As the owner of a trade business you may expect that clients and work will just come to you once you are qualified and have the tools in hand. Although this can be true for clients coming via word of mouth, there are many things you can do to give your business the best opportunity to be found or seen first, and chosen over your competitors. 

As with any other industry, there are trends that peak in popularity, from ‘she sheds’ to outdoor fire pits. If you stay in the know with what clients want and ensure your business shows all its capabilities through marketing, you can not only be seen but also become known as the experts. 

Here are our top tips for marketing your trade business: 

Have a professional website

Having a website isn’t just for those that are tech-savvy or have the budget to pay someone to do it for them. You can create a website for free, and it’s often simpler than you might think. In this day and age, online search is one of the top ways potential clients will search for trade businesses, so don’t hesitate to get your business online. 

Here are some things you should consider for your trade business website:

• Make it functional
  
  See if there is an option to use a template with your site provider.
  
  This saves time on website design and can help to create a site that is easy for visitors to navigate. Lots of people do research on their phones or tablets now so make sure the website design is device friendly.

• Add images
  
  Ensure you have good quality images of work you have done in the past, and consider adding a personalised touch such as team photos. 

• List your services
  
  List what kind of services you provide, and include what work you have done in the past. If you are open to doing other types of work, consider adding that in too.
  
  

• Include client recommendations
  
  Add quotes and testimonials from previous happy clients - this can be a major factor in a client choosing you for the job over a competitor. 

• Add your qualifications and business registrations
  
  Make sure people know you are a legitimate business. It will put a client's mind at ease to know that you are trained and accredited. 

• Add your contact details 
  
  Make sure your contact details are easy to find on the site, and consider adding more than one way for potential clients to reach you, such as email, phone or a form on your website.  Make it easy for potential clients to find you too!
  
  Make sure you have a free  ‘Google my business’ listing set up to help potential clients in your local area find and hire you. It’s easy to get a google my business listing up and running, and you can expect this channel to start working for you right away. Google likes to help to connect local businesses with customers, so this is worth doing even if you are a small solo operator or small trade business. 

Hirepool Top Tip: Join local Facebook pages and sites like ‘Neighbourly’ - people are often looking for help with a job and post in these forums 

 

Have a business presence on social media

Social media is a great place to showcase your work on a regular basis and is key for getting your business name out there. With so many people using social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, there's a good chance clients may search these places directly for trade businesses. 

Here are some top tips on using social media for your business:

• Add a link to your website
  
  You can put your website link in your Instagram bio, or in the ‘About’ section of your Facebook page. 

• Add your contact details 
  
  Social media platforms have messaging functions, so if you prefer phone calls or emails ensure you add those contact details in.  

• Be consistent
  
  Try to post photos of work you have done on a regular basis - this is a great way of advertising your capabilities for free! 

• Tag other businesses in posts
  
  A good way to help people find your social media page is to tag other businesses. For example, if you hired tools from Hirepool you might tag our Instagram account @NZHirepool. By doing this you are increasing the chances that other businesses will reshare your page or posts to their audience, therefore the number of people who can see your handiwork. 

• Ask clients to tag you in posts
  
  Some clients might post the work you did for them on their social media, consider asking them to tag your page for exposure.

Hirepool Top Tip: You don’t have to do all social media channels all at once - pick 1 or 2 you can focus on and invest time and marketing dollars wisely to grow your business!

Keep your finger on the pulse and market accordingly

Although surfing the web may not be your thing, it is an important part of keeping up to date with what potential clients want right now. A lot of people will look online for project ideas and inspiration, so if you are doing the same thing you can keep up to date on the latest trends and make sure potential clients know you can get it done for them.  

Here are some ways you can stay in the know:

• Search with Pinterest
  
  This is a great place to look at trending ideas and popular designs. 

• Follow social media accounts that are in the know
  
  Magazine and website accounts will showcase the latest trends for homes. 

• Use keywords and browse online
  
  Using key searches on google such as ‘home trends 2020’ can be helpful to find posts where information has already been collated for quick reference.        

Check out your local competition 

To keep a competitive edge, it’s key to understand what other local trade businesses are doing so that you can ensure you are marketing your business as being able to do the same, or better.

Here is what to look for:

• Check out their website
  
  View their list of services and prices - make sure your prices are competitive.

• Look at their social media
  
  Have a look at what they are posting, such as the types of jobs they are working on. 

• Show support for other trade businesses where you can
  
  Being supportive of other like-minded businesses is a great way of building a community online.

Be visible locally

Online marketing is important, but so is visibility to clients in real life. Not everyone uses the internet, so ensuring you keep physical marketing intact is key. 

Here are some tips for being visible in your area:

• Signwriting
  
  A vehicle with signwriting is a mobile advertisement for your company. It’s also a professional look when you turn up to a job. 

• Give out business cards
  
  Business cards are an affordable and easy way to market your business, whether you hand them out in conversation with a potential client, or put one up on a local noticeboard.  

• Set up signage outside your current job site
  
  If you’ll be working on a project for an extended period of time, consider adding a fence sign/banner or a scaffolding wrap - just be sure to ask the property owner first!

• Get involved in local happenings
  
  Whether you are sponsoring an event or donating your time, networking is a great way to meet potential new clients. 

Get it done with Hirepool

Hirepool is here to help with your trade business. Come and see the team to hire all gear you need to get your trade job done smarter. Book gear easily online now or call into your local Hirepool branch to chat about if a trade account is right for your business.