10 Ways Tradespeople Can Attract Customers

Looking for ways to attract customers? Whatever industry you’re in, attracting new customers should be a priority. Particularly if you’re a small business or work on a self-employed basis.

Though you may already have a loyal customer base, it’s essential you don’t get complacent. New customers help your business to grow and offer both new opportunities and ways to improve both your business and personal skills.

There are numerous ways in which you can attract customers. There are ways in which to do so that suit every budget – including non-existent ones – and how much time you can invest.

Photos Of Previous Work

You’re trying to prove to a potential customer that you’re the person for the job. You can tell them everything you do, what associations you’re part of, etc. but generally, most people prefer to see a visual representation. A portfolio of your work allows you to accurately display exactly what you can deliver. Just having a portfolio in the first place suggests to potential customers that you’re organised and take pride in your work.

“Each page is a story — a challenge you saw and overcame to the best of your ability.” Source: Forbes

These days, most people opt for a digital version of a portfolio. This could be incorporated into your business website as a separate page, gallery or blog posts about each job you complete. Some people choose to use social media platforms to showcase their work such as Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter. Try them out and see which works best for you and your business.

Review Websites

Online reviews are hugely important to any business as they allow customers are able to leave a review of their experience on a trusted website.

“70% say that online reviews are their second-most-trusted source”  Source: Realhub

Review websites work hard to vet the businesses and tradespeople they list on the site. Helping to ensure those listed are qualified professionals and not cowboys, this benefits the customers looking to a tradesperson and the tradespeople themselves. Below are a few of the most popular review websites. Do your research, find which one works for you and your business and don’t forget to ask customers to leave a review.

Check A Trade, Rated People, Trust A Trader, Trusted Traders.

Word Of Mouth

Word of mouth is arguably one of the best ways to attract customers. It’s organic, and therefore, deemed more trustworthy than non-organic marketing.

“92% of consumers trust recommendations from others, even people they don’t know, over branded content.” Source: Realhub

Word of mouth works in a snowball effect. One person recommends your company to a few friends. Those few friends recommend it to a few of their friends and so on. Before you know it, hundreds of people have been introduced to your business simply because you impressed one customer.

Van Signs

A study by Arbitron’s In-Car Study found that in the UK, drivers spend an average of 20 hours behind the wheel every week. As a tradesperson, you probably spend a lot of time driving from job to job, to the merchants and using your van out of work hours as well. Therefore, you’ll probably be in your van driving for much more than the UK average.

That means you pass a lot of people each day, so why not advertise your business at the same time? Up to half of Britain’s van drivers are missing a huge opportunity by not branding their van. Don’t be one of them. Vinyl van stickers and wraps are hugely popular due to their low cost which means ROI can be high. They’re also easy to remove should you upgrade your van or change your branding style.

For more information about how van signs can attract customers, read Van Branding For Tradespeople.

Social Media

There are over three billion active social media users across the globe. You’re most likely already one of them, but are you using social media for your business? There are a number of different platforms available that will help you to grow your business from Instagram to Twitter, Facebook to YouTube. You can use the platforms as digital portfolios of your work, as a way to engage with potential customers and to connect with those in your industry.

For more information about using social media for your business, take a look over Why Using Social Media Is Good For Business.

Branding

Branding is important for any business. Creating a memorable impression for customers and potential customer, branding impacts how people perceive your brand.

Not only is it important to have your brand displayed on your vehicle, letterheads, invoices, etc, but uniform plays a big part as well. It acts as a walking advertisement, as well as ensuring staff look presentable and professional at all times while representing the business.

If you want to go one step further, many businesses have a range of promotional merchandise to advertise their services. From stickers and mugs to hats and teddies, think outside the box but keep your merch relevant to your business.

Find out more about Using Branded Merchandise To Promote Your Business.

Ad Board On-Site

Another way to attract customers is through a traditional way of advertising your business that is often forgotten. The humble ad board. When you’re working on-site, you’re the best advertisement for what you do. But how will people know who you are or how to contact you? By investing a bit of money into an ad board, you’ll be able to promote your business while you’re on the job.

Make sure to include essential information. Your business name, contact details and website are a must. You may even find that a customer is happy to continue displaying your business for a little while after you’ve finished work.

Online Ads

If you want to take things to another level in the digital realm, why not try online advertising? This could be advertising on social media platforms, search engines or other websites.

You can set a budget to suit you, the target audience you want to reach and specific locations. There are plenty of guides available online which will take you through setting up GoogleAds, Microsoft Advertising, Facebook Ads, etc. and it’s much easier than you might first think.

Online ads are a great way of boosting your brand awareness. Whether you’re just starting out, have a special offer to promote or just want to get your name out there, try advertising online.

Act On Feedback

Feedback isn’t always the most positive. People don’t always have the same expectations, so sometimes, customers might feel things could have been done better or at least differently.

Don’t fret it. See it as constructive criticism instead. Start off by replying to the feedback in a polite manner, apologise for the issue and offer an explanation or a way in which you are willing to rectify it. Then, use it as a lesson and make it your mission to learn from it and improve from then on.

Show Off Your Expertise

As well as your portfolio, don’t be afraid to show off your expertise in other ways. When you’re on social media and active in the trades community, you will find that people will often reach out for advice or help. Don’t be afraid to show off what you know.

Not only are you promoting yourself, but more importantly, you’re helping out a fellow tradesperson.

More Ways To Attract Customers

If you want to find out more ways in which you can market yourself and attract new customers, take a look at Marketing Activities For Tradesmen.