How to Get More Work as a Tradesperson: 8 Ways That Work

There is no single trick to a full diary. The trades who are always busy tend to have three or four steady sources of work, so a quiet month from one does not sink them. Here are eight that work, starting with the cheapest.

1. Go back to past customers

The easiest job to win is from someone who has already paid you and been happy. Most trades finish a job and never speak to the customer again. A text six months later, a reminder that the boiler service is due, or a note in spring that you have space for garden work costs nothing and brings in work that needs no selling.

2. Ask for referrals out loud

Happy customers will recommend you if asked, and mostly forget if not. At the end of a job, say: "If you know anyone who needs work doing, I would appreciate you passing my number on." It feels awkward for about three seconds.

3. Get your Google Business Profile right

It is free, and it is what puts you on the map when someone nearby searches for your trade. If you have not set one up, or have not looked at it in a year, start with our setup checklist.

4. Collect reviews on every job

Reviews push you up the map and tip the decision when a customer is choosing between three firms. Make asking a habit.

5. Have a website that gets found

A website with a page for each service and each town you cover brings in people who have never heard of you, at the moment they need you. It takes a few months to build up, then keeps working. See what pages it needs.

6. Make the van and the site board work

Your van is parked outside a job for days. Clear signwriting with your name, trade, phone number and website turns it into an advert for every neighbour who walks past. A board outside a job does the same. We cover this in offline marketing that still works.

7. Team up with other trades

A plasterer knows decorators. An electrician knows kitchen fitters. Build a small circle of trades you trust and pass work between you. Estate agents, letting agents and property managers are worth a conversation too, since they need reliable trades constantly.

8. Paid options: ads and lead sites

When you need work quickly, paying for it is the fastest route. Google Ads puts you at the top of the page today, and lead sites send enquiries for a fee. Both work, both stop the moment you stop paying, and both need watching so the cost does not run away. We compare ads with the free results in Google Ads vs SEO.

Where to start

If you are quiet right now: ring round past customers this week, and consider a small ads budget. If you are steady and want to grow: sort the Google profile, start asking for reviews and get a proper website working. The first group fills this month. The second fills next year.

One more thing: answer the phone

None of it matters if enquiries go unanswered. A missed call is usually a lost job, because the customer simply rings the next name. More on that in turning enquiries into booked jobs.