Land 20 High-Profit Jobs Fast: 3 Proven Marketing Tactics for Tradies

 Andy
And yet, here we are. Over the years, we’ve seen some absolute shockers when it comes to marketing and advertising, like this one plumbing ad we spotted that get this, They spelt plumbing wrong. A plumbing company spelt plumbing wrong. 

Ange
Well, that’s not even the worst of it. There was one ad without a contact number. How are your customers supposed to call you? Oh, and my personal favorite. 

 Andy
Oh, I know this one. A massive billboard by a Sparky and he would have paid a bucket load of cash for it. It was advertising a Christmas discount and the billboard went up in April, April, how does this sh*t happen? 

Ange
Even without a fancy marketing degree, there’s a little thing called common sense. 

 Andy
And that’s what today’s episode is all about. Smart, simple, no BS marketing tactics to help you land 20 high profit jobs fast. These are the tactics that we know work because we’ve done them ourselves and our members swear by them.

Ange
Plus, we’ve got a free download to go with today’s episode with 20 tactics in total, waiting for you in the show notes. 

 Andy
Alrighty, let’s get into it.  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!  Tradies, let’s get real. You’ve been busting your gut. You’ve been hustling. You’ve been doing 60, 70, maybe 80 hours a week. You get to the end of the year and you think, let’s look at this revenue, here comes the big bucks, then bam, it turns out your profits are about as impressive as your budgie smugglers on a cold winter’s morning. So here’s the deal. We’re hosting a one day live event called Stress Free Tradie, where we’re going to teach you how to triple your profits in 12 months and actually be able to keep some of that hard earned cash without the endless headaches and the best part will show you how to stop attracting discount Dan and low board Lisa that treat you like a bloody discount store and makes you wonder why you even picked up the tools in the first place. And if you’re sitting there thinking, yeah, right, I’ve heard all this before, then challenge accepted. Come and hang out with us for one day. Worst case scenario, you have a few laughs and you have a good time. But best case scenario, you’re going to walk away with a plan to make sure that 2025 is your best year yet. So if you’re ready to go from stressed out tradie to stress free legend, grab your ticket today. And let’s make the next 12 months the most profitable and the best year yet.  All right. It’s time to kick things off with some hell yeah, wins from our amazing Lifestyle Tradie members. These are the legends who’ve been smashing it in their businesses, proving that small changes can lead to massive results. Ange? What have we got this week? 

Ange
Well, we’ve got some fantastic wins to share, Andy. First up, a big shout out to Stephanie and Matt, who run a powder coating business, amongst other things, in South Australia. And they say, I’m proud that we were able to invest in our state of the art sandblasting unit. The confidence I now possess in selling our service has Skyrocketed.

 Andy
Hell yeah. And I absolutely love this because these guys are rock stars. They know how to make money. They know how to have a great business and I’m really happy with where their future is taking them. 2025 is going to be huge for you guys. Who have we got next, Ange? 

Ange
All right. So next up is Deb who’s in Queensland with a plumbing business and she writes. Nearly finished our tradesmen training manual for new hires and the facilitators guide to implement the training so that anyone in our admin team can take a new tradesman through their training and it doesn’t always fall on me. 

 Andy
Hell yeah. And what an absolute cracker this is. I wonder how many people out there have an incredible onboarding system and then have a fully implemented training system to make sure when someone joins their business that you are set up from the very start. And this is where I believe a lot of businesses out there go wrong when they hire new staff. So well done, Deb. I know that a lot of our members do this and it’s a game changer. Who else have you got Ange? 

Ange
Well, Paul, who runs an air conditioning business in New South Wales wrote, chased up a few big quoted jobs and was told, yeah, You got them total was about 2 million dollars or so.

 Andy
Hell yeah. And I have to say, Paul, you have built that reputation in the industry so that people just look at your quotes and say, yes, that is incredible. 

Ange
Absolutely. Couldn’t agree more. And the last one for today is Shannon, who runs an electrical company in South Australia, who says. I followed up on some unanswered quotes to find most customers were just too busy to reply, got the jobs accepted and turned about eight to ten pending quotes into jobs worth almost $50, 000. Not even something I set out to do this week. 

 Andy
Hell yeah. And this is what I’m talking about. Well done. Make sure you chase your quotes. And if you’re sitting there right now, and there’s a heap of quotes that you haven’t chased recently, Do it now. Do it now. I love this segment around hell yeahs. It’s the little things. It’s the consistent things that make a huge difference. And that’s what we’re talking about here. Helping tradies like you take control, make changes and see the wind rolling. All right, legends. Let’s get into the meat of today’s episode, sharing proven marketing tactics to land 20 high profit jobs ASAP.

