Social Media Mastery for Tradies: Attract, Convert, Succeed

Andy
We know how it is. You’re flat out on the tools all day, then you’re quoting and invoicing and all the other work that needs to be done to run your own business. Social Media feels like it’s just another task on an already overflowing to do list. 

Ange
And let’s be honest, when you do get around to posting, it’s usually last minute. And sometimes it’s not the best representation of your brand. It’s like slapping something online just to tick the box. 

Andy
But here’s the thing, Social Media is an incredibly powerful tool for your business, if it’s used correctly.

Ange
So today we’re going to share with you the right type of content you need to post that moves the needle in your trade business. It’s not about creating just any content or even tons of content, but content that is on brand, content that is effective in attracting people to your trade business.

Andy
And ultimately, content that converts those Social Media followers and stalkers into customers. All right, let’s get on with the show.  

You’re listening to The Tradie Show. This is the podcast for trade business and contracting bosses like you, who want to lead with confidence, make more profit, and create a better lifestyle. 

Ange
We’re your hosts, Andy and Angela Smith, husband & wife, team and co-founders of Lifestyle Tradie. Are you ready to have some fun?

Andy
Hell yeah! 

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So let’s talk about why Social Media should be more than just an afterthought. And posting on Instagram or Facebook often falls to the bottom of your to-do list, right?

Ange
Right. Many tradies think it’s like 127 on the priority list, which means it really gets done, or if it does, it’s last minute and doesn’t reflect your brand well. But let’s flip that script today. Imagine if Social Media was a key part of your business strategy, helping you to attract new followers, convert followers to customers and build stronger relationships with your existing ones.

Andy
Let’s face it, we know that for most tradies, Social Media isn’t top of mind. You’re focused on getting the job done, managing your team and making sure everything runs smoothly. But here’s the thing, Social Media is more than just posting pretty pictures. It’s a vital tool for visibility and for growth.

Ange
Well, think about it this way. Every day, millions of people are scrolling through their social media feeds. And guess what? Your customers are among them. Whether they’re busy working parents, they’re builders or strata managers, they’re all online looking for services just like yours. 

Andy
And the best part? It costs Zero dollars to get started and compare that to the thousands of dollars you might spend in all the other ways to get customers such as vehicle wrapping, LinkedIn outreach, Google AdWords, even old school mail outs. Social Media gives you a direct link to your potential customers without breaking the bank.

Ange
Look, you can get professionals involved to help you with Social Media and you may even want to do that. But it’s not essential, and you can also do this with no budget really well if you know what to focus on. The other point I want to make here is, it’s not about whether you love or hate Social Media, because I know lots of people who have a very strong aversion to it. This is all about having a presence where your customers hang out. People buy from people they trust and Social Media helps build that trust. It shows that you’re real, that you’re credible, and that you’re ready to do business.

Andy
Plus, a strong social media presence can support your other marketing efforts. It’s like having an ongoing conversation with potential customers and building rapport all before they even pick up the phone to call you. 

Ange
Yes. So when we say Social Media is essential, we actually mean it. It’s about staying visible, building credibility, and Ultimately driving more business your way. 

Andy
We know you didn’t sign up to be a Social Media expert, me neither. But that’s why we’re going to share a really simple formula to help you remember what to post and so that you can plan in advance. 

Ange
So we taught a really sophisticated version of this recently at a member live event. It was a presentation called one year of Social Media planned within an hour, and it was seriously a game changer. 

Andy
It was.

Ange
All right. So let me explain how this can help you too. 

Andy
Ange, before you get into the nitty gritty, let’s dive into the biggest struggles tradies face with Social Media. Then we’ll get into the four powerful types of posts you need to be uploading to your socials. The first major struggle is not knowing what to post because let’s face it, Social Media can feel really confusing and without a clear direction. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. You might be thinking, what do I even share that will make a difference? 

Ange
And then there’s the issue of time, right? You’re already stretched thin with your day to day operations and finding time to create content or post regularly can seem absolutely impossible. It’s no wonder Social Media gets sidelined. 

