Don’t know your SEO from your CTR? Fear not, we’re here to cut through the marketing lingo by sharing easy marketing for tradies tips that can help grow your tradie business. With a bit of planning and understanding of the marketing basics, you can increase your customer database without so much as breaking a sweat.
These 13 valuable marketing strategies can help raise the profile of your tradie business and bring more leads and customers through your door.
1. Google Business Profile
If you haven’t already got a Google Business Profile, now is the time to jump to it. It is one of the most effective ways for potential customers to find, connect, and engage with your business online.
Not only does a Google Business Profile listing include key contact details to make it easier for customers to get in touch with you, but it can also include other critical information about your business, such as your business address, opening hours, directions to your business premises, and customer reviews of your business.
A fleshed-out Google Business Profile can be a great way to easily convey key business information to prospects, build trust in your business, and get more leads for a trade business. Learn more about setting up your free Google Business Profile and how it can help grow a trade business.
2. Social media
There are many social media platforms available to you to market your business, from Facebook and Instagram to Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok. The good thing is you don’t need to use them all. Take the time to become familiar with the features of each, then decide which social media channels will be most effective for engaging with your audience.
Regardless of which social media platforms you choose to go with, think of it as a great opportunity to connect with existing customers and prospects, engage with them, and to share examples of your work and how your tradie business can help them.
3. Signage and logos
One effective way to get noticed fast and get job leads for tradies is by investing in professional signage and professionally created branding for your tradie business. Having a strong brand image will help you get noticed, especially with attention-grabbing colours and designs emblazoned across your work vehicles, company stationery, uniforms, and advertising.
To stand out from the crowd and grow a trade business, aim to create a brand that people will easily identify and connect with. This can also help make your branding memorable. And on the topic of branding, it’s important to keep your branding consistent. If you have a logo, make sure you use it on your website, social media pages, and business cards. Anything that is associated with your business should carry your logo. You want your customers to instantly recognise your business whenever they see catch a glimpse of your logo.
4. Email marketing
Keeping in touch with your customers via email marketing is an effective way to engage prospects and keep your business top of mind with them. These customers have likely done business with you previously and trust you to get the job done. Staying in touch not only helps with generating repeat business, but it can also help get more leads for a trade business too.
Not sure what to put in your emails and e-newsletters? Keep them relevant by including helpful tips and any offers or specials you may be promoting. And be sure to include links to your social media profiles.
5. Referral programs
Word of mouth can be such a powerful marketing tool and can even make or break a business. Creating a referral program for your customers is a strategic way to drive new business through your door. And it’s worth noting that referral programs aren’t complicated or costly.
Start by inviting your satisfied customers to join the program and encourage them to recommend your business to their family and friends. Once you get leads from their referrals, reward them for suggesting your business with a discount, a voucher, or other incentives that work for your business. It’s a win-win for your business and for your customers.
6. Strategic partnerships and ongoing relationships
When people think of marketing they often immediately think of traditional advertising, online advertising, mail outs, and radio or TV advertising. Something that can often be left out of a tradie marketing strategy is strategic partnerships – and this can be a big one for tradies. This is often what separates average tradie businesses from thriving tradie businesses that are growing their profit margins year after year.
The tradie industry is very competitive, which means establishing strategic partnerships with other businesses can deliver great business growth for your business. Strategic partnerships can be anything from simple ongoing relationships (such as a preferred plumber working with a builder on their projects), to more formal agreements (such as being the go-to trade business for a real-estate agent).
7. Word of mouth marketing
An oldie but a goodie, word-of-mouth remains one of the most trusted methods of marketing. A happy, satisfied customer will likely share their experience with people they know – and even with people they don’t know. And they usually won’t need to be incentivised to do so – because you have already gone above and beyond for them.
That said, don’t just wait for them to tell their family and friends. If a customer gives you positive feedback, ask them if they know anyone who may require the trade services you provide and ask them to make an introduction.
8. Networking for tradies
You may think networking is only for the corporate world, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In business today, savvy trade professionals connect with local business groups and communities both offline and online to engage new audiences and grow their business.
Not only can you get more clients for your trade service through networking, but you can also learn from likeminded business owners about how to improve your business processes. Networking is also a great way to establish strategic partnerships.
9. Invest in a mobile-friendly website
Think about how you would normally find a product or service. You would probably pull out your smartphone and do an internet search. You would click on a link to a relevant business website and see if they offer the service you seek. Well, potential customers of your tradie business do the same thing, and if your business doesn’t have a website that is optimised for mobile, you may get passed over.
Remember that a company website is effectively an online business card. The great thing about a website is that once you have paid for it to be built, the ongoing costs are modest, making it a very cost-effective marketing tool. However, for the reasons mentioned above, ensure that your company website is optimised for mobile.
10. Letterbox drops
While a traditional advertising method, letterbox drops can still be a great way of exposing your trade business to local residents and getting job leads for tradies. Consider taking a 10–15-minute walk before or after a job to do a letterbox drop in the neighbourhood.
It could result in your marketing material being read by most residents in the neighbourhoods you service. You may consider doing this once a month for three months, then measure its effectiveness by way of new business enquiries.
11. Get customer feedback and testimonials
Collect and use feedback from your customers. If they didn’t like something about the job, find out why, and then think about how you might improve on it. If they like you or the job you did, then they will likely recommend you to friends and family.
Ask them for a testimonial either in person or follow up with an email. If they don’t know what to write, guide them by suggesting what to include. For example:
- you called to let them know when you will arrive;
- you arrived on time;
- you delivered great work and a great customer service;
- you cleaned up after yourself;
- your quote was accurate; and
- you reassured them that they can contact you any time if they want to use your trade services again.
Remember that customer feedback and testimonials can be an incredibly effective way to get more clients for your trade service.
12. Offer multiple ways for customers to reach you
With busy lives, many customers may not have time to call during business hours. And you may not always be able to answer your phone straight away. With that in mind, your trade business may benefit from providing customers with a range of ways for getting in touch with you besides your mobile phone number.
Ensure that your customers have access to your contact details by clearly displaying them on your contact form on your company website. You may also consider using social media to answer questions your prospects and customer have.
Also, set up an automated email message assuring customers that you have received their email and will contact them as soon as possible, or within a certain timeframe.
13. Offer multiple payment options
You may still prefer conventional payment methods, such as cash, cheque, or credit card. But with technology advancing and payments moving to mobile you may be missing out on customers who prefer to do their differently.
As such, you may consider offering direct debit, PayPal, or a mobile EFTPOS terminal that has the ‘tap and go’ option. You may also consider accepting app payments with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Discover how easy business insurance* for tradies is with BizCover
At BizCover, we remove the pain from purchasing trade insurance by making it fast (10 minutes), free of paperwork (there is none), and easy for tradies to compare quotes from leading insurers online (saving you money).
Find out what types of business insurance can help reduce the risks for your tradie business. Or read reviews from tradies who have purchased trade insurance from BizCover.
