When it comes to generating your own business as a tradesman, word of mouth is absolutely the best. However, you can’t rely on this alone if you want to be thriving instead of just surviving.
Customers are getting smarter and more tech-reliant all the time, just look how far we’ve come in the last few decades. Where previously everyone had a big thick book stashed in a drawer, full of local numbers for tradesmen, these days everyone turns to their smartphone or tablet instead.
That’s why you need to maximise your potential online with the various website options available to you. Websites for tradesmen can vary in quality, cost and performance, so we’re going to list out a few of the vital places you need to be listed in order to access a larger pool of potential customers if you want to beat your competitors.
First though, let’s discuss the very best option open to you in your pursuit of more leads – your own website.
Take Control With Your Own Website
While directories, guides and other websites are great to have your business advertised on, you don’t get a lot of say over what customers can see. Often it’ll be a simple set of details or a basic reviewing system that may or may not be properly managed by someone competent.
So how do you avoid relying on these sites? By having your own website of course. It’s the easiest way to advertise all your services and optimise things the way you want them for the work that best suits you.
For example, if you’re a plumbing and heating expert and you really want to push your boiler services once autumn rolls around, you have no real say in the matter if you’re just a name on someone else’s website. If, on the other hand, you’ve got your own website, you can make sure you have pages dedicated to your specific boiler services, giving people a better chance to find you when they type in a direct query on a search engine.
You’ll also be free to update lots of different things for your own website when you work with a professional web design and digital marketing company, including:
- Your phone number – An important thing to keep updated if you want calls from your customers but your number has changed.
- Your imagery – If you’ve invested in a new van, new uniforms or have some great case study photos, you’ll want that fresh, up-to-date imagery to show you’re out there getting the job done.
- Your opening hours – Whether it’s because you’re on holiday or want to lighten your load for a while, being able to change your opening hours makes sure customers know when they can and can’t contact you, rather than being confused when they get no reply from you before moving on to someone else.
- Your business listing – Most people look for businesses on Google, so why not let them find your profile directly? This can be a handy way for grabbing quick leads and customers love the convenience of finding legitimate tradesmen via these listings.
- Your branding – Keep things consistent and avoid confusing customers by making sure your brand online matches what people see on your vehicles and any other assets.
- Your range of services – If you expand your skill set and the variety of services you offer, it’s easy to add an additional page or two to advertise this and start bringing in traffic for those seeking your expertise.
At Leblek, we’re a dedicated agency with all the know-how to make sure you have a fully optimised website that works for you. Get more of your own leads and stop relying on other people – if you don’t have your own website, you could be missing out, so call us today.
Other Sites To Consider
Ok, now we’ve explained how important your own tradesman website is, let’s look at ways you can spread the word and supplement your leads. There is an abundance of tradesman websites out there where you can register your details to help people to find you when they’re looking for someone with your skills.
Get even more exposure with a more targeted audience for your business with some of the following:
Checkatrade
Founded in 1998, Checkatrade is one of the UK’s best-known directories for professional tradespeople, so it’s easy to understand why it’s important that potential customers can find you here. With their own television adverts and a string of sponsorships, they reach the widest audiences to help customers avoid rogue traders with their vetted listings. Background checks and some fairly stringent membership criteria mean that customers get peace of mind and you get a seal of approval from a trusted source.
MyBuilder
Rivalling Checkatrade is MyBuilder, registering local tradespeople and helping match them to the work on offer. Customers can post the job or work they need carrying out, allowing you to respond and put your name in front of them. It’s an accessible platform operating as both a directory and database of tradesmen in the UK, as well as somewhere for customers to advertise jobs. Customer reviews are important here, with a focus on gradually building your reputation through positive feedback to earn more work in future.
Bark
Yet another leading marketplace-style site for tradesmen to offer their services to the public, Bark allows the customer to make the first move by posting the job they need help with. You can then submit quotes or a proposal for the work with a secure messaging system. This brings you closer to your clients and gives you a chance to highlight your experience and qualifications for the jobs on offer.
TrustATrader
One of the most user-friendly websites for tradesmen is the TrustATrader site. Here you’ll be able to make your own profile, listing your credentials and any special skills. The popularity of this site comes from its background checks and credential reviewing, bringing customers some assurance when dealing with any tradesman listed in their area. The strict review process for tradesmen can be tricky, however, sometimes leading to frustration when it comes to mediation with TrustATrader directly.
Rated People
Rated People is yet another popular platform aimed at connecting you, the tradesman, with your customers. Allowing you to create a profile, much like the other platforms, you can list your specialist skills and any qualifications so that people browsing through the directory can find you and contact you. It also allows for the customers to post their jobs, but while you can submit a quote or proposal for the work, there is a small fee for this. This is yet another way for you to gain more exposure for people seeking your professional skills.
Which? Trusted Traders
Which? Is probably one of the best-known brands on this list, so it stands to reason that Which? Trusted Traders is considered one of the more prestigious directories you can be featured on. You’ll go through a pretty rigorous assessment in order to get listed, but as long as you have the professionalism you say you do, you’ll find plenty of potential clients. The benefit of this is that people trust Which?, and if they find you on the Which? Trusted Traders website, you’ll be seen as a credible and viable option.
Here are just a few of the benefits of appearing on credible websites for tradesmen:
- Local and specialist targeting help you find your audience
- More reviews and ratings let people see how good you are
- SEO boosts via backlinks will help make your own site more successful
- Creating trust with users when they can see you’ve been verified by a third party
What’s The Best Tradesmen Website To Be On?
In this age of digital accessibility, the market for tradesmen is becoming more and more competitive. That’s why websites such as TrustATrader and Which? Trusted Traders are so vital for topping up your leads and boosting your credibility. Even if someone notices you on one of these directory websites and doesn’t call right away, they may look you up separately knowing that they can trust you if you’ve been assessed and reviewed elsewhere.
But there’s no “best” directory, especially when you consider that you may have to pay a membership or subscription fee for some of these platforms.
You can’t rely on any one option when it comes to websites for tradesmen, because the more legitimate directories you’re featured on, the more potential business you’re opening yourself up to. Top this all off with your own user-friendly website to generate leads with (the best tradesmen website is your own, remember) and you’re on the path to success.
At Leblek, we can help you generate more leads through your website so that no matter which directories come and go, you’ll always be accessible to potential customers online.
How many leads are you missing out on because you don’t have a website or because you have a poorly optimised one? Contact us today to discuss a lead-generating website for your professional business no matter what trade you specialise in.
