Your Essential Guide to Attracting New Business
By Suzanne Burke, from Ask Mrs Bloggs
Let’s Get Stuck In
In this guide, we are going to uncover a treasure trove of straightforward, effective strategies aimed at boosting your business, grabbing attention, and reeling in new customers like never before.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro looking to shake things up, or you’re just starting out and eager to make your mark, there’s something here for you. We’ve laid out everything you need to know about attracting clients quickly, what really works and what doesn’t, and how you can get the best bang for your buck without wasting precious time.
So, buckle up and get ready to dive deep – this guide is your first step towards mastering the art of fast, efficient customer acquisition, tailored just for businesses like yours!
Before We Get Started
Before we get started, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about where your business stands right now.
First off, take a moment to think about your website. It’s isyour business’s online home, and it’s super important that it’s up to date. If it’s been more than five years since you last gave it a spruce up, then it’s time to get that sorted – and quickly!A business with a website that looks ‘so 1995’ is just not going to cut it. If you want an honest assessment of your website (free), just let us know, we are here to help and give you pointers in the right direction.
Next, let’s talk social media. At a minimum, you should be rocking a Facebook page and an Instagram account. If you’re not there yet, no worries – but it’s something you’ll want to get onto ASAP. These platforms are your go-to for connecting with your crowd, showing off what you do best, and bringing in new business.
Alright, now that we’ve got that covered, you’re ready to jump in and start making the most of the strategies in this guide. Let’s do this!
The Strategies - At a Glance
|
Strategy
|
Indicative Cost
|
Likelihood of Conversion
|
Time to Convert
|
|---|---|---|---|
Paid Search Advertising
Run paid ads on search engines like Google and Bing. Focus on high-intent keywords and ensure your website has clear methods to be contacted e.g. phone, contact form so that when potential customers arrive at your website, it is easy for them to take the next step and contact you.
Snapshot
Cost: Medium – High
Likelihood on Conversion: Medium – High
Time to Convert: Instant – Weeks
- Advantages: Quick results, highly targeted (geographic and by matching user search terms. g. Plumber Perth), and easy to measure.
- What to watch for: It can be expensive if you are targeting high-competition keywords. A click on an ad can cost anywhere from $0.50 to $30.00 depending on your niche! The good news is that you can put a cap on your daily spending to make sure the cost does not unexpectedly blow out. Using paid search ads requires constant monitoring and optimization.
Mrs Bloggs comment
This is my absolute NUMBER ONE way for any business to get traffic to their website FAST.
However. Be warned. If your website looks like ‘1995 is calling’, you can get all the traffic you like, but you will struggle to get inquiries!! If you want a FREE assessment of your website, please contact me at ask@mrsbloggs.com for honest, obligation-free feedback.
Google Business Profile
Create a listing for your business on Google. Ensure all information is accurate and complete, upload high-quality images, and encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.
Snapshot
Cost: Free
Likelihood on Conversion: High
Time to Convert: Days – Weeks
- Advantages: it is FREE, increases local visibility, improves trust and boosts local SEO.
- What to watch for: Requires regular monitoring, can get negative reviews, and needs consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) across the web.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Getting a Google Business Profile is FREE and EASY to set up. Setting this up is an absolute no-brainer. Get started now =>Learn more about getting a Google Business Profile here.
Website Local SEO
Local Website SEO optimization is vital for tradies as it enhances their online visibility when potential customers in their locality search for services they offer. If you have a website, SEO is ESSENTIAL. SEO involves optimizing your website and online content to rank higher in local search results, making your business easier to find in search results.
Advantages: Rank higher in search results when local customers are looking for your trade services. Many aspects of local SEO can be implemented at a low cost, especially if you do it yourself, it does not need to be expensive.
What to watch for: there are many businesses offering expensive SEO contracts. You do NOT need to sign up for these. However, it is important to note that SEO is not ‘set and forget’, it does not need updates over time.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Your website MUST state your location on the home page. It is incredible how many small businesses do not do this. Your location is essential for Google to understand who to show your website to in search results. Local keywords should feature in your website home page content, service pages and meta descriptions.
