Every tree you remove leaves a stump. Some homeowners want it gone. Some want it gone next year. Some did not know you could do it.
Stump grinding is a good add-on job, and an upsell that feels natural. The customer already trusts you, the crew is already on site or nearby, and the work is quick compared with a full removal. Yet some tree companies never mention it, or only mention it once the job is done and the truck is loaded.
Here are four simple things you can do to bring in more stump jobs. None of them costs much.
Why stumps get missed
I talk to tree owners and I see the same three gaps again and again:
- The Google profile lists “tree removal” but not “stump grinding.”
- The website has one line about stumps buried in a long services page.
- Nobody asks the homeowner about the stump at the right time.
Some homeowners also search for stumps on their own. Someone with an old stump in the yard types “stump grinding near me” and clicks whatever shows up. If you are not set up for that search, someone else gets the call.
I will not guess how many jobs you are losing. That depends on your area and how many removals you do. But these gaps are easy to close.
1. List stump grinding in your Google profile
Open your Google Business Profile and look at the services section. Is stump grinding there as its own service? If not, add it.
Some tips:
- Add “Stump grinding” and “Stump removal” as separate services if the profile lets you.
- Write a short description in plain words: what you do, what the homeowner gets, and the areas you cover.
- Check your categories. If a stump-related category fits your business, consider adding it as a secondary one. Your main category should stay the one that best describes your company.
Our Google Business Profile tune-up goes deeper, but even this one change helps Google understand that you do stumps.
Also use the Products or Services section for a few lines and photos. Keep it honest. Only list what you really do.
2. Give stumps their own page on your website
One line on a services page is not enough. A dedicated stump page lets you answer the questions people really have.
A good stump page includes:
- A clear title, like “Stump Grinding in [Your Town].”
- A short plain explanation of what grinding is and how it differs from pulling a stump.
- What happens to the wood chips: left on site, hauled away, or both.
- What the homeowner should do before you arrive: mark sprinkler heads, clear the area, tell you about buried lines.
- How you handle access, like a narrow gate or a backyard.
- Photos of real stumps you have ground.
- A simple way to ask for a quote: call, text or book a time.
Do not make up numbers about depth, speed or price that you cannot back up. If you grind to a certain depth as a standard, say that. If it varies, say that instead.
If you are planning a new website, ask for a stump page like this from the start. The service page outline builder gives you a ready outline, and our stump grinding service guide shows what such a page can cover. Homeowners read about their options on our stump removal options page, so match your wording to what they have learned.
Here is a checklist for the page:
| Item | Done? |
|---|---|
| Clear title with your town | |
| Plain explanation of grinding | |
| What happens to the chips | |
| What the homeowner should do first | |
| Real photos | |
| Call, text or booking link |
Try it: use the stump grinding estimator to see how a job adds up before you quote.
3. Send an upsell text after a removal
This is the part most people skip. Right after a removal, the homeowner is looking at a stump and is happy with your work. That is a good moment to ask.
You can do it by text, shortly after the job is marked done. Keep it short and friendly. Here is an example for “Oak & Pine Tree Service” (an example company, not a real one):
“Thanks for choosing Oak & Pine Tree Service today. We left the stump in place as agreed. If you’d like it ground down, reply YES and we’ll send a quick quote.”
Why this works:
- It is not pushy. It is one line and an easy reply.
- It comes when the stump is on the homeowner’s mind.
- It lets you quote without a second sales conversation.
A few notes. Only text people who have done business with you and who gave you their number for the job. Do not send promotional texts to strangers. Include a way to opt out. Texting rules apply, and this is a short explanation, not legal advice. The follow-up text templates and the quote follow-up planner give you safe wording and timing. And do not send more than one or two follow-ups.
You can also ask while you are still on site. If the homeowner says “maybe later,” a text a few weeks on is fair: “Hi, still thinking about that stump? Happy to quote whenever you are ready.”
4. Take photos of every stump job
Photos do two things. They help future customers see what the result looks like. And they give you something to put on your Google profile and your stump page.
For each job, take:
- A before photo of the stump.
- An after photo of the ground, with the area raked or cleaned up.
- Optionally, a wide shot that shows the yard.
Ask the homeowner if you can use the photos. Do not show faces or house numbers. Upload a few of the best ones to your Google profile every month or so.
Photos also help when someone texts you a picture of their own stump. You can compare it with similar jobs and give a more confident reply.
Make it easy to ask about stumps
Many people will not call just for a stump. They are busy, and it feels like a small job. A text or a booking link makes it easier.
In our October 2026 check of 4,108 tree company websites, 92% had no way to text or chat, and 93% had no online booking. For a small job like a stump, that gap matters even more. The easier you make it, the more of these jobs you will get.
If your phone goes unanswered during the day, the stump caller may hang up and try someone else. About 27% of calls to home-service businesses go unanswered, and under 3% of those callers leave a voicemail (Invoca). A missed-call text-back turns those into conversations.
A simple plan for this week
You do not need to do all of this at once. Try this order:
- Add stump grinding to your Google profile (15 minutes).
- Write your upsell text and save it on your phone (10 minutes).
- Take before and after photos on your next stump job.
- Plan a stump page for your website.
Then watch what happens over a month or two. Count how many stump quotes you send and how many you win. That is your real number, and it is more useful than any average.
If you want help checking your Google profile, your website and how you answer calls, the free audit looks at all three.
