When trust and credibility is the single most important factor to convert a prospect into a paying customer, how do you do that in a heart beat? We know from experience that the answer is through the power of an award or recognition (local, state or national).
When a customer is sourcing a trade business to complete work for them, it’s because they want a professional expert. In most cases, customers will know very little, if anything, about what needs to be done. As a result, they’ll do their research to make sure they’re choosing a credible and trustworthy business that;ll provide value for money service.
A business will commonly validate their trustworthiness and credibility through referrals, reviews and testimonials.
However, the use of awards and recognition are the most under-utilised ways of doing this. Yet, because of this underutilisation, it’s a highly effective way of setting a business apart from competition.
Awards and recognition
Personally, we’ve been small business finalists for Lifestyle Tradie and Dr.DRiP a combined 11 times, winning National Small Business Champion Award for Dr.DRiP, receiving a grant from the National Small Business Champion Awards for Lifestyle Tradie, and as business owners, winning Entrepreneur Of The Year at the National Small Business Champion Awards.
We think it’s great (and funny) to hear our residential customers brag that ‘their plumber is an award winning plumber!’, but they love it!
Our Lifestyle Tradie members Brett and Kammi Beuzeville from StepUP Constructions are ‘multi-award’ winners for Brett’s construction of beach homes on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They have received over $67K of FREE Publicity in known publications like ‘Best Abodes’, Daily Telegraph, Manly Daily and the front cover of the ‘HOME’ magazine within The Weekend Telegraph. This recognition has provided over a million dollars of work to date, and counting.
Types of awards
The type of awards you choose to enter will be dependent on your trade because potential customers will want validation in different aspects of business.
For example, if you were a builder you would want your work to be recognised for its detail and exceptional craftsmanship.
To obtain recognition for your craftsmanship, design or innovation you need to look to more specified Awards such as the HIA Awards (Housing Industry Association) or the MBA Awards (Master Builder Awards). But there are many more, so do some research and see what award best suits your needs.
If you are in maintenance work your potential customers want to know that you’ll be reliable and get the job done right the first time. So, you’d enter business awards by your local area, and nationally recognised awards such as the Australian Small Business Champion Awards, the Australian Business Awards, the Telstra Australian Business Awards, the Australia Excellence Awards and the Australian Achiever Awards. Just to name a few.
What happens once you’ve won an award?
If you win (yay, congratulations!) you want to display your win on any communication platform that is visible to customers and potential customers. This includes the bottom of your email as your signature, on your website, your letterhead, your invoices and your business card, just to name a few.
Awards and recognition really do help to convert new customers thanks to the immediate trust and credibility instilled in the customers mind based on the approval of others (the judges) of your company. You should try it!
What’s next?
- Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
- Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.
Visit Next Level Tradie for our schedule of live events.
