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In this guide, I'll show you the exact pattern I'm seeing across tradie businesses doing $500K+ — and the proven tradie business coaching strategies that get leads flowing consistently again. Whether you're struggling with how to get tradie leads or your sales process is costing you clients, this is for you.
The Pattern I'm Seeing Everywhere in Tradie Business Marketing
Business is slow. And while everyone's quick to blame the economy, that's only part of the story.
The real issue? Most tradie businesses haven't been marketing consistently.I know what you're thinking: "But we post on social media when things get quiet!" And that's exactly the problem with most tradie marketing strategies.
This inconsistency is a bane of my existence working in tradie business coaching. Instead of recognising that we need a consistent, reliable tradie marketing strategy going constantly to get the best work all the time, people wait for the feast or famine scenario to happen.
The Feast or Famine Trap (Why Your Tradie Business Is Slow)
Here's the cycle I see happening over and over again with tradie businesses:
When work is flowing in:
- Your tradie business marketing stops or slows right down
- Social media goes quiet
- You're both focused on getting the jobs done
- "The work's always been there, it'll probably always be there"
When your tradie business is slow:
- Panic sets in
- Marketing suddenly ramps up
- Social media activity increases
- You're scrambling to get quotes out
Tradie business owners tend to live in this complacent state where they assume the work will always be there. But it's just not the case anymore.
But here's the brutal truth: By the time you panic about how to get tradie leads, it's already too late.
The levers for tradie business marketing need to be pulled weeks — sometimes months — in advance for people to make decisions about investing in trade services. It isn't usually something done on a whim unless it's maintenance or emergency work.
What's Actually Happening in Your Market Right Now
Our markets are getting much more finicky about what they're buying and when they're buying. This is critical to understand when developing your tradie marketing strategy.
Just this morning, I had a conversation with another fishing charter guide (yes, Jason and I run a fishing charter business too — I live this stuff). He messaged me asking if I'd gotten an inquiry from a woman on the "I Love Darwin" page about getting a charter.
We had a conversation about the fact that people are shopping around for pricing and best value for money. People are sacrificing their time right now to do more research to get what their perceived value for money is.
So if you aren't out there putting forward why you are value for money through a good tradie sales process once that lead comes in? You're just burning opportunity.
And I see this too often where business owners get complacent. They decide "I don't feel like responding to that quote" or "I'm not doing this or that" because they don't have a process or system, or they just can't be bothered.
This is exactly why effective tradie business coaching focuses so heavily on systems and processes — not just motivation.
The Real Problem: Your Tradie Sales Process (Or Lack Of One)
Last night on our 200K Tradie program, I taught the first five steps of the Ladies with Tradies 11-step tradie sales process. Those five steps alone took over an hour to cover.
And what I discovered through those conversations? A lot of people are just going on a whim.
There's no structure. No process. No checklist. No positioning for the clients. No clarity.
But here's what that costs you when figuring out how to get tradie leads:
If you haven't got structure in your tradie sales process and consistency, how do you know what's truly happening with your conversion rate?
If you do one thing differently for Beryl Smith than you do for Frank over there, you have no way of knowing what actually worked well. There's got to be consistency and reliability in your process so you can measure your true conversion rate.
And everyone — and I mean everyone — overestimates their conversion rate. Oh my lord, they overestimate it. They think they're getting more work than they actually are.
The great thing about that for us in tradie business coaching? When we help you get the right work at the right price with a proper system, it's like Christmas time. The difference is that dramatic.
What a Good Tradie Sales Process Actually Looks Like
A good tradie sales process has some key ingredients. Here's one that might surprise you:
It's a deselection process, not a selection process.
We say the same about recruitment at Ladies with Tradies. You don't want clients to feel like you're begging them for work right now. That you're prepared to drop your pants to get their business. That's not the kind of client you want.
Just like that fishing guide and I were talking about this morning: the clients who really want to haggle on price tend to be real pains in the ass.
So you've got to be careful right now. If you're having a reduction in leads and wondering how to get tradie leads consistently, your tradie sales process is the thing that has to be better.
You have to get better at:
- Positioning the way you work with your client
- Explaining everything and why the price is the price
- Not just flicking off a quote and saying "there's the price, that's it"
- Nurturing that client without being desperate
And if there's a point where their level of investment or timeframe isn't realistic? You walk away.
You do not adapt, bend, and fold to deliver what they want. You protect your business and make sure you're only selling the work you want. This is a core principle we teach in our tradie business coaching programs.
