As a tradesman, it can be difficult to put time and effort into promoting your trades business when you’re always working away from your office.
However, whether you’re a plumber, builder, electrician, carpenter or any other kind of tradesmen, it is always important to consider promoting your business to effectively attract new customers and stand out from your competitors.
To make things simple for you to generate more custom, we’ve put together a list of top tips for marketing your trades business that are straightforward to implement:
1. Set up a website
Online is one of the first places that customers look in their search for a reliable tradesman. So, setting up a website is a great way to ensure your business is visible and appears legitimate.
What should you include on your trades website? Making your website simple and easy to navigate for your customers is vital. Some essential elements to include on your trade website include: - Your business name - A home page including your industry (plumber, builder, painter, gardener, roofer etc.), where you work, your main services and who you help. - A contact page including your business address and contact details (phone number and email address). - An ‘about us’ page including information about your business and relevant trade qualifications that you hold. - A testimonials page that includes quotes and photos from happy clients. Sites like Wix or WordPress, make setting up your website simple and straightforward. You can create a professional-looking site by choosing from a wide range of different user-friendly templates.
But if you don’t have the spare time to do this yourself then there are companies that can create attractive websites that clearly articulate what you offer and will come up in Google search results. We can recommend a suitable company – just ask.
Top Tip: Ensure your website includes regular ‘call to action’ buttons. These are buttons that link to your contact page and tell your visitors to get in touch for a quote.
Placing one in the top right-hand corner of your page and at regular intervals throughout your home page is a great way to ensure their visibility.
2. Join Business Directories
Although directory books are now a thing of the past, there’s a whole host of online directories available for tradespeople to advertise on. These directories will let you create a profile, collate reviews from recent clients, let other potential customers find you and help your website appear higher in Google Search results.
Some of the most popular trade directories include:
- Yelp
- Google My Business
- Checkatrade.com
- RatedPeople.com
- MyBuilder.com
- Trust a Trader
3. Word of Mouth Marketing
Within the trade industry, word-of-mouth marketing remains one of the most trusted methods of generating new business. Your satisfied customers are likely to share your contact details with friends and family members who require your services.
So why not make the process simple for them? Leaving a few flyers, or business cards, with your customers once you’ve finished a job is an affordable way to ensure they spread the word about your business.
Great looking literature can be more affordable than you think. With in-house design
and print we can make sure your flyers and business cards help you sell your services.
4. Use your company vehicle as an advertising tool
Being a tradesman, it’s likely that you’ll own a car or van, but have you considered
using this as an advertising tool?
Whether stationary at a worksite or travelling to or from home, you are visible to everybody else who is out and about.
Using magnetic signage and van livery to display your company logo, trade services
and contact details on your vehicle fleet is a great way to get your business noticed
by thousands of people a day.
5. Use signage at your workplace to promote your business
If you’re likely to be on-site for a while, placing signage outside your current worksite is a great way to attract attention from passers-by.
A-Frames, Correx signs or PVC banners are great temporary forms of signage that can be used to publicise your services and contact details. They’re also great to affix to buildings and fences once your project has been completed.
Top Tip: Make sure your signage is large enough to be seen from a distance. Include an eye-catching design and colour scheme to attract attention, and ensure your business name and contact details are included on all your signage so that you can be contacted easily.
We can advise on the right kind of signage for your project, so you are advertising as
you are working.
6. Don’t hold back on traditional marketing methods
Door dropping is a classic way to get your business into the hands of potential customers, through their letterboxes. And what’s more, it’s very affordable!
Printing leaflets including your key contact details and information about the services you offer is a great way to establish yourself as a reputable tradesman in your local area.
Doing regular letterbox drops, whilst working on a job, could mean reaching up to 50 potential customers a day, in the local area that you are serving.
Top Tip: Why not include a promotional item with your leaflets or flyers? A branded pen or a magnet, that includes your contact details, is much more likely to be held onto and placed in a notable position in your prospect’s house.
7. Form relationships with other tradesmen
Often overlooked, networking and forming relationships with other tradespeople is a great way to start getting more work.
As the tradesman industry is very competitive, establishing on-going relationships (such as a plumber working with a builder on their projects or being the preferred electrician for a local association of landlords) can help ensure you have a steady stream of business.
If you would like to try a networking group then we can point you in the right direction. It’s not as scary as it sounds, and you will be welcomed by other business people who are helping each other to grow their businesses.
8. Invest in a Branded Uniform
You want everybody in your trades business to be easily identifiable by the public.
Whether you work alone, or as part of a trades team, utilising your company logo on a branded polo shirt or customised fleece helps your business appear professional and gets you noticed by members of the general public when out and about.
We offer a range of workwear with everything from a complete outfit to a simple polo shirt or jacket.
What’s next?
Many trades businesses struggle to find the time for effective marketing and as a the result, miss out on lots of potential custom.
We offer a simple and straightforward process, that makes designing and ordering your printed marketing collateral, branded work uniforms, signage and promotional items, quick and easy. Simply, send us your logo, and leave the rest to us.
Contact us by calling 0116 259 9955, email orders@soarvalleypress.co.uk or message us on WhatsApp, to find out more.
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