There are thousands of basic advertising and marketing articles online for entrepreneurs to read. However, most of them focus on the presumption that you have launched a new company with lots of employees. They don’t tend to offer advice when it comes to sole traders like builders, plumbers, and electricians. People who are just starting out in those industries often have no idea how to make new contacts and secure work. Most of them rely on relationships they already have to earn a living. Still, they could benefit from some of the tips and information on this page. At the end of the day, marketing yourself as a tradesperson is very different to promoting a company. That means you have to take a personalised approach based on the nature of your expertise. The suggestions below should assist you in doing that.
Launch a professional website
Firstly, it’s vital that you publish a website for your services. There are lots of ways in which you could go about that job. Just don’t make the mistake of using free site builders. There are hundreds of them online, but they won’t create the desired results. As an expert tradesperson, you need to represent yourself in the right manner. So, do yourself a favour and make a small investment. Find a web design company willing to undertake the task and employ their services. You don’t need a large website. In most instances, you just need a couple of pages that highlight your skills and work areas. You then also need a page that contains all your contact information. Ensure the site looks vibrant and colourful for the best outcomes. It needs to catch the eye of visitors and encourage them to get in touch.
Build a social media presence
Before you do anything else, you must understand that social networks are the best free advertising tools at your disposal. So, you must learn how to use them wisely. For example, you can open a business page on both Facebook and Twitter in a matter of minutes. It doesn’t cost anything to post updates and grow your audience. Make sure you publish at least one status every day for the best results. In most instances, you should include a backlink to your website. That way, you will drive people to the domain and increase traffic. You should also avoid blatant advertising. Try to post statuses that encourage a response. For instance, you might write something funny. Either that or you might consider commenting on some industry news. That would help to cement your position as an experienced authority.
List your qualifications and memberships
As a tradesperson, clients want to know that you have the right skills for the job. So, it’s vital that you highlight them on your website and social media accounts. You should include details of all your qualifications at the very least. However, many of you will have become involved in a trade association. That’s fantastic because people know that members work to the highest of standards. So, they will consider you more trustworthy than those who are not part of the group. If you work in construction, ensure you use a contract from the Federation of Master Builders to highlight your authenticity. If you’re an electrician, there are other bodies you can join and achieve the same results. You get the idea, right? Being part of an organisation of that nature will make customers feel more confident when they spend their money. So, advertise it!
Pay for leaflet design and printing
Sometimes the oldest marketing techniques are still the best. So, you should think about getting in touch with a printing firm and asking them to design some leaflets. As a tradesperson, you will probably want to work in a particular area. You won’t want to spend hours driving up and down the country every day. That means it’s worth pushing leaflets through doors in the hope someone will employ your services. At the very least, local people are going to know you exist. That’s a good start no matter how you look at it. Some might keep your promotional materials or remember your name for the future. Of course, you might not have time to walk around pushing leaflets through doors. Thankfully, there are companies out there that will handle that task on your behalf.
Use Google Adwords
As we have already discussed, there are lots of ways to drive traffic to your website. Social networks are the best free tools available, but what if you want to make an investment? Well, Facebook and Twitter both have paid advertising solutions you should consider. However, Google Adwords is the best online platform to use when working towards your goals. There is no minimum spend, and you can target pretty much anyone with a laptop or smartphone. You can send your adverts to people based on many different elements. For instance, you can target people who live in particular towns or cities. You can also target them based on their age, sex, location, interests, and more. So, it’s vital that you get to grips with Adwords and learn to use it as soon as possible. If it seems like too much hassle, you need to employ the services of a marketing agency. Those experts will do it for you. However, they tend to charge a lot of money.
Encourage reviews, testimonials, and word of mouth recommendations
Recommendations from real people are the best way to promote your services. That is especially the case if you’re a builder, plumber, or electrician. There are so many cowboys out there that most people don’t know who to trust. You should ask all happy customers to write a review or testimonial for your website. You can then publish the comments and use them to highlight your level of expertise. Keeping your clients happy will also encourage word of mouth recommendations. You need as many of those as possible because they don’t cost anything. For every word of mouth recommendation you receive, you could decrease your marketing spend slightly. Indeed, if you could get all your money that way, you wouldn’t have to advertise at all. Offer rewards for writing reviews if you think it will help. Maybe tell the customer they can have 10% off their next bill if they write something positive.
Use local listing services
There are many online and offline local listing services that tradespeople can use. You need to make sure you get a mention on all of them. Just search Google for “business listings in (your area).” You can then get in touch with all the different websites on the first page of results. You might have to pay a small fee to get your name on services like the Yellow Pages. However, it’s worth the expense because many people use those sites when they’re looking for professional assistance. Again, most of them will include review sections. So, make sure you always copy any comments from there and add them to your website. You need as many testimonials as possible if you want to convince clients you’re trustworthy.
You should now have a good idea of the best ways to advertise as a tradesperson. So, put the advice from this page into action as soon as possible. You will have to make a small investment if you want the best outcomes. That means now is the time to work out how much you can afford to spend. Don’t make the mistake of using your savings unless there is no other option on the table. It makes sense to visit your bank first and see if they’re willing to offer a loan. Whatever you do, just keep pushing ahead and continue your research!