Mrs Bloggs specialises in local SEO services for the construction sector. If you want to dominate your local area, get in touch today and let’s get to work.
Establish a B2B Relationship
Developing a relationships and referral network with builders, real estate agents or property maintenance professionals can lead to a steady stream of referred work for tradies. By becoming a trusted partner, you can secure consistent work, engage in larger projects, and establish a robust presence in the local business community.
- Advantages: Can be a valuable source of regular and reliable work without the associated costs of advertising.
- What to watch for: If your business starts to rely too heavily on these types of collaborations, you can be left vulnerable if the relationship breaks down for any reason.
Mrs Bloggs comment
This type of partnership can be extremely valuable, and I would encourage you to seek this out. However, always maintain a client base that is separate to this stream of work so that you have built resilience into your business.
Organic Social Media
Social media platforms offer all small businesses an exceptional opportunity to connect with potential clients, showcase their work, and build a strong brand presence. By actively engaging with users, and sharing before-and-after photos of projects, you can increase their visibility and attract new customers.
- Advantages: Free, potentially wide reach, regular posting improves your chances of being seen by potential clients.
- What to watch for: Building a solid social media presence requires consistent effort and engagement. It is increasingly difficult to get organic reach with many platforms forcing small businesses to ‘pay-to-play’. That is, they want you to spend money on advertising to get seen by potential clients.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Many potential clients will visit your social media pages as a form of validating you are a reputable business. In particular, clients that will be spending thousands of dollars on a project may find you via your website, but then go to your Facebook and or Instagram page to check you out. If you have not updated your content for a year, it will look like you are not in business. You MUST ensure that you post content regularly. If you do not have time, consider outsourcing to a social media service. If you cannot afford this, or simply do not want to, I would encourage you to post at least once a week.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups can be a valuable resource for local trades looking to increase their referral work. When community members require specific services, they often seek advice and suggestions within online community groups, leading to trusted referrals for local tradespeople. By actively participating in discussions and offering expert advice, you can leverage off these groups a become a go-to choice for potential customers in the area.
- Advantages: Free, increased visibility putting your business in front of local customers. Positive endorsements from community members can boost your credibility and increase conversions.
- What to watch for: Staying active in this groups requires a consistent time investment. There is also the potential for negative feedback which can damage your reputation.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Some groups will not allow self-promotion. Be careful to abide by these rules or you will get booted out of the group. Many groups allow self-promotion on certain days of the week, ensure that you take advantage of this.
To maximize your success in Facebook community groups, focus on providing genuine, helpful responses to enquiries, even when they are not directly related to your services. This approach helps in establishing your expertise and fosters trust, making community members more likely to recommend or choose your business when the need arises.
Run targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Use compelling visuals and copy, and make sure to customize the ads to target your specific audience.
- Advantages: Highly targeted, measurable ROI and increases brand awareness.
- What to watch for: Can get expensive, requires constant monitoring, and needs good creative content to get traction.
Mrs Bloggs comment
In my opinion, social media advertising works best for e-commerce stores, restaurants, events, fashion and beauty. If you are going to use for a construction trade or service, I would set the adverts up for just a small geographic area and test the results. It is easy to spend a lot of money with no return (trust me, I’ve done it!), so make sure you start small and monitor results before casting your net wider.
Creating Video Content
Create and share video content showcasing your work, sharing tips, or answering common questions. This does not need to be professionally produced. Share your video content on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Linkedin.
- Advantages: Engaging content improves online presence, demonstrates expertise, and can increase trust.
- Disadvantages: Requires equipment, may need editing skills, and can be time-consuming.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Video content is huge in social media nowadays. Any content you create can be used across multiple platforms. Instagram reels, Facebook reels and YouTube shorts are particularly hot right now. This can be easily filmed with your iPhone. Play around with it. There are a lot of enhanced usability features nowadays such as auto-captions that make it a lot easier to produce and publish videos.
Online Trade Directories
List your business in online directories specific to your trade and ensure your business information is accurate and consistent. There are many free directories, however, to generate inquiries fast, consider using websites such as Hipages or Oneflare.
