blog/category/costs-and-comparisons/) - [ 4 min read ### Business Phone Plans: Do You Need a New Plan or Just a Business Number? Shopping business phone plans? You might not need a new plan at all. How to tell if you need a carrier business plan or just a business number. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/business-phone-plans/) - [ 4 min read ### Cheapest Business Phone Number Options Compared The cheapest ways to get a business phone number, from free Google Voice to $10 to $30 plans. Real prices, checked October 2026, and the catches. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/cheapest-business-phone-number/) - [ 4 min read ### Google Voice Cost for Business What Google Voice really costs for business: free, $10, $20, and $30 plans, the Workspace requirement for teams, and the fees people miss. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/google-voice-cost/) - [ 4 min read ### Google Voice for Business: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives Is Google Voice good for business? What the free and paid plans include, the real downsides, and when an alternative makes more sense. Checked Oct 2026. Read the guide → ](https://gbpn.com/blog/google-voice-for-business/) ### Honest comparisons - [ Comparison hub ### GBPN vs. other business phone services See the comparison → ](https://gbpn.com/compare/) - [ Honest comparison ### GBPN vs Quo (formerly OpenPhone) See the comparison → ](https://gbpn.com/compare/quo/) - [ Honest comparison ### GBPN vs Grasshopper See the comparison → ](https://gbpn.com/compare/grasshopper/) - [ Honest comparison ### GBPN vs Google Voice See the comparison → ](https://gbpn.com/compare/google-voice/) - [ Honest comparison ### GBPN vs RingCentral See the comparison → ](https://gbpn.com/compare/ringcentral/) - [ Honest comparison ### GBPN vs Dialpad See the comparison → ](https://gbpn.com/compare/dialpad/)