Andy
And we’ve all been guilty of this before until we realize it’s not about posting 50 times a day. 

Ange
No. 

Andy
Don’t even need to post every day to make Social Media work for you. 

Ange
Yeah. Thank goodness for that. Right? 

Andy
Yeah. It’s like some people think that it’d be some kind of influencer, you know, but seriously, who’s got the time for that?

Ange

Yeah, Social Media for influencers is actually really different from Social Media Marketing for businesses. So influencers are chasing vanity metrics like views and followers. They’re often aiming to get paid by platforms or businesses or getting sponsorship based on their video views and follow accounts. Now, if you want to take your brand in that direction and be an influencer because you find it fun, then you do you. 

Andy
However, if you’re a trade business owner and you want to build your actual business, then it’s about attracting the right followers. Those that are generally interested in your services. And can become paying customers. 

Ange
Yes. You don’t need a massive following to be successful. You can actually build a million dollar business with just a few thousand engaged followers. If you know how to convert them into leads and sales. 

Andy
And here’s another relief, you don’t need to be everywhere. You don’t have to spread yourself thin trying to maintain a presence on every Social Media platform. Instead, focus on where your customers spend their time. 

Ange
Aha, so think about your customer avatar, your ideal customer. Where do they spend their time? Is it mostly Facebook or maybe Instagram?  Or are they more likely to be on LinkedIn? Go where your customers are and you’ll find your efforts much more effective.

Andy
The key is to have a plan and when there’s no thought or plan behind your social media, you end up with no goals and guess what? No results. It’s like throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping something sticks. You need to be consistent and strategic and create a plan that aligns with your business goals and then stick to it.

Ange
Okay, so to start that plan, we need to think about what your Social Media is meant to help you do. Social Media helps build the know, like, and trust factor because people buy from people they know, like, and trust. And Social Media is a great way to build these relationships with your audience. 

Andy
And as we mentioned earlier, your prospective customers will stalk and lurk your profile. They want to see if you’re who you say you are. So a well-maintained Social Media profile establishes you as an authority and gives you credibility. 

Ange
Yes. You’ve got to ask yourself, what are you showing them? What are you communicating consciously and unconsciously through your posts? So that said, there are four main types of content that you should be sharing as a trade business.

Andy
Let’s go through these and we’ll also give you examples of what they might look like. 

Ange
Okay. So the first type is what we call proof posts. These are some of the most powerful posts that you can share as a trade business. Better show proof of your work and also proof of your happy customers.

Andy
And examples of proof posts are things like before and after shots on your projects and they showcase the quality of your work. Also, you can share the work you’re currently doing, whether that’s digging trenches, building a deck, painting a house, planting native trees in a garden, installing new lighting in the kitchen. I mean, these posts all build trust and demonstrate your expertise. 

Ange
And you don’t just have to show the work itself, like put your smiling face on there too, if you can. 

Andy
And a great example of this is Damien from Evermore Plumbing. Damien posts are sometimes just simple photos from a certain job location around Brisbane with a written caption about what they’re doing that day.

Ange
Well, When I look at their Instagram page, I get a sense that they take real pride in the work they do. 

Andy
There are also other types of proof posts that are super powerful and that are testimonials. Sharing testimonials from satisfied customers is proof others trust you and recommend you. 

Ange
Yes, it’s all good when you say you’re great. But it’s way more powerful when someone else endorses you. So let’s move on to the next type of post, which is all around connection. So these posts humanize your brand and help your audience connect with you on a personal level, share photos and videos of your team behind the scenes at your work and even day to day activities.

Andy
Connection posts can include things like team member highlights, company events, and even a bit of fun and humor. It’s all about showing the people behind the business and creating a sense of community. 

Ange
Yeah. Members Jill and Dean Matthews from DCM Plumbing on the Gold Coast do this really well. 

Andy
Yeah, they do.

Ange
They are really consistent with videos showcasing the team having fun celebrating things like a team member’s birthday, or they do these great Friday cake days where the team are shown to have so much fun behind the scenes. 

