Plenty of trades business owners didn't start out on their own to waste hours doing marketing. You got into it because you're bloody good at your trade — not because you love marketing yourself online.
But here's the thing: being great at your trade doesn't guarantee a full calendar. Word of mouth still matters, but it's unpredictable - particularly when the market slows.
So what actually works? Here are a few straightforward strategies that shift the needle - no massive budgets or marketing degrees.
Set Up a Proper Web Presence
If a potential customer Googles "electrician around your area" - do you show up? A surprising number of owner-operators haven't set up any real web presence.
Nobody's saying you need anything over the top. A straightforward page that displays what you actually do, lists where you work, and has a clear way to get in touch - that's your minimum.
Even a single-page site showing your work and how to reach you outperforms most of your competition.
Google Maps - Still the Easiest Win
If you haven't claimed your Google Maps listing, you're invisible to local searchers. It costs nothing.
Those three local results that shows up at the top when a homeowner needs a tradie - those spots get the most calls. And getting there is mostly about having a complete, active profile.
- Put up photos of your work - real before-and-afters from site
- Ask satisfied customers for reviews - this is massive for trust
- Engage with what people write - it makes a real
difference
- Update your info when anything changes
All of this compounds over time. The ones who keep it updated end up above the ones who set and forget.
Facebook and Instagram - Keep It Simple
You don't need to become an influencer. What works for trades businesses online is a lot more basic than you'd think.
Take a quick pic before you pack up and leave site. Before and afters are absolute gold. A fresh switchboard - that tells the story on its own.
Add where the job was and what you did and you're sorted. You don't need to post every day. All of it builds your credibility.
People trust photos of real work. A genuine job photo beats paid ads nine times out of ten - because it's proof.
Paid Ads - Not a Magic Bullet
Spending money on online ads can absolutely work for tradies - but you can't just throw money at it. The tradies who get burnt is running ads with no clear target.
If you're going to invest in ads: 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. Measure results, not just impressions. Scale the campaigns that convert and pull the plug on anything that's just burning cash.
Customer Reviews - More Powerful Than Any Ad
A fact worth paying attention to: the majority of homeowners will read your reviews before they pick up the phone. A tradie with 50 genuine reviews gets the call over someone with zero social proof - every single time.
Make it a habit this article to follow up with a review request. Satisfied clients will do it - they just don't think of it. Send them a direct link and most will do it on the spot.
Respond to negative reviews professionally - the way you deal with a negative review is just as important as the positive ones.
The Bottom Line
Growing a trade business isn't overwhelming. The busy ones haven't cracked some secret code - they've just covered the basics and stayed consistent.
Sort out your web presence. Share what you do. Ask happy customers to back you up online. 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.