Top 10 Marketing Tips For Tradesmen
Check out our top 10 marketing tips for tradesmen and women. Follow these steps to get your trade business up and running and start growing.
1. Get A Website Built
Even if it’s a single page site with your logo, name, address and contact details. The sooner you can get your domain registered and a website on Google the better as the age of your website can help with Google search rankings.
A website is one of the first things a potential client will look for when finding your business. A great looking website will make your business look more professional and trustworthy.
Fill the website with useful information about your business, the services you provide and pictures of YOUR work.
2. Get Seen Online
Start getting your website ranking on Google. Most online searches for tradesmen are done via a mobile phone, so ensure your website is optimised for mobile. Use SEO techniques to get your website ranking well on Google for specific keywords and phrases that are relevant to your business.
This does take time.
You’re in Googles hands when it comes to what you rank for and Google doesn’t work fast for anyone. SEO is a long term marketing strategy so the sooner you start working on this the better. Although it might seem expensive, the pros outweigh the cons once you start seeing the benefits that proper SEO work can do for your website.
3. List Your Business On Directories
Build up your business citations. A citation is a listing on a directory such as Yell, Facebook, Thomson Local, Yelp etc. Getting your business on business directories can have multiple advantages. Potential clients who are using these directories can find your business on them and your gaining valuable back links from these directories if you’ve included your website within your citation. A back link from a high value directory will improve your Domain Authority and Trust Scores which Google uses to rank you within SERP results.
4. Get On Social Media & Socialise
I’ve said it time and time again. Don’t just use Social Media to sell and advertise. You will be ignored. Social media is great for building a tribe of loyal followers who want to see you succeed. Providing your followers with useful content will increase the chances of your content being shared and seen by other people. The more people see your content and follow your profile, the bigger the chance of you gaining work through this. If you’re constantly trying to sell or advertise using your social media the more you’ll be ignored. If your profile is ignored your visibility will be reduced as the platforms algorithm will assume your content isn’t useful to your followers.
5. Get Some Great Looking Business Cards
Seems strange in this day and age that business cards are still present within a marketing tips list. That being said a business card can say a lot about you if the receiver reads into it. A cheap, flimsy and poorly printed card could suggest that you’ve no pride in your work, that you’d prefer the cheaper option and that you don’t care how your business is perceived.
A bold, high quality and well made business card states the opposite.
I’ve been to many networking events where people leave their business cards on a table at the front and you wouldn’t believe the judging looks and sneers that people with obviously cheap cards get. It seems stupid, but believe me you’ll stand out with a great looking business card.
Top 10 Marketing Tips For Tradesmen
6. Collect Pictures Of Your Work For A Portfolio
You’ll never know when you’ll need them. Having a gallery or portfolio on your website gives potential customers something to look at. Make sure that the pictures you take a high quality (most phones have a high quality camera) and that the photo is taken well. You don’t need to be a professional photographer, but people can tell the difference between a good and bad picture. Also make sure it’s your own work.
7. Reviews, Reviews, Reviews
Reviews are great!! People love reviews. I can’t tell you how much time my girlfriend spends looking through reviews when buying something or finding a good restaurant. Be careful where you collect/store your reviews though. By this I mean try and avoid using paid for platforms such as Trust Pilot. The reason I say this is because the minute you want to stop paying, you lose those reviews. Use Google My Business to collect reviews as that also boosts your local trust score with Google which can improve local search results.
Don’t be afraid of negative reviews. Your business isn’t for everyone and no one is perfect. How you handle the negative review is more important. Using Google My Business you have the option to reply to reviews. Make sure you respond to everyone, but more specifically make sure your response to any negative reviews goes in your favour and makes your business seem professional. DO NOT get into an argument that the whole world can see.
8. Email Campaigns
Collecting client emails can save a business. It’s also a great way to stay in touch with past clients and keep them informed with whats going on within your business or industry. Email marketing done correctly can keep your business afloat when you don’t have any money for marketing so start collecting email address and use a CRM system such as Mail Chimp to store the addresses. Try and avoid spamming and emailing just to sell your shit. Keep people informed and provide useful information to them to keep them coming back.
9. Utilise Google My Business & Bing Business Listing
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Google My Business is an undervalued tool that most businesses don’t do anything about. Download it through your phone or do it on your computer and register your business. Your Google & Bing business listing will get your business showing up in local map searches when potential clients search for your services online.
I talk more about Google My Business in another article that you can find here.
10. Help People By Offering Free Advice
I’ve got more work from giving out free helpful advice than I have done through any marketing campaign. People love free stuff. If you can help them out for nothing in return they’re more likely to use you for paid help.
This can be something easy like a free survey of their home, free safety check, a how to video that you put up on YouTube and share to your social media followers. Although not technically free you could raffle of a service you provide for free with the proceeds going to a charity.
The options with this are endless, it’s all about how much time you want to give away. Remember this. Things tend to come back around. So the more time you can give someone, the more you’ll get in return.
If you want more content like this or have any questions DON’T hesitate to contact me. I love talking to people about their business, their plans and goals so please get in touch. I’d be more than happy to have a chat.
