Standing Out from the Competition

While there's always a high demand for tradesmen, sometimes competition in the industry can be fierce. Standing out from competitors will help you to win bigger, better and more lucrative projects. Clients are quite rightly not quick to hand over their hard-earned cash, so how can you convince them you're the right person for the job?

Customers are looking for experts to carry out work they can't complete themselves - they need someone professional, reliable, and good value. People need reassurance that you're worth the money you charge, which can be tough to explain to a layperson. Here are a few ways to improve your sales pitch and make yourself look more attractive when customers are shopping around.

Accreditations

Industry recognised accreditations like Gas Safe, TrustMark or NICEIC should be worn as badges of honour. Show potential customers that you've invested the time and money to develop the skills needed to earn these accreditations. If you don't highlight them, then a customer won't pick you out from less skilled competitors. Whether it's on your business card, van signage, website or documents, find a place to include these logos.

Memberships

Membership organisations and trade associations are well respected within the industry and often recognised by customers too. Keeping your membership up to date demonstrates your commitment and business values. Being associated with these larger organisations provides reassurance for customers. Again, presenting membership logos on branded materials like business cards, signage and documents can be very effective.

Portfolio

Presenting a well-considered portfolio or set of case studies to a client is evidence you're worth every penny you charge. However, a portfolio isn't created overnight, and you'll need to be selective about which projects you include. Think about diversity in the type of work you're showcasing, and remember to keep refreshing any portfolio or brochures with your latest and greatest examples.

If you're putting together a portfolio yourself, a half-decent camera and an online photography course might be a wise investment too.

Insurance

Having the right tradesman insurance in place will set you apart from the cowboys. Savvier customers may directly ask what cover you have, and it's sometimes a requirement when taking on contract work. Public Liability Insurance protects both you and your customer - highlighting you have the right cover in place will give your client peace of mind. To make it easier, we've developed an "insured by Rhino" badge which any of our policyholders can display. If you're a Rhino customer, feel free to download or install your badge in any of the places suggested.

We're here to support tradespeople and work with them daily. We understand to challenges of this industry and have developed insurance policies specifically for people working in the trades. To learn more, give us a call on 0116 243 7904 or use our contact form.