Trades Promotion - Ways to Get More Work and Half the Stress
Plenty of trades business owners didn't get into the game to sit around chasing leads. You went solo because you're good at what you do — not because you wanted a career in chasing people for work.
But here's the thing: being great at your trade won't fill your schedule on its own anymore. Word of mouth still matters, but it's unpredictable - particularly when things get quiet.
What are the busy tradies doing differently? Below are some straightforward moves that get results - no massive budgets or marketing degrees.
Get Your Digital Presence
When someone Googles "plumber near me" - do you show up? Heaps of owner-operators still don't have any real web presence.
You don't need a $10k custom site. A clean site that has real job photos, mentions the suburbs you operate in, and doesn't make people hunt for your number - that's where you start.
A one-page setup that covers the essentials puts you ahead of the blokes relying on Facebook alone.
Google Maps - Costs Nothing, Does a Lot
If you've been sleeping on your GBP, you're handing work to your competition. It's completely free.
Those three local results that pops up before everything else when someone searches for a trade - those spots get the most calls. And getting there comes down to not leaving your profile half-empty.
- Upload real photos - real before-and-afters from site
- Build up your review count with genuine feedback - reviews are everything for local
search
- Respond to reviews, good and bad - it shows you're active and approachable
- Update your info when anything changes
These small things compounds over time. The ones who keep it updated beat out the competition that ignores it.
Facebook and Instagram - Keep It Simple
You don't need to become an influencer. What works for trades businesses online keep it dead simple.
Take a quick pic before you pack up and leave site. Before and afters get the most engagement by far. A finished bathroom reno - that's all you need.
Add where the job was and what you did and you're sorted. Consistency helps but don't stress about a schedule. Each post shows potential customers you're the real deal.
Customers believe actual results over polished ads. An honest before-and-after outperforms paid ads nine times out of ten - because it's proof.
Online Advertising - When They Make Sense
Running Google Ads gets results when it's set up properly - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. The common mistake is running ads with no clear target.
Before you spend a dollar: have resources a landing page that works. Paying for eyeballs is pointless if people can't find your phone number.
Don't go all-in on day one. Measure results, not just impressions. Scale the campaigns that convert and cut what doesn't.
Reviews and Reputation - What People Check Before They Call
One thing worth paying attention to: nearly every potential customer will read your reviews before they pick up the phone. A trades business with strong reviews beats the competition over a tradie with none - every single time.
Make it a habit to follow up with a review request. Satisfied clients will do it - they just need a nudge. Make it as easy as possible and most will do it on the spot.
Respond to negative reviews professionally - your response to complaints tells potential customers as much about you as the good reviews do.
The Bottom Line
Marketing your trades business isn't complicated. The tradies who stay booked aren't marketing geniuses - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Lock in your Google listing and a basic site. Post your work. Collect reviews. If you run ads, be strategic about where the budget goes.
Your skills aren't the problem - the growth stuff is easier than most tradies think.