Ange
Well, what we’re actually going to go through is three specific tactics in depth today, but remember for a bunch more, we have a free downloadable with today’s episode. So if you love what we share and you want more, Then make sure you grab that guide and get cracking.

 Andy
Now, here’s the thing. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or blow your budget on marketing. What we’re sharing today are tactics that are simple, smart, and ready to go. Things you can action right now, even if you’re flat out on the tools. 

Ange
And these are tactics that actually work for tradies,  practical steps that’ll get the phone ringing with the right kind of customers. The ones who value quality and pay on time. All right. So let’s dive into the first tactic. This one’s an absolute no brainer and so simple, but tradies often forget it. It’s about maximizing existing customers. 

 Andy
Your best customers are the ones who already know you, trust you, and love the work you’ve done for them. So why the hell are we always chasing new leads when there’s a gold mine sitting right under our noses?

Ange
Yeah, spot on Andy. So think about it. When was the last time you followed up with your top 20 or maybe even top 50 customers? I’m talking about the ones who have already paid you good money and probably need more work done.

 Andy
Now, you might be thinking, but Andy, I don’t want to sound pushy, mate. This isn’t about being pushy. It’s about serving your customers and reminding them that you’re there to help. They’ve already trusted you once, so chances are they’re going to trust you again. 

Ange
Exactly. So let me give you an example of how this would actually play out. Grab your phone, pull up your customer list on your job management system and start with your top 20 or maybe 50 customers. I suggest it’s best to cluster these by your geographic area so you stay in one place. For example, give them a quick call like just a friendly check in. It’s not a hard sell. Okay. So Andy, we’re going to do a quick role play. 

 Andy
Oh, I’d love a bit of role play. Oh, Andy, babe.  

Ange
Let’s be serious, all right? 

 Andy
Okay, okay, for a second. So, who am I? 

Ange
Okay, you’re gonna be Mrs Jones. 

 Andy
Oh, I love Mrs Jones. I’ve got it. 

Ange
Hey, Jackie, can we get some sound effects? 

Jackie
I’m on it. 

 Andy
Hello? 

Ange
Hi, Mrs Jones. It’s Angela here from Dr. Drip Plumbing. 

 Andy
Oh hello dear, lovely to hear from you. Is everything okay? 

Ange
Yes, everything’s okay. I was actually just thinking about you and the job we did at your house earlier in the year when we installed a new hot water unit. 

 Andy
Yes. 

Ange
And I wanted to see if everything was okay.

 Andy
Yeah, yeah, it seems all right. I remember that. It was rather a nice chap that came over to my house. 

Ange
Oh, that’s lovely Mrs Jones. I’ll be sure to let Stew know. So Mrs Jones, we’re actually going to be in your area next week.

 Andy
Oh, okay.

Ange
I thought I’d give you a quick call as one of our VIP customers to see if there’s anything we can help you with. Maybe a service tap or a toilet needs a repair or we could do a quick safety inspection to ensure everything’s okay seeing we haven’t been there for a while. 

 Andy
Well, I’ll have to think about it, but there’s always something and I love the boys coming around, especially if they’re out in the backyard with their shirts off. Is that okay? But I think we can find some work for them, maybe some dripping taps or something. 

Ange
Well, I’m sure we can definitely help you with that,  Mrs Jones. So, how does next Wednesday morning sound? We have Brett Free to come around either between 9 and 11, or 11 and 1. 

 Andy
Oh, Bredo!  Well, I’m Bredo. That’d be perfect, because I need to walk the cats in the morning first, so yeah, 11 AM. Looking forward to seeing Bredo. 

Ange
Ha ha.  Okay, end of role play.  So, you’re good. 

 Andy
Oh, she’s, she’s hot to trot old Mrs Jones over there. 

Ange
I think Mrs Jones is a bit of a perv. Let’s get back to this. You also want to ask them if they know anyone else who might need their services, right? So, ask for a referral. Maybe you’ll say something like, we’ll make sure to look after them. 

 Andy
Yes, I think that is pretty simple, Ange. There’s no pressure. There’s no big sales pitch and it’s just a genuine touch point to remind them that you’re here. 

Ange
Yeah, look, here’s the thing. Most people forget about tradies after the job’s done. Like they will literally not remember your company name. They don’t mean anything by it, but out of sight, out of mind. So a quick call puts you back on their radar. 

