We’ve got a challenge for you. No, it isn’t a pipe replacement, or installing an air conditioning installation.
What is this challenge?
To get more calls and bookings for your tradie business.
It’s a tall order, we know. But with the right tradie marketing strategy, it’s totally doable.
And today, we’re sharing some easy-to-implement changes you can make to start pumping up the number of calls you receive.
Get on Google
Here’s an experiment. Open up Google and type in a business name – what do you see?
Chances are, you’ll see the business pop up as the first result. However, you might also notice that a box on the right side of the page with:
- Reviews
- Contact details
- Addresses
- Photos
What you’re looking at is a Google Business Listing.
Every business needs to have a Google Business Listing. If you ask us, it’s step one in any tradie digital marketing strategy.
For starters, this listing literally puts you on the map – imagine being a mechanic and not being visible on Google Maps when a potential client realises they need repairs!
It also gives you access to Google Reviews, which can be a great selling tool.
Finally, Google Business listings also play an important role in local SEO.
That’s because one of the required fields is an address (or at the very least, a home suburb). This allows Google to be a bit more discriminatory with who it shows your website to – no need to worry about calls coming from confused interstate customers.
If your tradie business focuses on jobs in one specific area, you need this feature.
Luckily, getting your listing is easy – not to mention, completely free. In fact, the only thing you’ll be paying is about 15 minutes worth of your time.
Focus on reviews
Have you considered attaching a link to a review site at the bottom of your emails?
Or attaching a review form to your website?
Or even simply asking clients once the job’s finished?
They’re not much, but each of these can have a dramatic impact on the number of calls you get!
That’s because when it comes to marketing, reviews are one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox.
Don’t believe us? Here are some choice stats, courtesy of Forbes:
- 90% of customers will read online reviews first
- Reviews affect 67.7% of purchase decisions
- Each additional star boosts revenue by 5-9%
And it makes sense when you think about it. People want a tradie that knows their stuff. They want someone they can trust to do the job without accidentally damaging their home.
How else are they supposed to find out before picking up the phone? Reviews, of course.
That’s why it’s so important to focus on getting reviews. Even something as simple as directing clients to a review page once you wrap up or firing off a follow-up email can tangibly boost the number of reviews you receive.
And that in turn has the potential to increase the number of calls you receive!
Keep your website updated
Don’t worry, we aren’t talking about getting your website completely revamped (although depending on how old it is, this might be a good idea!)
Rather, we’re talking about maintaining a steady stream of content and updates.
As a tradie digital marketing agency, our strength is in SEO, or as we call it around the office, “the art of getting you found on Google”.
One of the best ways of doing that is to keep your website updated with content.
While it’s best to leave it to a digital marketing specialist, there’s nothing stopping you from doing this yourself.
That can mean simple things like keeping any details on your site current.
Say you work in air conditioning, where new models come out every second year. Every time a new model comes out or you add a new system to your selection of brands, take a hour to update your website to reflect that.
Not only does this tell customers who are in-the-know that your tradie business keeps up with the latest trends, but it also tells Google the same thing!
Another thing you can think of doing is writing a weekly blog. It’s only a little bit of creative writing, but it can have a direct impact on how many calls you get. Trust us, we built our entire business around it!
Seek help from an expert digital marketing agency
Each of these things can be done on your own, without the need for outside help.
However, not all tradies have the luxury of time.
Do you struggle to balance all your responsibilities as a business owner as it is? Are you worried about messing up? Competent with tools, but next to useless when it comes to digital?
In these cases, it may be best to hand some of these tasks off to someone else – ideally, someone who specialises in digital marketing for tradies.
In addition to helping out with these tradie marketing tips, a tradie marketing expert can also optimise the rest of your tradie digital marketing.
They won’t just help you get more calls – they’ll also help you get calls:
- For the jobs you want
- In the areas you serve
- From your ideal customer(s)
Just like your trade, there are countless little nuances involved in digital marketing (for tradies or otherwise). So while it’s possible to DIY your marketing, for optimum results it’s best to go with a pro.
For example, did you know that even something as simple as your website domain name can have an effect on how many visitors your site receives?
We don’t blame you if you didn’t. It’s not your trade, after all.
Which is all the more reason to get it done professionally!
Take your tradie marketing to the next level with iformat!
Want more calls and leads this year?
If so, you’ll want a tradie marketing specialist on your side.
You’re an expert in all things plumbing, electrical and construction. We here at iformat on the other hand are experts on all things digital.
Our strength? Creating digital marketing strategies for tradies that get your phone ringing – here are just a couple of our happy tradies!
Find out how iformat can help your tradie business – call us today at 1300 88 6450 or click here to start enjoying more phone calls.
