Starting a trade business: getting your first customers
Going self-employed in a trade is exciting and a little terrifying. You have the skills; what you do not yet have is a stream of customers. The first few months are about getting the first jobs in, doing them brilliantly, and turning each one into proof that brings in the next.
Tell everyone you know
Your first customers will almost certainly come from people who already know you: family, friends, neighbours, old colleagues and their contacts. Tell them clearly what you do, where you work and how to reach you. Ask them to pass your number on. It feels awkward, but it is how most trade businesses start.
Get found when people search
Set up a Google Business Profile as soon as you start, with the right category, your service area, opening hours and photos of your work, even if the first photos are from previous jobs you did for an employer, with permission. Add a simple website that says what you do, where, and how to get in touch. When someone hears your name, they will search for you; make sure they find something reassuring.
Collect reviews from the very first job
Reviews are what new customers trust most, and you start with none. Ask every customer, including friends and family you have genuinely worked for, to leave an honest Google review the day you finish. Ten real reviews make a new business look established.
Photograph everything
Take before, during and after photos of every job from day one. They fill your website and profile, show your standard, and give you something to post. A portfolio built in your first year is one of the most valuable things you will own.
Look established from day one
A business name, a consistent logo, a proper email address, sign-written van, insurance in place and clear written quotes all say you are here to stay. Customers worry about choosing someone who will vanish; looking organised removes that worry.
Be careful with lead platforms
Paid lead sites can bring early work, but you pay per lead and often compete on price. They can help fill the diary while you build up, but put just as much effort into your own profile, website and reviews, which keep working for you without a fee per job.
Common questions
- Do I need a website when starting out?
- It helps a lot. A simple site with your services, area, photos and contact details makes you look established and lets people check you out after hearing your name.
- How do I get reviews with no customers yet?
- Ask everyone you have genuinely done work for, including early jobs for friends and family, to leave an honest review. Never write or buy reviews.
- Should I use Checkatrade or similar sites?
- They can help fill gaps early on, but compare the cost with the work they bring, and build your own profile and website alongside them.
If you would rather somebody just did it
I build websites for self-employed tradesmen and small businesses across the UK: £249.99 to build, then £49.99 a month to host, maintain and update it. The sites I have built show on page one of Google for 103 searches between them, in Search Console.