Trades Promotion - Ways to Book Steady Work With Minimal Runaround
A lot of tradespeople didn't pick up a tool to sit around doing marketing. You went solo because you're bloody good at your trade — not because you love marketing yourself online.
But here's the thing: top-shelf workmanship won't fill your schedule on its own anymore. Referrals is still gold, but it comes in waves - mostly when the market slows.
So what actually works? Here are a few practical strategies that shift the needle - no a fancy agency.
Get Your Web Footprint
When someone searches for "local roofer" - can they find you? Heaps of owner-operators still don't have even a basic website.
It doesn't need to be something complicated. A straightforward page that has real job photos, lists where you work, and doesn't make people hunt for your number - that's the baseline.
Even a single-page site showing your work and how to reach you outperforms the blokes relying on Facebook alone.
Google Business Profile - Free and Underrated
If you've been sleeping on your Google Business Profile, you're handing work to your competition. It's completely free.
The map listings that pops up before everything else when people look for local
services - that's where you want to be. Ranking in the map pack is mostly about not leaving your profile half-empty.
- Upload real photos - not stock images
- Build up your review count with genuine feedback - people read these before they call
- Reply to every review - Google notices and so do customers
- Update your info when anything changes
All of this compounds over time. Tradies who stay on top of their profile end up above the competition that ignores it.
Posting Your Work read Online - It's Not Rocket Science
Nobody's asking you to be some social media expert. The ones actually winning work from Facebook and Insta is a lot more basic than you'd think.
Grab a shot before you pack up and leave site. Side-by-side comparisons are absolute gold. A new deck or pergola - that's all you need.
Add where the job was and what you did and that's it, done. Even once or twice a week is plenty. Every photo you share builds your credibility.
Customers believe actual results over polished ads. Real work on display beats paid ads nine times out of ten - because it's proof.
Paid Ads - When They Make Sense
Running Google Ads gets results when it's set up properly - but it needs to be done with a plan. Where most people waste their budget is boosting random Facebook posts.
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.
Start with a small budget. Measure results, not just impressions. Put more behind what works and pull the plug on anything that's just burning cash.
Customer Reviews - What People Check Before They Call
Here's something worth paying attention to: the majority of homeowners checks reviews before making contact. A tradie with 50 genuine reviews gets the call over the bloke with no online presence - regardless of price.
Get into the routine to follow up with a review request. Satisfied clients will do it - you just have to ask. Send them a direct link and the reviews will stack up faster than you'd expect.
Don't ignore or argue with bad feedback - your response to complaints tells potential customers as much about you as the good reviews do.
Wrapping It Up
Marketing your trades business isn't a second full-time job. The tradies who stay booked haven't cracked some secret code - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Lock in your Google listing and a basic site. Let your jobs do the talking. Build your reputation with real feedback. When you put money into advertising, do it with a plan, not a prayer.
You're already great at what you do - the growth stuff doesn't take as much as you'd expect once you get the ball rolling.