How to Get More Customers for Your Trade Business

Getting a steady stream of customers is one of the biggest challenges for many trade businesses. Word-of-mouth referrals are valuable, but relying on them alone can limit your growth.

Today, homeowners and people looking for services turn to local Google searches, online reviews, and social media proof to find and compare tradespeople before making contact.

In  this article, we’ll explore practical ways you can get more customers for your trade business, from optimising your local search presence and building trust through reviews to simplifying your quote process and encouraging repeat business.

1. Get Found on Google

When a local customer searches  “plumber near me” or "electrician in [your location]” on Google, two features often capture their attention: paid ads, which can be expensive, and the map showing three local businesses. These three spots are powered by information from Google Business Profile. If you are not showing up there, you may be invisible to local customers who are ready to hire.

a. Optimise Your Google Business Profile

Start by completing your Google Business Profile with accurate and up-to-date information, including:

• Business name

• Address or service area

• Opening hours

• Phone number

• Website

• Services you offer

Be specific when listing your services. Instead of just writing “plumbing,” include services such as boiler repairs, leak detection, bathroom installation, or emergency plumbing if you provide them.

Add clear photos of completed jobs, company vehicles where relevant, and team members at work. A photo showing your crew on a job can help build customer confidence. Make sure you regularly update your profile when services, opening hours, or business information change.

b. Optimise Your Website for Local Customers

Your website should quickly tell visitors what you do, where you work, and how they can contact you.

Your website should include trust signals such as:

• Genuine customer reviews

• Examples of past work

• Relevant qualifications

• Clear information about your services.

Many customers will visit your website from their phones, sometimes while dealing with an urgent need such as a leaking pipe or while planning a major renovation project. If your website is slow, difficult to navigate or doesn’t make it clear the area you serve, they may return to the search results and choose a competitor instead.

c. Target Local Searches

When a homeowner needs a home repair or starts planning a renovation, they often search using practical terms explaining their needs.

Use terms that are relevant to the services you offer across your website and other online platforms. The goal is not to stuff your content with keywords, but to clearly explain the services you provide and the areas you cover.

2. Build Trust with Reviews and Previous Work

Getting found is only the first step. Reviews and examples of Previous works provide the social proof potential customers need when they come across your page and why they should choose you.

a. Ask Customers for Reviews

Most customers will leave a review if asked. The best time to ask your customers to share their experience is shortly after the job has been completed, and it is still fresh in their minds. However, doing this manually for every project can become overwhelming. As you work with more customers, keeping track of follow-ups can become difficult. Keeping your customer information organised can make it easier to follow up with customers after completing a job.

b. Respond to Reviews

Respond promptly, thank the reviewer for sharing their experience, and personalise your response by mentioning a specific detail, such as a team member or feature the reviewer appreciated. Your response does not need to be long or over the top. Keep it genuine, grateful, and concise.

When responding to negative reviews, acknowledge the customer’s concerns without becoming defensive. Offer to resolve the issue and take the conversation offline where appropriate.

Your response is not only for the reviewer but also to show potential customers how you handle feedback.

c. Show Your Previous Work

Don’t just tell potential customers that you do good work, show them. Use your website, social media profiles, and relevant directories to showcase:

• Before-and-after photos

• Completed projects

• Work in progress

• Customer testimonials

• Different types of service you have completed

Seeing real examples makes it easier for potential customers to understand what you do and feel confident about hiring you.

3. Use Referrals and Local Partnerships

You don’t always have to find customers by yourself. Your existing customers and other local businesses can become valuable sources of new work.

a. Ask for Referrals

Satisfied customers are often happy to recommend you to people they know; they just need you to ask them. After completing a job, you can:

• Ask the customer to recommend you to someone who needs your services.

• Include referral requests in your follow-up emails.

• Leave business cards with satisfied customers.

• Check in with previous customers occasionally.

Keep your request simple, and avoid pressuring the customers for referrals so that they do not get uncomfortable.

b. Build Relationships with Complementary Businesses

Look for local businesses that serve the same customers but do not compete directly with you.

For example:

• A kitchen fitter could partner with a plumber or electrician.

• A painter and decorator could work with a flooring company.

• A handyman and pest control company could partner with a property manger.

• A roofer could partner with a solar installer

• A locksmith, cleaner and carpet cleaner can build a relationship with an estate agent.

When their customers need a service that you provide, they can recommend your business, and you can return the favour.

4. Use Trade Directories

Trade directories and social media are additional ways to reaching potential customers outside Google.

a. Choose Relevant Trade Directories

Don’t sign up for every directory you come across. Focus on platforms that are relevant to your trade and the areas you serve.

Before creating a listing, consider:

• The directory’s reputation

• Whether your target audience uses it

• The cost of membership or leads

• The quality of leads it generates

• Whether it allows you to showcase reviews, services, and previous work.

Keep your business name, contact details, services, and service areas consistent across your listings.

Examples of UK trade directories and lead platforms include Upsidia, Checkatrade, Rated People, TrustATrader, and MyBuilder.

b. Don’t Depend Solely on Lead Platforms

If all your lead generation comes from one platform, a single algorithm change can slow down your whole business. You may also have to compete with other tradespeople for the same customers or pay for leads.

