Most tradies in New South Wales spend a lot of time working on jobs and travelling to the next location, leaving little time to spend on sourcing customers and marketing their services online with most tradespeople relying on word-of-mouth referrals to grow their business.
If you’re looking to expand your business, you need to take an active approach in the locality to consistently have leads coming your way. With more consumers turning to the internet to find tradies in New South Wales, it can be a mistake not to have your business listed on online service directories even if you have a website and are active on social media.
To get your trade business in front of prospective clients, you need to have a presence on online directories and one of the most successful service directories for tradies in New South Wales is Hipages which offers a simple yet effective way to source new customers in your local area.
The experts at LeVeon want to discuss the best strategies for success with Hipages for tradies and offer some tips on getting started.
What is Hipages?
Hipages is one of the most popular online service directories in New South Wales for both tradies and customers. The platform works by matching service professionals with potential customers so they can then offer a quote for their services. Customers can also leave feedback to evaluate the quality of your work and service provided.
Benefits of Hipages for Tradies
When customers are looking for a builder, electrician, plumber, roofer or any other kind of trade, they will likely search online. Potential customers want to check reviews to find out if you’re reliable. They also expect to receive a fast quote and to know if you’re capable of undertaking the job.
Hipages offers many features that make it easy for both customers and tradies to connect. Below are some of the biggest benefits of using Hipages.
Trusted online presence
Hipages allows potential customers to find out what services you offer and let existing customers review the work you’ve done. Each business has its own profile on the site that includes details of your location, the jobs you have completed and a list of recommendations from happy customers.
Easy to communicate with customers
Hipages makes it easier for your business to get more done by allowing you to easily engage with customers. The platform allows you to let customers know when you will be in contact with them, message them directly through a contact centre or directly give them a call.
Fast and secure payments
Hipages makes payments easy for both the customer and tradies. The payment feature is free and offers customers fast and secure payment options. You have the ability to choose which payment methods you accept including credit cards and voucher payments. You will also be able to track the status of payments and send automatic reminders for outstanding balances.
Showcase your recommendations and ratings
Customers rely on recommendations to make informed decisions before committing to your service – not just business descriptions written on your page. This is why Hipages’ reviews section is an integral part of the platform and plays a crucial role in gaining the trust of potential customers.
Best strategies for success with Hipages for tradies
Being listed in an online service directory may make it easier for local customers to find you but you will still need a strategy for expanding your client base.
Let’s take a look at some of the best strategies for making your Hipages’ tradie profile a success.
Build a professional profile
When it comes to writing your profile, always ensure that you communicate as much as possible about your business and services.
Make sure you clearly describe what services you provide and why customers should choose to work with your business. It’s important that your profile is error-free; spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and confusing text could be off-putting to potential customers.
Check your profile regularly
Attracting customers isn’t only about the content on your profile. Make sure to stay active online and answer any questions customers may have. When interacting with customers you should remain professional to give them a good impression of your business. Even if the customer decides not to avail of your services, you should remain courteous at all times.
Use high-quality photos
When it comes to attracting customers online, you should never underestimate the impact of using high-quality images. The photos you upload to your Hipage profile should be clear and appropriate for the type of service you are offering.
Follow these four rules to ensure your Hipage profile images are suitable:
- Do not use low quality or blurry images
- Do not use stock photos
- Make sure you use photos that are not warped or stretched
- Make sure the images reflect the quality of your service
Think about customer satisfaction
People usually make purchasing decisions based on what they read from other customers so they rely on ratings and reviews about service listings.
If customers are satisfied with the service you have provided, chances are they will recommend you on Hipages. You should focus on providing the best possible service to your customers every time to help you stand out from other tradies competing for similar jobs.
Don’t give up
The competition on online directories can be steep because it’s easy for anyone to launch a profile. But with some consistent effort and planning to build up your rating score and reviews, you will have a Hipage profile that stands out and attracts more customers for your business.
How to get started
Hipages is simple to use. To set up your tradie profile all you need to do is complete an online form. A team member will then contact you to ask a few basic questions about your services. Then, once your profile is live, you will begin to get matches for suitable projects.
To date, over two million Australians have used the online service directory to find, hire and manage trusted tradies to get their home projects done, so why not give it a try!
Contact LeVeon to see how we can improve your business
If your business is struggling to generate profits, having constant cash flow pressures or you are working way too many hours, give our expert team a call on 0488 008 259 to see how we can maximise the return on your work.