Plenty of trades business owners didn't get into the game to waste hours doing marketing. You started your business because you're good at what you do — not because you wanted a career in marketing yourself online.
The reality is: top-shelf workmanship isn't enough to keep the phone ringing. Referrals still matters, but it dries up - particularly when work drops off after a busy run.
What are the busy tradies doing differently? Below are a few straightforward strategies that get results - without massive budgets or marketing degrees.
Set Up a Proper Online Presence
If a homeowner searches for "plumber near me" - are you anywhere to be seen? Heaps of owner-operators are running without even a basic website.
It doesn't need to be a $10k custom site. A straightforward page that shows photos of your work, lists where you work, and doesn't make people hunt for your number - that's the baseline.
Even a single-page site that covers the essentials outperforms the blokes relying on Facebook alone.
Google Business Profile - Costs Nothing, Does a Lot
If you haven't claimed your Google Business Profile, you're invisible to local searchers. It's completely free.
Those three local results that appears first when a homeowner needs a tradie - that's prime real estate. Showing up there comes down to having a complete, active profile.
- Add pictures from actual jobs - real before-and-afters from site
- Get your happy clients to leave a review - this is massive for trust
- Respond to reviews, good and bad - it shows you're active and approachable
- Make sure your phone number and service area are correct
These small things builds up quietly. The ones who keep it updated beat out the competition that ignores it.
Posting Your Work Online - Don't Overthink It
You don't need to become a content creator. The tradies who get results from social media keep it dead simple.
Snap a photo of a completed project. Before and afters get the most engagement by far. A fresh switchboard - that tells the story on its own.
Write a line or two about the job and you're sorted. Even once or twice a week is plenty. All of it builds your credibility.
Homeowners respond to photos of real work. Real work on display outperforms paid ads nine times out of ten - because it's real.
Online Advertising - When They Make Sense
Paid advertising gets results when it's set up properly - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. Where most people waste their budget is running ads with no clear target.
Before putting budget behind anything: make sure your website actually converts. All the clicks in the world won't help if your site looks like it was built in 2005.
Test with a modest spend. Pay attention to what generates real enquiries. Double down on the winners and kill the duds quickly.
Customer Reviews - More Powerful Than Any Ad
One thing that doesn't get talked about enough: most people checks reviews before making contact. A tradie with 50 genuine reviews will win the job over a tradie with none - even if their prices are higher.
Make it learn more a habit to send a quick message asking for feedback. Satisfied clients will do it - they just need a nudge. Send them a direct link and the reviews will stack up faster than you'd expect.
Respond to negative reviews professionally - how you handle criticism is just as important as the positive ones.
Wrapping It Up
Getting more work as a tradie shouldn't be overwhelming. The busy ones aren't marketing geniuses - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Sort out your web presence. Share what you do. Collect reviews. If you run ads, do it with a plan, not a prayer.
Your skills aren't the problem - the growth stuff just needs a bit of attention to start working for you.