- Advantages: Directories increase online presence and can provide a consistent flow of job leads. Responding quickly is critical to being successful.
- Disadvantages: Leads need to be purchased and not all leads will convert to paying jobs and many leads are of low quality or looking simply for ultra-cheap quotes, resulting in a race to the bottom if you are not careful.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Unless you are prepared to respond to potential leads very FAST, you are unlikely to get results. Many trades have a love/hate relationship with these type of trade directories. Some have been quite successful setting themselves up on these directories, whereas others experience ongoing frustration with customers looking for bargain-basement quotes and expensive cost-per-lead.
Customer Reviews & Testimonials
Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews on your Google Business Profile, and/or other websites such as Houzz and Facebook. Respond professionally to all reviews, including negative ones.
- Advantages: Builds trust, influences purchase decisions, and improves SEO.
- What to watch for: Possible negative reviews, time-consuming to manage, and may need incentives for reviews.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Go back thru your best customers from the last year or two and send them an email asking for a Google review. Make sure you include a direct link to your Google page in the email to make it easy for them to do so. Perhaps you can also offer some incentive such as a discount code or voucher for a future service. Make sure that once you get a review that you respond and say thank you.
Hot Tip: You can also use your Google reviews as social media posts!
Email Marketing
Build an email list and send out regular newsletters with updates, promotions and useful content. Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly and have clear calls-to-action.
- Advantages: Cost-effective, direct communication with customers and high ROI (return on investment).
- What to watch for: It can take quite a while to build an email list. Automated emails can be marked as spam or end up in junk folders.
Mrs Bloggs comment
The best way to start collecting email addresses is via your inquiry form on your website. You can also have a FREE download on your website that provides customers with something that is of value for FREE in exchange for their email address so you can send them the e-book, checklist, report, etc…
Content Marketing & Blogging
Create valuable and relevant content for your website’s blog. Focus on topics that your target audience would find helpful and optimize the content for SEO.
- Advantages: Improves SEO provides long-term benefits, establishes authority, and drives organic traffic.
- What to watch for: Can be time-consuming, requires consistency, and may take time to see results.
Mrs Bloggs comment
I am a big believer in content marketing. With all the websites that I manage, I regularly add new blog content. This ensures that the website grows. Google likes it because it can see that the website remains relevant. The typical content for a construction trades or service website should be answering common problems your customers have, showcasing new products or techniques, and before and after projects that demonstrate your expertise.
Adding new content attracts more traffic to your website which in turn results in more enquiries. As your website grows, your business will grow. An essential relationship.
If you need help identifying what content your website needs, the first place to start is to perform an analysis of your keywords. Contact Mrs Bloggs if you would like assistance in developing and/or implementing a strategy for your website content.
Referral Programs
Set up a referral program encouraging existing (or past) customers to refer new clients. Offer incentives for both the referrer and the referee.
- Advantages: Cost-effective, builds customer loyalty generates qualified leads, and encourages repeat business, increasing the customer lifetime value.
- What to watch for: Can eat into profits, may not work for every business type and you will need to make terms and conditions clear.
Mrs Bloggs comment
In my experience, a referral in the construction industry has a 90% conversion rate. Read that again. This makes a referral program an absolute no-brainer.
Vehicle Branding
Use your company vehicle as a moving billboard. Ensure your branding is clear and visible and includes your contact information.
- Advantages: Cost-effective advertising, mobile visibility, and reinforces local presence. Just make sure that whoever drives your branded vehicle knows that they are representing the company and drives responsibly!
- Disadvantages: Some upfront costs.
Mrs Bloggs comment
This is easy to set up and absolutely essential. If you have not done this yet, then get to it.
Flyers and Direct Mail
Design and distribute flyers or send direct mail to targeted local neighborhoods. This is ideal for services such as gardening, home maintenance/handyman, local electrician, plumber, or other residential services.
- Advantages: Targeted local advertising and can include special offers.
- Disadvantages: Can be ignored, has environmental concerns, and has design and printing costs.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Increasingly residents have ‘No junk mail’ stickers on their letterboxes. If you are hand-delivering, you must abide by this, or you WILL get negative feedback.
