Plenty of trades business owners didn't get into the game to spend half the day doing marketing. You started your business because you're skilled at your craft — not because you enjoy digital advertising.
But here's the thing: top-shelf workmanship doesn't guarantee a full calendar. Mates recommending you hasn't died, but it comes in waves - especially when work drops off after a busy run.
What are the busy tradies doing differently? Here are the straightforward moves that get results - no thousands of dollars.
Set Up a Proper Digital Footprint
When someone searches for "electrician in your suburb" - can they find you? Too many trades businesses still don't have any real web presence.
It doesn't need to be a $10k custom site. A simple site that displays what you actually do, lists where you work, and makes it dead easy to call or message - that's the baseline.
A basic landing page showing your work and how to reach you puts you ahead of the tradies who have nothing.
Your Google Listing - Costs Nothing, Does a Lot
If you haven't claimed your GBP, you're missing the easiest free leads going. It's completely free.
Those three local results that pops up before everything else when people look for local
services - that's prime real estate. Showing up there is mostly about not leaving your profile half-empty.
- Add pictures from actual jobs - not some generic handshake pic
- Get your happy clients to leave a review - 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
This stuff adds up month after month. Tradies who stay on top of their profile end up above the ones who set and forget.
Facebook and Instagram - Don't Overthink It
Forget about being an influencer. The tradies who get results from social media aren't doing anything fancy.
Snap a photo before you pack up and leave site. Transformation shots perform better than anything. A finished bathroom reno - that's content.
Post it with a short caption and you're sorted. Consistency helps but don't stress about a schedule. All of it builds your credibility.
Customers believe photos of real work. An honest before-and-after outperforms a professionally designed ad campaign - because it's real.
Paid Ads - Not a Magic Bullet
Spending money on online ads can absolutely work for tradies tradie marketing - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. The tradies who get burnt is running ads with no clear target.
Before you spend a dollar: make sure your website actually converts. There's no point driving traffic to a site that doesn't load properly.
Test with a modest spend. Track which ads bring actual calls. Put more behind what works and pull the plug on anything that's just burning cash.
Reviews and Reputation - More Powerful Than Any Ad
A fact that doesn't get talked about enough: most people looks at what other people have said about you first. A trades business with strong reviews beats the competition over a tradie with none - even if their prices are higher.
Build it into your process to send a quick message asking for feedback. People generally don't mind - they just don't think of it. Text them the Google review link and most will do it on the spot.
Don't ignore or argue with bad feedback - your response to complaints tells potential customers as much about you as the good reviews do.
Wrapping It Up
Growing a trade business shouldn't be overwhelming. Blokes with full schedules aren't marketing geniuses - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Lock in your Google listing and a basic site. Let your jobs do the talking. Ask happy customers to back you up online. If you run ads, do it with a plan, not a prayer.
Your skills aren't the problem - the marketing side just needs a bit of attention to start working for you.