Andy
And I think each team member turns to cook even though the tradies are cooking and bringing cakes for the Friday.

Ange
Love that. So the third type is value posts. These posts establish you as an authority in your niche. These can be educational or frequently asked questions or even red flags to watch out for.

Andy
Or you could be debunking common myths or just provide helpful information. 

Ange
Yeah, types of posts that show that you’re knowledgeable and trustworthy. It really helps your followers see you as an expert in your field. 

Andy
And as an example, FAQ should be super easy for any tradie. Just think about the questions you are asked by your customers pretty much every day and things, you know, and understand well, but the average person really doesn’t have any idea about and answer them one at a time.

Ange
Yeah, exactly. So finally, let’s move on to the last type of post, which is what we call an invitation. These are calls to action or what we call CTAs that invite people to book your services or take advantage of maybe special offers you have for the month. 

Andy
And this is something that I think a lot of tradies really forget about on their social media platform, or they actually do too much. Social Media is a place people go to be entertained and also learn things, but they’re also there to buy. So don’t forget to ask for the sale. Just remember to mix it up with other types of posts we’ve talked about already today. 

Ange
Well, let me just share a couple of examples of these invitation posts, like call us for a quote or the offers or special deals you have for the month, or it could just say contact us for an inspection or consultation.

Andy
These can be a visual post or they can be a picture of your work or you with some text in the caption with your call to action right there. 

Ange
Yeah. So for example, one of our members in Melbourne, Kieran from Lexity Plumbing and Electrical did a gorgeous post of their whole team just recently. There’s 15 of them standing in front of their fleet of vehicles, plus the owner’s gorgeous golden retriever. So it’s a beautiful connection post from a photo point of view, and this will capture attention because of the great photo. But they also put a call to action in the caption that read, introducing the Lexity team here to help with all your plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling needs and any emotional support cuddles, courtesy of Biscuit. That’s their dog. Then they put their phone number, email and their website. 

Andy
Yeah, I love that. It was a great post and more of what we’d call a soft sell approach with that one. You can also do more of a direct call to action. Like another one of our members, Simon and Allie from The Heater Man in Sydney have done, and they posted an image with the text on it that says 30 percent off X display sale, visit our showroom now.

Ange
Yeah, these posts are crucial for converting followers into customers. But again, remember, you might not get a heap of traction on these posts and that’s completely normal. They will trigger the right people to take action at the right time. 

Andy
It will probably be the people who have been watching you for a while, or they’ll be the people who are ready to buy and looking for your product or service and have actively been searching for who to trust. So when they come across you, it would be ideal to have a mix of all the posts we’ve talked about here today. Then that invitation prompts them to take action. 

Ange
Yes. So to remind you about what those posts are again, we need to rotate around these four pillars of proof, connection, value, and invitation.

Andy
And by incorporating these four types of content into your Social Media strategy, you’ll build a strong, engaging presence that drives results. 

Ange
But wait, what about the when and how often do you post, Andy? 

Andy
Right. Let’s not forget that part. Consistency is key. Having a regular, thoughtful presence on Social Media helps you stay visible, builds trust, and ultimately drives more business. It’s like having an ongoing conversation with your potential customers. 

Ange
But that doesn’t mean that you need to post every day. 

Andy
Thank goodness for that.

Ange
Exactly. So while posting daily would be great, it’s actually just not achievable for most trade businesses, and to be honest, not entirely necessary. Look, it might be great for the likes of Nathan from Nathan’s Lawns and Gardens, who’s built up this great business model. By going viral on TikTok and Instagram. But one of our members, Matt from Ferguson Landscapes, who has a team of 18, Melbourne, he posts maybe like once a week or sometimes even less. And this is because his posts are really focused on helping him convert his customers. 

Andy
Yeah. Matt’s videos are great. And when he came into our studio to talk to us, he said his customers have told him they chose him because they saw the work he does from watching his videos. That’s the power of Social Media, right there. 

Ange
Absolutely. Matt knows for him right now, he doesn’t need to stress about putting out tons and tons of content. He has videos done that shows his ideal customers what they want to see to be able to make a buying decision. 

