As a tradesman, marketing might not be your favourite topic, but it’s crucial for growing your business.
Here are six essential points that you might not want to hear but definitely need to consider when it comes to marketing your business:
1. Word-of-Mouth Isn’t Enough
While referrals are great, relying solely on them limits your potential growth. Leads are what help grow a business, not wishes. If you haven’t already started to plan other lead generation opportunities, start today. Here are some ideas:
- Build a solid online presence
- Start advertising through paid ads
- Have a stream of high-quality leads regularly
2. You Need an Online Presence
In this digital age, having a website and active social media profiles is non-negotiable. Customers expect to find and learn about you online. If you don’t have an online presence, a competitor will, and there’s a good chance the customer will go to them. Don’t settle for an average online presence—become the absolute best in your area.
3. DIY Marketing Can Backfire
You may be able to build an entire house with one arm tied behind your back, but that doesn’t mean you know how to turn £1 into £2 with Facebook ads. Just like you wouldn’t recommend someone change their boiler on their own because it could blow up, I wouldn’t recommend putting £1,000 into FB ads without the right expertise. You could blow it in a few days with zero results to show for it.
4. Customer Reviews Are Crucial
Online reviews greatly influence potential clients. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and respond to any criticism constructively. Try to make it as easy as possible for them to leave reviews.
5. No One Can Guarantee You Leads
I hate to say it, but no one can guarantee you 50 windows a month. How do I know this? Well, can you tell me how many windows will need replacing this month? Probably not, but you can work out an average. So, look at the averages rather than any guarantees. Unless you are a platform like Checkatrade or MyBuilder, there’s a good chance it won’t happen.
“But I got guaranteed 10 leads by the end of the month!” ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
I heard this the other day, and on the last day of the month, they got 10 super poor quality leads who didn’t even answer the phone. They were fake.
Final Thoughts
Marketing may not be your favorite aspect of running a trades business, but it’s crucial for growth. By adopting these essential strategies, you can ensure that your business not only survives but thrives in a competitive market.