 Andy
Another thing I wanted to mention, make sure your regular customers feel special. I noticed when you did that Ange in your little role play, you called her a VIP.

Ange
Ooh, nice spotting, Andy. The script has a purpose, not just a pretty face. 

 Andy
Yes, and if not VIP, you could offer them a small discount, a free checkup, or even a priority scheduling. 

Ange
Yes, great idea. And it’s as simple as saying something like, I’ve got a couple of spots open this week for my VIP customers. That’s you. Book in now and we’ll do a free system check while we’re there, or something like that. 

 Andy
These cores cost you nothing, but you know what? They do take that little bit of time, but the return can be massive. And we knew in Dr. Drip that if we had the chance to return to a past customer, the average dollar sale was tripled. And guess what? We all know this. It’s quicker, it’s cheaper to book that than chasing a cold lead.

Ange
Absolutely true. And not to get too sidetracked here, we did actually do a podcast episode on how to build your business up with repeat customers. We’ll link that in the show notes if you want to go and take a listen.

 Andy
Remember this, your existing customers already know you and the quality of your work. They’re not tire kickers, so there’s no hard sell or haggling over price. And while you’re on the phone, ask for that referral too. You’d be surprised how often a customer says, Oh yeah, my neighbor was just talking about needing a plumber, sparky, landscaper, whatever trade you’re in.

Ange
All right. That was a really good point. And it kind of ties in to tactic number two, which is one of my personal favorites, asking for referrals on the job or after the job’s been completed. Now, this might actually sound obvious, but you’d be shocked at how many tradies don’t ask their happy customers for referrals.

 Andy
Yeah, it’s absolutely crazy. But when someone loves the job you’ve done, they’re usually more than happy to tell their mates, but most of the time they won’t do it unless you ask them to do it. 

Ange
Yeah, that’s right. People are busy. And even if they think you’re the best tradie they’ve ever hired, they’re not sitting there thinking, Hmm, who can I refer Andy to? They actually need a little nudge. 

 Andy
And when you do ask, don’t be vague, be clear and direct something like, Hey, Mrs. Jones, I’m really glad you were happy with the work we did for you today. If you’ve got any friends, family, or neighbors who might need a plumber, roofer, air conditioner, et cetera, I would love it if you could pass on my name.

Ange
You did this a lot in the beginning of Dr. Drip, didn’t you, Andy?

 Andy
I sure did. And I just kept it super casual. And I was just really honest, looked him in the eyes and just talked to them about how I was trying to drum up business. At the end of the job, I always said something like this. I’m glad you’re happy with our service today. I just want to let you know I’m new in business and I’m quite small in business and I don’t have a big budget to advertise. So I really need your help and was wondering if you could recommend my services to your neighbors or people you might know. Notice how that doesn’t really feel pushy. 

Ange
Yeah, not pushy at all.

 Andy
Now, if you’re not able to ask directly at the end of the job, you can always follow up with a quick text message or email. 

Ange
Yes, agreed. So therefore I’d be writing something like this. Hi, Mrs. Jones. Just a quick note to say thanks again for trusting us with your, and then insert the job type you were there. If you know anyone who needs help, feel free to share my number. I’d love to help them out too.

 Andy
Now, if you want to supercharge this tactic, you can offer an incentive. People love a little something extra and it doesn’t have to cost much. For example, you could say to anyone that you refer that book to a job with us, we’re going to give them $50 off their next job. And we’re also going to send you a $50 Coles Meyer card as a thank you. That’s a great incentive. 

Ange
Totally. Or it could be even simpler. Just let them know you’ll give them priority booking. Sometimes a small gesture is all it takes to motivate someone to share your company name. 

 Andy
And don’t forget referrals work in reverse too. When you’re on the tools and chatting with a customer, ask them outright, Hey, how did you hear about us? And get a bit of an understanding of where they come across your business. 

Ange
So, you may be sitting there saying, but why does that matter? Because if you start hearing things like, oh, my mate Dave said you’re the best. You know that your referral strategy is working and you can double down on it. 

 Andy
Referrals are your highest converting leads because they come with built in trust. If someone says, call this plumber, he’s great. That’s worth more than any ad you’ll ever run.

Ange
Absolutely. So here’s another little tip. If you’ve got a social media presence, encourage referrals there too. Make sure you’re posting things like loving our service, tag a mate who might need help and we’ll send them a discount for their first job.

