A lot of tradespeople didn't pick up a tool to waste hours doing marketing. You got into it because you're good at what you do — not because you wanted a career in digital advertising.
The reality is: top-shelf workmanship isn't enough to keep the phone ringing. Referrals hasn't died, but it's unpredictable - especially when the market slows.
So what actually works? Below are the no-BS strategies that get results - without a fancy agency.
Set Up a Proper Online Footprint
If a homeowner searches for "local carpenter" - can they find you? Heaps of owner-operators are running without even a basic website.
It doesn't need to be a $10k custom site. A straightforward site that has real job photos, mentions the suburbs you operate in, and makes it dead easy to call or message - that's your minimum.
A basic landing page showing your work and how to reach you already beats the blokes relying on Facebook alone.
Your Google Listing - Free and Underrated
If you haven't claimed your Google Business Profile, you're invisible to local searchers. It costs nothing.
The map listings that shows up at the top when someone searches for a trade - those spots get the most calls. And getting there comes down to not leaving your profile half-empty.
- Put up photos of your work - real before-and-afters from site
- Build up your review count with genuine feedback - this is massive for trust
- Engage with what people write - it makes a real
difference
- Keep your hours and contact details up to date
These small things adds up month after month. Blokes who put 20 minutes a month into this consistently outrank those who filled it out once and walked away.
Social Media - Keep It Simple
You don't need to become some social media expert. The ones actually winning work from Facebook and Insta aren't doing anything fancy.
Take a quick pic of a completed project. Before and afters get the most engagement by far. A finished bathroom reno - that's content.
Add where the job was and what you did and that's it, done. Consistency helps but don't stress about a schedule. Every photo you share shows potential customers you're the real deal.
People trust actual results over polished ads. Real work on display outperforms any amount of fancy marketing - because it's proof.
Paid Ads - Not a Magic Bullet
Paid advertising gets results when it's set up properly - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. Where most people waste their budget is boosting random Facebook posts.
If you're going to invest in ads: have a landing page that works. There's no point driving traffic to a site that doesn't load properly.
Don't go all-in on day one. Measure results, not just impressions. Scale the campaigns that convert and cut what doesn't.
Reviews and Reputation - The Stuff That Actually Sells
A fact a lot of tradies underestimate: nearly every potential customer will read your reviews before they pick up the phone. A trades business with strong reviews will win the job over someone with zero social proof - even if their prices are higher.
Build it into your process to follow up with a review request. Most customers are happy to help - you just have to ask. Send them a direct link and you'll be surprised how many follow through.
Don't ignore or argue with bad feedback - how you handle criticism says more about your business than you'd think.
Wrapping It Up
Getting more work as a tradie doesn't have to be a second full-time job. The busy ones aren't doing anything magical - they got the fundamentals right and stuck with it.
Sort out your web presence. Post your work. Ask happy customers to back you up online. If you run ads, make sure the numbers add up before you scale.
Your skills aren't the problem - the marketing side is easier than most tradies learn how think.