Andy
Here are a few final tips to help you succeed with this whole Social Media game. Number one, plan ahead. Dedicate some time each month to plan your content. And this will help you stay consistent and avoid last minute scrambles. 

Ange
Yes. Number two is, use tools. There are so many tools available to help you schedule posts, to create content and even track your performance. So there are tools like Metricol or Hootsuite and Canva are your friends, often allowing you to schedule even up to seven months in advance.

Andy
And number three, engage with your audience. Don’t just post and then ghost. Engage with your followers by responding to comments, answering questions, and participating in conversations. 

Ange
Yes, that number three is probably the most important. But let’s move on to four, which is, monitor your results. Keep an eye on what’s working and what’s not. Use analytics to track your performance and adjust your strategy as you need to. 

Andy
And number five, be authentic. People want to see the real you and don’t be afraid to show your personality and share your story. Authenticity builds trust and connections. 

Ange
True. Number six, outsource if you have to. Don’t feel like you have to do it all yourself. Some of our members have Social Media managers or they have someone in their office that helps them post things. Some share it around the team while others hire a company who film videos and edit them for them. 

Andy
Yeah, that’s true Ange, but I want to point out though, this is not necessary for you to succeed with Social Media for your trade business. It’s just an option. I’ve seen people be successful either way. 

Ange
Well, one other thing I want to mention here about Social Media for business is this. Not everyone will interact with you, but they will watch you. So just because you don’t see a lot of likes or even comments doesn’t mean people aren’t paying attention.

Andy
Yeah. Social Media is a long game and results won’t come to you just overnight, but with consistency and the right strategy, you’ll start to see the benefits. 

Ange
Yeah. It’s all about building relationships and establishing your brand and ultimately driving more business to you. So take these tips and put them in action and watch your Social Media presence transform. 

Andy
It’s Tradie Dilemma time. This is our Q&A segment where you let us know what you’re having trouble with within your business and we give you our best advice. 

Ange
All right, so today we have a question from Matty in Queensland and he writes, I’m interested to know what your suggestion is for inducting new staff. Do you just make them sit down and read through all your WHS documents and policies and procedures or is there a better way? 

Andy
Yeah, great question Matty and it’s a really interesting one. You know, I know some businesses that When someone starts, the first thing they do is just chuck him in a van with another guy and they can ride together and learn and build a relationship around that. And it depends on the size of your business as well. But at Dr. Drip, when they first came into the day, we’d normally have someone come in on a Monday when we had a toolbox meeting, they got a chance to meet all the guys, have a bacon egg roll and have a coffee. Then the boys would organize their day and they’d get out on the job. We’d leave our leading hand. And, uh, the new employee and they would go through our employee handbook and they’d go over a lot of questions and get to know, I’d have an individual conversation with them as well. And then they’d normally leave probably two or three hours later, get out on the road and do a few jobs. And we do it that way. I think it’s really good to set the tone from the very start of what is expected of them. So at Dr. Drip, as everyone knows, we’re very structured, very systemized, and everyone has to do it the same way. So we’re very good at explaining that from the start. And yes, sometimes they do look like a bit of a deer in headlights on their first day when you’re going through so much. But you’ve got to set the tone of what you expect. Otherwise, like most businesses, I throw a guy in a truck, they get out there, they learn all these bad habits, and then you’ve got to change all these habits, which we found was not the right strategy for us in our business. 

Ange
Yeah. I think a really important point is to mention, make sure you’re allowing that new tradie to actually, or new office team member even, to create bonds with your team immediately. So joining like their first day really needs to be when you’re having that toolbox meeting. So once they’ve created a bond with other humans, then it makes it far easier for them to say, I’ve made the right decision by coming to this place. Great question. I hope this answered your issue there, Matty. Remember, if you have a question or dilemma in your business, then reach out to us and let us know how we can help you.  

Andy
Subscribe to The Tradie Show wherever you get your favorite podcasts.  Rate and write us a review or for more information about Lifestyle Tradie, head to lifestyletradie.com.au.