Growing your Tradesman Business

The last year or so has been particularly tough for some tradesmen. The global pandemic and multiple lockdowns have disrupted work up and down the country. The impact has been felt across almost all sectors, especially for jobs requiring workers to be on-site or in people's homes.

As we (hopefully) come closer to emerging from a life of lockdown, social distancing and extra precautions, many tradesmen are looking for ways to grow their business. As confidence around the country improves, more and more new projects should come available. To help you attract more work and take your business forward, we've listed a few ideas and recommendations.

Get the Right Cover in Place

You won't be surprised to hear we'd recommend looking at the different insurances we offer. As your business grows, your circumstances change, and you may need to re-evaluate the insurance cover you have in place. If you're thinking about hiring or taking on an apprentice, you're legally obliged to have Employer's Liability Insurance. If the person you take on isn't as careful with the tools or equipment you own, it could be wise to look at tools insurance too. Bigger jobs may require you to have Public Liability Insurance which will also be critical if the project involves working with any third parties - such as in a customer's home or alongside other contractors.

Reviews

We know first-hand how powerful customer reviews can be for your business. We take a lot of pride in how highly rated our services are (4.97 out of 5) and have seen the reassurance this provides new customers. Registering your company on a reviews site and asking for past clients' ratings can help show you're a legitimate and well-trusted tradesman. Popular sites like Checkatrade and Which? can be a great place to get started or even Google Reviews.

Location

Tradespeople are often in demand no matter where you are. However, in some areas of the UK, certain professions are more in demand than others. Looking around at the competition in your local area and the types of projects available, are you in the best location to grow your business? Use information from sites like FMB, Rated People or even Yell to get an idea of who you're up against or where there might be a shortage.

Qualifications

Whether you're a plumber, electrician or builder, your specialised skills set you apart from the average labourer. It's never too late to think about expanding the qualifications and accreditation in your arsenal, especially if it will enable you to take on additional work.

Tool Up

Another aspect that can often lead to new projects is having access to specialised equipment. Whether this is increasing your current capacity or adding new tools to your roster, investing in equipment is one way to help grow your tradesman business.

Relationships

How often do people recommend your services? And how many times has the same person hired you for another job? Building relationships inside and outside the trade can drastically help increase referrals for your business. It might seem obvious, but your approach may need to change to ensure you're making the most of new and existing relationships. Striking up conversations on-site with another tradesman could lead to a recommendation later on down the line. Similarly, going the extra mile for a customer will likely mean you'll snag that online review above and also be first in line when they need more work doing or they're asked if they know a good tradesman.

We speak to different tradespeople every day and understand the challenges of working in this sector. If you have any questions about any of our specialised tradesman insurances, please get in touch or call us on 0116 243 7904.