How to Build a Thriving Trades Business: 6 Secrets of Highly Successful Tradesmen

I have met literally hundreds of tradespeople in the UK in the course of advertising them on our local information Keep Me Cards, and it never ceases to amaze me that there is such a huge difference in the level of success between two individual business owners with comparable years and levels of experience.

Are you running a trades business and wondered some tradesmen doing the same thing as you are much more financially successful?

You have a choice. You can work the same hours as you do now, and make more money, you can do less hours and make the same money. And of course, you could make lots of money!

The difference often comes down to a few key business strategies and as importantly, it's a state of mind - some people really want to be successful and others don't.

Here are six powerful ways to take your business to the next level and ensure you're always in demand, and more importantly, more profitable:

1. Make It Easy for Customers to Find You, Never Stop Marketing - Create More Demand.

If customers can’t find you, they can’t book you! Successful tradesmen are visible everywhere—on Google, social media, local directories and print advertising. The number one priority of every business owner is getting more customers.

Have you heard the expression: "Build it and they will come"? No they won't. Over 95% of websites are not built to be optimised on Google Search. Try it for yourself. Whatever trade you are in try googling it, e.g. "plumbers near me". Are you there on the first page? I guessed not!

One expression we have all heard of is: "supply and demand". When you have more demand in your business than supply, then you can safely raise your prices. You can cherry pick the jobs you want, where you want, and when you want.

🚀 Quick Wins:
✅ Set up or update your Google My Business listing - it's FREE!
✅ Ask happy customers to leave Google & Facebook reviews - it's FREE, just ask!
✅ Have a professional, mobile-friendly website

 ✅ Test as many Marketing Channels as you can - try the KEEP ME CARD it has worked since 1983!

💡 Action Step: Google your business right now—can customers find you easily? If not, it’s time to take action, test one new marketing channel.

2. Nail Your Pricing & Profits

 🔹 Are you charging what you're worth? If you charge by the hour, you'll never be really profitable.
🔹 Do your prices cover all costs, including materials, time, and profit? Ensure you know the cost of your marketing per new customer and add that to your costs.

Successful tradesmen know their numbers. They don’t just compete on price—they compete on quality, service, and reliability. If you undercharge, you’ll struggle to scale.

💡 Action Step: Take 30 minutes to review your pricing today. Are you making the profit you deserve?

3. Deliver Exceptional Customer Service

 🔹 Answer calls & messages quickly
🔹 Show up on time and communicate clearly
🔹 Follow up with customers after the job - ask happy customers for reviews.

Tradesmen who build strong relationships with customers get repeat business and referrals. A little extra effort goes a long way!

💡 Action Step: After your next job, send a quick text or email to thank the customer. It’s a simple way to stand out! Ask them for a review and use a Google Reviews Tap Card or send them and text or email with a link to your Google My Business Listing so they can leave a review.

4. Get Your Time & Schedule Under Control

Are you constantly juggling jobs or struggling to keep track of invoices? The best tradesmen are organised.

 📅 How to Save Time & Reduce Stress:
✅ Use a simple job management app to track bookings
✅ Schedule jobs efficiently to maximize your working hours
✅ Send invoices quickly to avoid payment delays

💡 Action Step: Try a free job scheduling app and see how much time it saves you!

5. Connect With Other Businesses.

Successful tradesmen connect with others—plumbers, electricians, builders, estate agents—so they can refer work to each other.

🚀 Ways to Grow Your Network:
✅ Join local business groups
✅ Partner with estate agents & property managers
✅ Attend networking events for trades & small businesses

💡 Action Step: Reach out to a local business today and introduce yourself—you never know where your next big job will come from!

6. Keep Learning & Adapting

The best tradesmen never stop improving. They stay updated on new tools, techniques, and industry trends to stay ahead of the competition.

💡 Action Step: Invest in one new tool, course, or piece of software this month that will help your business grow!

Take Your Trades Business to the Next Level!

Success in the trades industry isn’t about luck—it’s about smart business choices. By focusing on pricing, visibility, customer service, time management, networking, and continuous learning, you can build a thriving business that keeps you fully booked and much more profitable.

 🔹 Want more business tips? Subscribe to our updates!
🔹 Need help with marketing? We can get you more leads—let’s chat!

To find out more about how to make you trade business more profitable, fill out the form below for our FREE - "How To Grow Any Trade Business".