The Solution: How to Get Tradie Leads Consistently
Here's what needs to happen if you want to stop the feast or famine cycle and stop wondering why your tradie business is slow:
1. Consistent Tradie Business Marketing
Not just when things get quiet. All. The. Time.
You need a consistent, reliable tradie marketing strategy that's going constantly so you get the best work all the time. Once the lead comes in, you've got to be ready and able to respond to those leads, especially when it's the work you want.
2. Structured Tradie Sales Process
You need consistency and reliability in your tradie sales process so you can measure your true conversion rate and know what's actually working.
So these things are super important, and I promise you right now they will make all of the difference — even if you're not the cheapest. Because we don't want to be the cheapest. I don't want to work with people who want to be the cheapest. There is no need to be the cheapest.
3. Better Positioning Through Tradie Business Coaching
You don't need to be the cheapest to win at how to get tradie leads. You need to be better at explaining your value through your tradie sales process.
You need to nurture that client and work with them without being desperate. You need to protect your business and make sure you're only selling the work you want.
What This Tradie Business Coaching Looks Like in Practice
On our 200K Tradie program, we meet every Wednesday night at 8pm Vic/NSW time to work through exactly this stuff.
Next week we're doing finance coaching — all about Tools4Profit. We'll be talking about pricing, money mindset, and how you sell at a certain price.
This is the sort of tradie business coaching we work through with the group. These are the conversations we're having: What's going on in the market right now and how we have to adjust and tailor the way we work to respond to what's happening in our industry.
Because the truth is, your tradie business might feel slow right now. But the businesses that have consistent tradie business marketing and solid tradie sales processes? They're still getting plenty of work.
The difference isn't the economy. It's the system.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tradie Business Marketing & Sales
Why is my tradie business slow right now?
Most tradie businesses experience slowdowns due to inconsistent tradie business marketing and weak tradie sales processes, not just economic factors. When you only market during quiet periods, you're always playing catch-up. The levers for marketing need to be pulled weeks or months in advance.
How often should I be marketing my tradie business?
Consistently, all the time. Your tradie marketing strategy should be constant and reliable, not something you only do when work dries up. This is one of the first things we address in tradie business coaching — building sustainable marketing habits.
What's the biggest mistake tradies make with their sales process?
Not having a structured tradie sales process at all. When you approach each quote differently, you can't measure what works or improve your conversion rate. You're also likely overestimating your conversion rate, which means you don't realize how much opportunity you're losing.
How can I get more tradie leads when work is slow?
Focus on two things: consistent tradie business marketing (not just when it's quiet) and a solid tradie sales process that positions your value, not just your price. Remember, it's a deselection process — you want to attract the right clients, not just any clients.
Do I need to be the cheapest to win tradie leads?
Absolutely not. With the right tradie sales process, you can win work at premium prices. It's about better positioning, explaining everything clearly, nurturing the client without being desperate, and knowing when to walk away from clients who aren't the right fit.
What should a good tradie marketing strategy include?
A good tradie marketing strategy includes consistent presence where your ideal clients are looking, clear messaging about your value (not just price), a system for responding quickly to leads, and a structured tradie sales process that converts inquiries into the right kind of work.
Is tradie business coaching worth the investment?
If your tradie business is doing $500K+ but you're exhausted, stuck in feast-or-famine cycles, and struggling with inconsistent cash flow, then yes. Tradie business coaching provides the systems, strategies, and accountability to transform how your business operates — and how you get paid.
Ready to Fix Your Tradie Business Marketing & Sales?
If you're running a tradie business doing $500K+ and you're tired of the feast or famine cycle, wondering how to get tradie leads consistently, it's time to get real support.
Book a call with Kate and let's talk about what's actually happening in your business right now.
Whether you need intensive one-on-one tradie business coaching or our Powerpass coaching program, we'll work with you to build a tradie marketing strategy that's consistent, a tradie sales process that converts, and systems that actually work for your business.
This isn't about generic advice. It's about looking at your specific situation — where the bottlenecks are, what's costing you money, and how to fix it fast.
On the call, we'll:
- Look at what's really causing the feast or famine cycle in your business
- Identify gaps in your tradie sales process and marketing
- Map out exactly what needs to change to get consistent leads
- Determine if one-on-one coaching or PowerPass is the right fit for you
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about how to get your tradie business — and your life — back on track.
Or drop us a message below and we'll be in touch to get you sorted.
Let's get you off this rollercoaster and onto solid ground with a tradie marketing strategy and sales system that actually works.
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