 Andy
It’s about making it easy and rewarding for your customers to refer to you. So pick up the phone, ask on the job, send that text or post that shout out. Whatever you do, don’t sit around waiting for referrals to happen magically, because you know what? They just won’t. 

Ange
All right. So let’s recap specifically for referrals. Ask directly. Don’t assume your customer will do it on their own. Offer a small incentive to make it a win win. Follow up with a text or email to make it easy for them. And finally encourage referrals on social media with tags or shares. 

 Andy
And as always, you’ve got to track where your leads are coming from. So you actually know what marketing is working in your business. All right, let’s dive into tactic number three, which is all about making the most of local Facebook community groups. Now, Ange, I see people doing this so wrong, which is why I wanted to bring it up. You need to post in the right kind of way to make it worthwhile. Otherwise you are wasting your time.

Ange
I agree. Those community groups are like a little gold mine. They’re also the modern day version of word of mouth, and you don’t have to spend a cent to get in front of your local audience.

 Andy
We’re talking about groups like Sydney Tradie Recommendations or Gold Coast Locals Helping Locals or our local group is called Mona Vale Bayview and Worrywood Community. These are places where homeowners go when they need help within their local geographic area. 

Ange
Or they also go to these Facebook groups to ask funny things like Anyone know why there’s a helicopter flying overhead? Been there for the last 20 minutes. Or, does anyone know this front door? My cat package was left there by the courier and it’s not my house. Or, whose dog is barking in Waterloo Street? You really shouldn’t leave your dogs at home by themselves. Blah, blah, blah. Ugh. We’ve all seen those kinds of posts. And you know what? They are funny. 

 Andy
And painful sometimes too. But anyway. 

Ange
But then, there are the posts we’re actually looking for of locals looking for tradies like, Does anyone know a good plumber or looking for a reliable sparky? Who do you recommend?

 Andy
If you’re smart and you’re active in these groups, your name will come up again and again.

Ange
But, and this one is important, crew, you can’t just jump in there and spam people with ads. You’ve got to approach it the right way. 

 Andy
Exactly. So here are a few ways to use community groups effectively. You want to be able to share helpful, non salesy content. So first, focus on adding value. Share helpful tips and advice. And if you’re a plumber, post something like, How to prevent blocked drains during heavy rains. And if, say, you’re an air con technician, five signs your air conditioning unit needs a service before the summer hits. 

Ange
Exactly. And this positions you as the go to expert in your trade. People love useful information, and they’ll start to see you as the person to call when they need help.

 Andy
Post offers that solve a problem and don’t just say, we’re a plumbing company, call us, that’s boring and no one really will care. 

Ange
No, they don’t. 

 Andy
Instead, be specific. For example, spots are filling fast for pre-summer air conditioning tune ups. Book this week and get $50 off. Your air con will thank you when the heat heats up. It’s specific, it’s urgent and it gives people a reason to book now. 

Ange
I couldn’t agree more. And next, you need to look to show off your work with before and after photos. Let’s be honest, people love seeing a good transformation. 

 Andy
Yeah, whether it’s a dodgy old bathroom you’ve turned into something mint or an electrical upgrade that’s tidy as hell, you need to show it off. And when you post, don’t forget to add a call to action. Need something done like this at your place? Send me a message. We’ve got openings this week. 

Ange
You know, what’s even better than posts, Andy?  

 Andy
No, what’s? 

Ange
Video. 

 Andy
Oh, video. So true. And we’ve been helping our Lifestyle Tradie members uplevel their video marketing game a lot in the past year. And really, I have to say, I am super impressed and the work is flowing through the doors. 

Ange
Yeah, agreed. A heap of them get work from their videos. They’re a great attraction marketing tool, but it’s also a great conversion tool. It’s sometimes the difference between someone thinking of using your service to someone knowing they can trust you because they actually saw your video and therefore the quality of your work.

 Andy
And don’t stress, you don’t have to get your big old mug in front of the camera if you don’t want to. 

Ange
Yeah, these days we talk about b roll style videos and this stuff gets heaps attraction. 

 Andy
Yeah, b rolls are just short videos really. It’s where it’s showing some footage of your work and there’s either some trending music over the top or maybe it’s even your voice. And even me, who’s a bit goofy with all that tech and social media stuff, even I can do this sh*t. 

Ange
Now, let me be really clear with posting in local Facebook groups. Don’t just post and disappear. You’ve got to stay engaged. So keep an eye on the group for posts asking for recommendations. Make sure you jump in there and comment with things like, Hey Sarah, we’d love to help. We’re local, trusted, and we’ve got a spot open this week. Shoot me a message and we’ll look after you.

