How do tradespeople find new customers?
Whether you are starting out or want to fill the quiet weeks, the question is the same: where does the work come from? For a local tradesperson, there are three sources. Homeowners searching “plumber” or “electrician” plus their town. Customers recommending you to friends and family. And professionals who need a reliable trade for their own clients.
The 12 methods below work on all three. None needs an advertising budget, just a bit of regularity. Start with the first three: they pay off fastest.
Ways 1 to 3: get found and chosen on Google
1. A complete Google Business Profile
- The right primary category (plumber, electrician, carpenter…) and secondary categories if you do several things
- Your service area (the towns you cover), especially if customers do not come to your address
- Accurate hours and a phone number that is answered, or a clear voicemail message
- A description of what you do, where, and what sets you apart (emergencies, full bathrooms, heating…)
- Recent before-and-after job photos, without customers’ faces or number plates
Our Google Business Profile guide covers every setting.
2. Recent, detailed Google reviews
Between two unknown tradespeople, a homeowner calls the one other customers talk about. Ask for a review at the end of every successful job, when the customer thanks you. A QR code on your card or an email that evening is enough. Reply to every review, even briefly. See Google reviews for tradespeople.
3. A simple website with your work and a quote form
No need for ten pages. One page per main service, a gallery of jobs, the areas you cover, your insurance, and a quote request form where the customer can attach a photo. In the evening, when homeowners do their research, they can contact you without waiting to phone the next day. See our tradesperson website guide.
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Free visibility check
Check in a minute what homeowners see when they search for your trade in your town, and what your profile is missing.
Ways 4 and 5: turn enquiries into jobs
4. Reply quickly, even to say “not for three weeks”
Someone with a leak or a project often contacts several trades the same day. The one who replies first, even just to book a visit later, gets ahead. Keep a ready-made reply to send within the hour:
Hi [Name], thanks for getting in touch about [the bathroom / the consumer unit]. I can come and look at the job on [day] between [time] and [time] to give you a free quote. Does that suit you? If it’s urgent, call me on [number]. [Your name], [business name]
5. Clear, quick quotes, followed up
Send the quote within a few days of the visit, while it is fresh in the customer’s mind. A clear quote (separate items, timings, guarantee, what is not included) builds trust. Then follow up: many quotes go unanswered simply because the customer is hesitating or forgot. Our quote follow-up templates give you a schedule and messages.
Ways 6 to 8: make word of mouth work for you
6. The job as a shop window for the street
A job is seen by the whole street. A clean, signwritten van (name, trade, phone), a small board outside with the customer’s permission, and a tidy site every evening: neighbours take your number. At the end of a noisy job, with the customer’s agreement, drop a note through nearby doors:
Hello, we’ve just finished some work at number [x]. Thank you for your patience over the last few days! If you have a [plumbing / electrical / joinery] job of your own, we work all over the area. [Business name] · [phone] · [website]
7. Ask for a recommendation at the right moment
The best moment is when the customer tells you they are pleased. One sentence: “If you know anyone who needs a plumber, feel free to pass on my card.” Leave two cards, not one.
8. Stay in touch with past customers
Boiler services, gutter clearing, decking oil, alarm checks: many trades have work that comes back every year. A simple list (name, address, date, work done) and a timely email to customers who agreed to hear from you bring back jobs without any cold prospecting.
Hi [Name], we fitted your [boiler / water heater] in [month year]. Its annual service is coming up: would you like me to come round in [month]? Just reply with two or three times that suit you. [Your name], [business]
Ways 9 to 11: professionals who can send you work
| Referrer | What they need | What you offer |
|---|---|---|
| Letting agents and property managers | Repairs between tenants, refreshes before a sale | Fast response, quick quotes, before-and-after photos for landlords |
| Block managers and residents’ associations | Communal repairs, emergencies | Availability, clear invoices, up-to-date insurance |
| Architects, kitchen and bathroom showrooms | Reliable trades for their projects | Punctuality, tidiness, good communication |
| Other trades | Someone to recommend for the next stage | The same in return |
9. Introduce yourself to local agents
Hello, I’m a [trade] based in [town] for [x years], covering [areas]. I can handle repairs and refreshes on your rental or sale properties, with a quote within [48 hours] and before-and-after photos for your landlords. My card and website [address] show my work and my insurance certificate. Would you be happy to try me on a first job? [Name], [phone]
10. Build a small network of complementary trades
Three or four trades who recommend each other cover a whole renovation. Choose people whose work you have seen: your reputation depends on theirs too.
11. Lead sites, only as a top-up
Paid directories and lead sites can help fill an empty diary, but leads cost money and customers often compare several quotes. Our guide to Checkatrade alternatives covers the costs and options.
Way 12, and one to avoid: cold calling
12. Be where your customers are
Local home shows, farmers’ markets, open days at your merchant, a partnership with the local hardware shop, the town’s Facebook group (within its rules): being present and answering questions without hard selling builds trust. For posts, see our social media ideas for tradespeople.
Avoid: calling people who never asked
The ICO’s guidance on telephone marketing says you must not make live marketing calls to any number registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS or CTPS) unless the person has specifically consented to your calls. You must also keep your own “do not call” list, say who is calling and display your number. For a tradesperson, the conclusion is simple: put your effort into inbound enquiries.
A 30-day plan to fill your diary
| Week | To do |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Complete your Google profile (categories, area, description, 10 job photos) and write your standard reply to enquiries |
| Week 2 | Ask your last 10 happy customers for a review, reply to existing reviews, print cards with a QR code |
| Week 3 | Put a simple website with a quote form online, or update yours; email past customers about annual servicing |
| Week 4 | Visit 3 local agents or property managers and suggest a referral swap to 2 other trades |
After that, 30 minutes a week is enough: post a job photo, ask for the week’s reviews, chase open quotes. And if enquiries come in but the margin isn’t there, check your price with our method to calculate your hourly rate.
The steps at a glance
The steps to bring in more job enquiries without relying on paid lead sites.
- Complete your Google profile. Category, service area, description, hours and job photos.
- Collect reviews. Ask at the end of every successful job and reply to each review.
- Take enquiries online. A simple website with your work, your areas and a quote form.
- Reply fast and follow up. A reply within the hour, a clear quote, a planned follow-up.
- Use your network. Customer referrals, neighbours, letting agents, property managers, architects and other trades.
This guide for your trade
Go further
Sources
The rules quoted in this guide come from these official pages, checked on October 28, 2026.