Use trade directories as one part of your customer acquisition strategy rather than your only source of work. Build your own online presence, collect reviews, encourage referrals, and develop relationships with previous customers. This gives you more control over how you attract and retain customers.

5. Make It Easy to Request a Quote and Book

Even if someone finds and trusts your business, you can still lose the job if contacting you is difficult.

Make the next steps as simple as possible.

a. Make Your Quote Process Easy

Avoid asking customers to fill out unnecessarily long forms. Ask only for the information you need to understand their enquiry.

You can make the process easier by:

• Using short enquiry forms

• Adding an online booking calendar

• Including a click-to-chat option

• Explaining what happens after someone requests a quote

You can use a platform like Upsidia to simplify the process of managing customer enquiries, quotes, and bookings in one place.

b. Give Customers Multiple Ways to Contact You

Different people prefer different communication channels. Where practical, give them options such as:

• Phone

• Social media

• Text messages

• Email

• Live chat on your website

• Online booking

6. Social Media Marketing

Social Media isn't just a place to post pictures of your recent work. If used properly, it can showcase your expertise, build trust, reach local customers, and generate enquiries.

a. Use Social Media to Showcase Your Work

You don’t need to be active on every social media platform. Focus on the platforms your potential customers actually use.

Share:

• Before-and-after photos

• Completed projects

• Short videos

• Work in progress

• Helpful trade advice

For example, a gardener could share a garden transformation, while a decorator could post photos showing the different stages of a room makeover. This gives potential customers an idea of what you do.

b. Create Local Content

Mention the towns, neighbourhoods and communities where you have completed projects. A gardener serving Bristol could share a recent project in Clifton or offer seasonal gardening tips for homeowners in the area.

You can also answer common questions related to your trade. Helpful content demonstrates your knowledge and can help build trust before customers are ready to hire you.

7. Email Marketing

Email marketing also helps you stay in touch with people who previously contacted you or hired your services. Instead of starting from scratch whenever you need new work, you can email past customers reminding them of your services, share useful information, and encourage repeat businesses.

a. Build a List of Customers and Enquiries

Keep the contact details of customers and people who have agreed to receive marketing communications from your business.

you can collect email address through:

• Quote or enquiry forms

• Your website

• Booking forms

• Customer sign-ups

• Previous customers who have opted in

Make sure you follow applicable UK data protection and marketing rules when collecting and using customer email addresses.

b. Send Useful and Relevant Emails

Don't send emails only to promote your business, give your customers a reason to open them.

You could send:

• Seasonal maintenance reminders

• Helpful tips and advice

• Service reminders

• Special offers

• Updates about your business

• New services

• Useful guides related to your trade

For example, gardeners could send reminders to their customers about preparing for the winter, while a heat engineer could remind customers that their boilers may be due for servicing.

8. Follow Up with Leads and Previous Customers

Not every enquiry turns into a job immediately. Some customers need more time to decide, compare quotes, or plan their projects.

Following up helps you stay connected instead of allowing those opportunities to disappear.

a. Follow Up on Unconverted Quotes

If someone requested a quote but did not book, send a short and helpful follow-up. You could ask whether they have any questions about the quote, or whether they still need the work completed.

Avoid sending repeated messages that feel like pressure. A professional and timely follow-up is usually enough.

b. Stay in Touch with Previous Customers

Existing customers can also become a source of repeat business. Depending on your trade, you could send:

• Service and maintenance reminders

• Useful and easy to understand tips

• Occasional updates about your services

For example, a heating engineer could remind previous customers about boiler servicing, while a gardener could contact customers about seasonal garden maintenance.

A simple follow-up can keep your business in your customers’ minds.

Which Customer Acquisition Method Should Your Business Start With?

With so many marketing channels available to you, it can get confusing where to start from and when you try to master all at once, it gets very overwhelming.

According to growth strategist Brian Balfour, businesses should choose one or two acquisition channels based on their current limitations and use it as a starting point instead of trying to master every channel at once.

So, which method should you start with? Use this table to identify what fits your goals.

Common Mistakes That’s Stopping From Getting More Customers

You could be doing a lot to promote your trade business and still struggle to get consistent results. Some common mistakes include:

• Relying only on word of mouth for referrals

• Ignoring Google and local search

• Having few or no customer reviews

• Failing to show previous work

• Responding slowly to enquires

• Having a website without a clear call to action

• Depending entirely on one lead platform

• Trying too many marketing channels without tracking results

The solution isn’t necessarily to spend more money on marketing. Sometimes, improving the way you manage the enquiries and customers you already have can make a difference.

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting more customers doesn’t mean being everywhere at once. Focus on making your trade business easy to find, easy to trust and easy to contact.

Start with one or two customer acquisition methods that fit your business. Track what brings in enquiries and invest more time in the channels that work. As your customer base grows, follow-ups on previous customers and build a system that makes managing enquiries, quotes, and bookings easier.

If you want to spend less time managing your business and more time growing your trade business, explore Upsidia and discover its features that can help you manage customers, quotes, follow-ups and bookings in one place.