 Andy
Even better, you can add a photo or video with your comment for proof, or even just a pic with yourself. It’s more eye-catching and people connect with people. 

Ange
Yeah. Whites of the eyes, right? That gets you every time. It shows that you’re a real person. Plus, that one comment could land you a high profit job, which could lead to repeat customers and referrals. So, here’s a bonus tip. Don’t be shy about asking your happy customers to recommend you in these groups too. 

 Andy
Yes, and the last thing to remember here is consistency. You can’t post once and hope for miracles. You’ve got to show up regularly. Maybe it’s a once a week thing so your name stays fresh, but don’t overdo it or you’ll come off as being spammy. 

Ange
Yes, exactly. So the goal here is to be seen and trusted. If people in your geographic area keep seeing your posts, your name will be the first one they think of when they need a tradie in your industry. So put this in your calendar as part of your sales and marketing activities. Trust us, it works.

 Andy
All right. So let’s wrap this one up. Community Facebook groups are free, easy to use and full of opportunities for tradies. And here’s what you do. You share helpful tips that solve real problems. You post offers that are specific, clear, and urgent. You show off your work with before and after photos, you engage with posts and respond to recommendations, and you need to be consistent. Show up, but don’t overdo it. 

Ange
Exactly. And don’t forget, if you’re doing a great job, then ask your happy customers to tag you in those posts. Word of mouth in these groups is so powerful.

 Andy
All right. We’ve already covered some cracking tactics here today. Ones that’ll get you more jobs fast without blowing your budget. But we know there’s a lot to take in and we want to keep this episode tight. 

Ange
Yes, we do. So here’s the deal. If you’ve loved what we’ve shared so far, you’re going to want the full list of the 20 proven tactics to bring in those high profit jobs. We’ve put All of these in a free download for you. So click the link in the show notes or head over to our website,  lifestyletradie.com.au and search the free resources tab. 

 Andy
Whether you’re on the tools or running the business from the office, this is the exact stuff you need to get your marketing sorted.

Ange
And look, let’s be real. If you can take action on even two or three of these tactics, you’ll be miles ahead of your competitors. So don’t leave money on the table, grab the guide, put it to work and let the results speak for themselves. 

 Andy
Hell yeah! It’s as simple as that. Let’s get those jobs rolling in.  It’s Tradie Dilemma time and this is our Q&A segment where you let us know what you’re having trouble with in your business and we give you our best advice. 

Ange
All right, so today we have a question. From Simon in New South Wales and he writes, dear Andy and Ange, it’s the start of the year and I’m already feeling overwhelmed. I’ve got a backlog of quotes, jobs coming in, and I feel like I’m playing catch up already. How do I get organized? So I hit the ground running without burning out.

 Andy
Wow. You’re already at the start of the year and you’re feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. That to me means one thing and one thing only, you’ve been drinking too much piss, eating too much food, and you definitely haven’t been looking after yourself. And this is a bit of a game changer. We all know when you’ve had the festive season and you’ve hung out with family, friends, mates, you know, we always get a bit loose and there’s nothing wrong with that, but you need to completely reset. The fact that you’ve got a backlog of quotes means that probably you weren’t as prepared in December that you should have been, but we can’t look back now, but what you do need to do is make sure you’re at your best. If you are drinking a lot at the moment, get off the grog, drink water, eat clean food, and do a few runs, go to the gym, get yourself going again. And if you got this backlog of quotes. I’m a real believer in getting up early, smashing a coffee and knocking them over fast. And I understand it’s hard playing catch up no matter what business you’re in, but you’ve just gotta make a stand somewhere. And there’s no use sitting there till all hours late at night feeling miserable. Get up early, smash them out, organize your jobs correctly, make sure you can fit everything in. And if jobs are still coming through the door, at least you’ve got your month planned out or even your two months planned out, and you can just start filling people up through March. Now, if it’s an emergency, yes, you’re probably gonna have to make some room for some of these people, but it’s all about starting with a plan. If you haven’t got this organized, you’ve got to do it straight away. Get fit. Get ready to have the best year you’ve ever had, and I guarantee you’ll feel so much more comfortable.

Ange
Yes. Couldn’t agree more. The Christmas period can throw anybody out, can’t it? So great to start your year strong, Simon. Thanks for writing in. All right, crew. Remember, if you have a question or dilemma in your business, then reach out to us and let us know what we can help you with.  

 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.