Taking your first step into the world of tradie marketing can feel an awful lot like you’ve just gotten off a spaceship and stepped onto some strange, alien planet. And with all the different acronyms, data, computer-speak and other jargon, we don’t blame you!
If you are looking for a way to elevate your tradie marketing you’ll need to start by figuring out whether you need a product marketing plan or a service marketing plan.
So, what’s the difference?
Product vs service marketing: what’s the difference?
A service marketing plan is a strategy that specifically markets service-based businesses.
The reasoning is simple: in most cases, tradie businesses like electricians, repairmen and locksmiths provide a service, and not something tangible. Therefore, they need a specific marketing strategy in order to guarantee results.
When people buy something tangible – they know exactly what they are getting. With a service, like the trade you offer, the buyer needs assurance their expectations will be met.
And that’s what service marketing plans are all about!
By contrast, product marketing is all about pushing a specific, tangible product. Since it’s tangible, it’s much easier to point towards the product’s inherent qualities and say “this is why you should buy it.”
It’s thanks to this fundamental difference that service and product marketing are very, very different, and thus require unique approaches.
Okay, so now that we’ve gotten the definitions and such out of the way, it’s time to answer the burning question: how can you create a service marketing plan for your tradie business?
Service means more than just repairs
As a tradie, most of the value you offer is in your service and workmanship. While you may leave the customer with a new tap, wiring or set of keys, in the end it’s your workmanship that they’re paying for – especially if it’s a job they can feasibly DIY.
As such, it’s crucial that the service you provide is top-notch!
We aren’t just talking about your workmanship, either – as any good tradie knows, good service goes far beyond just that!
In marketing theory, service is a very broad term. In addition to your workmanship itself, it also includes:
- Customer service
- Punctuality
- Your bedside manner
- Follow-up service and support
- Emergency repairs
- Warranties and guarantees
Each of these are crucial for tradie marketing – especially if you’ve decided that a service marketing strategy is most suited for your tradie business!
Position yourself – what do potential clients get?
Once you are clear on who you are marketing your services to, you need to set yourself apart from the competition. What can you offer potential clients that your competitors can not?
When you do this, try to focus on the things the client will gain rather than the things that you offer.
Think of it this way: people aren’t investing in what you offer them – rather, they’re investing in what your services can do for them.
In the case of a tradie, this could mean focusing on how you can save them money with a fixed price rate.
Or you could emphasise the peace of mind they will get with qualified, insured, reliable tradesmen.
Whatever point of difference you focus on, it must be desirable to your target market.
You need proof
With physical products, the proof is in the pudding. You can demo a product, or cite a specifications sheet to prove that your product is up to scratch.
Services, however? Now that’s a completely different story!
Since you can’t exactly demo a product, proving that you’re worth the money often comes down to you, your team and your work history.
When it comes to tradie marketing, proving your services are up to scratch is essential. As usual, all the standard ways of proving your worth come into play here:
- Reviews
- Testimonials
- Case studies
- Photos of successful jobs
However, when it comes to tradie marketing specifically, there are a couple of other ways of establishing your credibility:
- How long you’ve been working your trade
- The types of services you offer – more = better!
- The tone of voice you use
- Your qualifications and licenses
In particular, tradie SEO is a powerful tool.
For starters, while most people don’t understand how Google works, they intuitively know that the higher you are on the results page, the more credible and trustworthy you are.
Not to mention, the way we go about tradie SEO at iformat also builds credibility.
Rather than focus on behind-the-scenes tactics, our tradie SEO strategies focus on content. By creating high-quality content that’s timely, knowledgeable and well-written, we simultaneously communicate your knowledge and convey authority.
A lot of subtle things go into this: tone, choice of subject, personal anecdotes… together however, these can go a long way towards making you appear trustworthy to potential customers.
Putting it all into practice: why choose iformat?
For a real-world example of service marketing, look no further than ourselves!
As a tradie marketing agency, iformat offers nothing but services:
- SEO strategy and implementation
- Content marketing
- PPC advertising, like Google and Facebook Ads
- Remarketing services
- Email marketing
- Video production
When we take on a tradie client, we don’t just stop once we’ve built them a brand-new website and crafted a tradie marketing strategy. Our team are hard at work, ensuring that the strategy is performing as-intended:
- When visibility drops, we get to work to find out why, and how we can fix it
- Using advanced analytics, we monitor your website’s performance
- Our team keep up-to-date with the latest in the digital marketing landscape
- We update your site ensure it keeps converting new customers
Best of all, you don’t need to lift a finger. Once we conclude our initial consultation, you can choose to be as hands-on or hands-off as you want – either way, the phone calls, quotes and jobs will come pouring in, thanks to our proven tradie marketing strategies!
All of this ensures that your service marketing is up-to-par, and that you receive the best possible service.
Don’t believe us? Check out what your fellow tradies have to say about our tradie marketing service!
Take your tradie marketing to the next level
Good tradie marketing should achieve a couple of incredibly important things for your business:
- Build brand awareness
- Create and sustain customers
- Close the sale
In order to meet these critical goals, you will need to have a solid marketing approach.
You don’t want to leave your service marketing strategy to chance – call Melbourne’s tradie marketing professionals to ensure everything goes smoothly.
If you’re interested in working with us you contact us on 1300 88 64 50.
