By Dan Kerr, CEO, Service.com.au

Running a successful trade business is about more than mastering your trade, it requires strong management and marketing to ensure you stand out against competition. This can be difficult to stay on top of, especially with many tradies pressed for time with the impacts of skills shortages seeing them busier than ever.  

Building a strong pipeline of work is key to long-term success in business so investing in tools that connect you with customers and allow you to build a strong reputation is essential. 

Here are five practical strategies for tradies to consider to boost their business.

1. Stand out online  

As cliché as it is, first impressions do count and in today’s landscape, they usually happen online. 

Your website or profile needs to be clear providing a description of your services, contact information and reviews of your work (photos and videos are a bonus here). 

Ensuring your online profile is up to date and your testimonials are captured is made easier when utilising a platform that works to put you in front of consumers looking for trades. 

2. Build a strong reputation (and manage it)

Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful tools in a tradie’s toolbox – 72% of customers trust a business more after reading positive reviews and testimonials[1]. 

After the completion of every project, ask customers to leave you a review, some people even include reminders on their business cards and invoices. It is also important to respond to all feedback, thanking people for positive reviews and acknowledging negative reviews, offering the opportunity to chat further offline. 

Utilising a platform can provide better protection from unreasonable reviews with customer reviews being verified to help tradies stand out with real credibility. 

3. Get smarter about where you advertise

Tradies are up against extreme competition, however it’s important to be mindful on where you are spending resources (time and money) advertising to avoid chasing leads that don’t go anywhere. 

Choose advertising platforms that target your local area, verify customer enquiries, help you stay in control of your budget and connect you directly with the public. 

4. Sharpen up your business processes

As your business grows, admin and organisation can become a headache – losing track of invoices, missing bookings, or struggling to follow up on leads can cost you money.

Investing in quality platforms that work with you to ensure you can focus on the job and not the paperwork is important. The tools you use should be easy to navigate and allow you to work efficiently. 

5. Don’t go it alone

Running a trade business can feel isolating but there’s plenty of support out there if you know where to look. From industry groups and online forums to business coaches and mentoring networks, tapping into community and support can fast-track your growth.

To grow your business, seek platforms that actively support you with insights and connect you directly with customers. 

Whether you’re on the tools solo or managing a team, a few smart moves now can set your business up for even bigger success. With the right support behind you, there’s no limit to how far you can take it.

About the Author:
Service.com.au is Australia’s leading platform for connecting local trades and service providers with quality customers — helping over 30,000 tradies grow their business.

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 [1] https://wisernotify.com/blog/testimonial-stats/