Australia Post has a distribution service to save yourself from pounding the pavement, however, this is not cheap, but it IS an effective way around the ‘No Junk Mail’ stickers.
Networking
Build relationships with other local tradespeople, builders or join a local networking group. Refer clients to each other and share knowledge and resources.
- Advantages: Generates referrals, builds a support network and is cost-effective.
- What to watch for: Requires time to build relationships, no guaranteed return. There is normally a cost and minimum time commitment to join a networking group.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Many people that swear by the effectiveness of networking groups. If you enjoy socialising and talking to people, you should jump and give this a try.
Offer Free Consultations
Offer potential clients a free consultation to discuss their needs and showcase your expertise.
- Advantages: Attracts potential clients, establishes expertise, and provides a personal touch.
- Disadvantages: Time-consuming, no guaranteed sale, and may attract non-serious inquiries.
Mrs Bloggs comment
Approach this with caution. You simply cannot see everyone that calls. You MUST have a clear sales process that qualifies each lead. Your sales process should define what areas you service and what services you provide. It is also just as important to be clear about what you DO NOT do so that saying NO is easy.
Note also that a free consultation is NOT the same as a free quote. I would encourage you to charge for quotes if there is considerable time and effort taken to prepare them.
Local Radio or Newspaper Ads
Advertise in local radio stations or newspapers. Ensure your ad is compelling and includes a clear call-to-action.
- Advantages: Targets a local audience, increases brand awareness, and can reach an older demographic.
- Disadvantages: Can be expensive, declining readership/listenership, difficult to measure effectiveness.
Mrs Bloggs comment
This is not one of my preferred marketing methods. However, if your target market are from an older demographic, then this could be a good way to reach them as they are the primary listeners of radio and readers of local newspapers.
Sponsor Local Events or Teams
Sponsor local sports teams, community groups or events. This can increase your brand visibility in the community.
- Advantages: Builds goodwill, increases local visibility and strengthens community ties.
- Disadvantages: Can be expensive, no direct sales guarantee and may require ongoing commitment.
Mrs Bloggs comment
While it is lovely to be involved in the community, I have found the conversion rate for this type of investment to be low. However, there are many unquantifiable benefits to being involved in the community, and often small business owners contribute to local sporting clubs or community events that their children belong to.
Trade Shows and Events
Attend or exhibit at industry trade shows and events. Network with potential clients and other businesses and showcase your products or services.
- Advantages: Networking opportunities, direct access to potential clients, and increased brand awareness.
- Disadvantages: Can be expensive, time-consuming, and requires preparation.
Mrs Bloggs comment
This is one of my least-favourite ways of generating new business. You will get tonnes of tyre-kickers and getting all of the marketing collateral and promotional items prepared for the event is likely to set you back $15k minimum. For many small businesses, the conversion rate is very low, and this is simply a waste of time and money.
What Happens Next?
You need to take action. If you want more inquiries, more customers, and a sustainable business, you need to implement one or more of the strategies in this comprehensive guide.
We have delved into various strategies that tradies can employ to attract new customers swiftly and effectively. We have explored a broad spectrum of approaches, from leveraging the power of word-of-mouth and customer reviews to embracing digital marketing techniques such as Local SEO optimization and the strategic use of social media platforms.
Among these, Local SEO optimization and social media engagement have emerged as pivotal in enhancing online visibility and building a trustworthy brand presence in the community. These strategies not only facilitate a broader reach to potential clients but also contribute significantly to establishing credibility and authority for your business.
Need Help?
At Mrs. Bloggs, we specialise in elevating your online presence through tailor-made SEO services, comprehensive content strategies, and personalised digital coaching. We understand the unique challenges faced by tradies in the digital landscape and are here to guide you through, ensuring you harness the full potential of online marketing to drive business growth.
Don’t let the digital world overwhelm you. Take the first step towards transforming your online presence and attracting new customers with ease.
Let our expertise pave the way for your digital success, ensuring you stand out in the crowded market and attract the customers you deserve.
Reach out to us at ask@mrsbloggs.com or call Suzanne directly on 0423 268 606 to schedule a free consultation.
Get In Touch
Social Media Advertising