Tradies : Here’s How Tradies Should Present Themselves

Tradies : When you think of tradies, well-tailored formalwear rarely comes to mind. Instead, picture high-vis and tired hands. 

But while weathered clothes and battle scars are synonymous with ‘working on the site’, it turns out presentation still plays a huge part in how your customers will perceive you.

Whether you’re starting a new business or you’re a seasoned veteran looking to grow your trade, here’s how you can go from part-time handyman to professional tradie. 

Firstly, you need to give your business a polished look to show customers that you don’t skip any steps. Consider how your brand looks – is the branding clear? Is your website easy to follow and user friendly? It’s important to make sure that the imaging is neat and clean. Your contact details should also be easily accessible and it’s worthwhile doing a social media audit to make sure customers don’t see your eventful Saturday nights. 

“If they look good online, we have higher expectations of the professionalism of their work and probably, their price,” says Smallfish tradesman business coach, Jon Dale. 

“As people, we correlate the effort someone (or a business) puts into their appearance with the effort we expect them to put into their work.”

Next, how do you conduct yourself? Just because you’re not in an office, it doesn’t mean you should be too casual over the phone. When you’re answering calls or emails, remember that you’re offering a service and that you need to convince customers you’re the right person for the job.

When customers think about how likely they are to recommend you to a friend, it’s not just whether you got the job done or not. Every facet of your business is likely to affect their perception of you. 

Consider more mundane processes like how payment was conducted, your staff culture and the equipment you use. If a pair of tradies turn up and start bickering, there’s a good chance the customer is going to call someone else next time. 

Little details go a long way, like sending a thank you email to a happy customer or offering discounted services for loyal clients. 

At the end of the day, while you might not work in a corporate office, that’s no reason to ditch the professional standards. Remember, clients are observing every part of your business from quality of work to how pleasant the exchange was. 

Looking to upskill? Get started with Qualify Me!.