Most tradies didn't get into the game to sit around doing marketing. You got into it because you're bloody good at your trade — not because you wanted a career in marketing yourself online.
But here's the thing: top-shelf workmanship won't fill your schedule on its own anymore. Referrals still matters, but it comes in waves - especially when work drops off after a busy run.
What are the busy tradies doing differently? These are a few straightforward strategies that actually make a difference - without massive budgets or marketing degrees.
Get Your Online Presence
When someone Googles "local carpenter" - can they find you? Too many tradies haven't set up a proper online profile.
You don't need anything over the top. A simple site that shows photos of your work, mentions the suburbs you operate in, and doesn't make people hunt for your number - that's your minimum.
Even a single-page site showing your work and how to reach you outperforms the tradies who have nothing.
Your Google Listing - Still the Easiest Win
If you've been sleeping on your Google Maps listing, you're handing work to your competition. Zero dollars to set up.
That map pack that shows up at the top when a homeowner needs a tradie - that's prime real estate. 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 - reviews are everything for local
search
- Reply to every review - it shows you're active and approachable
- Make sure your phone number and service area are correct
These small things adds up month after month. Blokes who put 20 minutes a month into this end up above the ones who set and forget.
Social Media - It's Not Rocket Science
You don't need to become some social media expert. The ones more info actually winning work from Facebook and Insta keep it dead simple.
Snap a photo before you pack up and leave site. Transformation shots are absolute gold. A finished bathroom reno - that's content.
Add where the job was and what you did and that's it, done. You don't need to post every day. Every photo you share is another piece of proof.
People trust what they can see with their own eyes. Real work on display outperforms paid ads nine times out of ten - because it's real.
Online Advertising - Not a Magic Bullet
Paid advertising gets results when it's set up properly - but it needs to be done with a plan. The tradies who get burnt is running ads with no clear target.
Before you spend a dollar: ensure there's a clear way for people to contact you when they click through. Paying for eyeballs is pointless to a site that doesn't load properly.
Don't go all-in on day one. Measure results, not just impressions. Put more behind what works and kill the duds quickly.
Your Online Reputation - More Powerful Than Any Ad
A fact that doesn't get talked about enough: most people checks reviews before making contact. A tradie with 50 genuine reviews will win the job over a tradie with none - every single time.
Build it into your process to follow up with a review request. Satisfied clients will do it - they just need a nudge. Send them a direct link and the reviews will stack up faster than you'd expect.
Respond to negative reviews professionally - how you handle criticism is just as important as the positive ones.
The Bottom Line
Growing a trade business shouldn't be a second full-time job. Blokes with full schedules aren't marketing geniuses - they got the fundamentals right and stuck with it.
Get your online profile in order. Let your jobs do the talking. Collect reviews. When you put money into advertising, be strategic about where the budget goes.
The quality of your work speaks for itself - the growth stuff just needs a bit of attention to start working for you.