The Ultimate Guide to Making More Sales as A Maintenance Tradie Business Owner

This controversial strategy is not ideal for all tradie businesses out there.

Only keep reading if you’ve got guts.

(Everybody else, close this window now).

This step-by-step guide I’ve designed is for the determined, the passionate and the hungry.

For the tradies out there who want to transform their stale and cricket-chirping hustle into a booming maintenance business.

One that has a consistent stream of repeat customers just banging on your door, desperate to throw their money at you.

In fact, this is the exact guide my tradie business used to generate over 6 figures per month in revenue for a medium-sized maintenance business in Sydney.

So if you want more sales, more leads, and regular customers, then THIS is the strategy you need to achieve it.

And as side note, if you want to learn the proprietary system we’ve developed to maximise your sales in 7 steps (and only 7 steps), you’ll definitely need to check this out:

7-Step Sales System Unlocked

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Let’s get into why most tradie businesses start out with good intentions.

Only to FLOP within the first 12-24 months.

The “Tradie’s Dilemma”: Why 94% of Australian Maintenance Businesses Suffer a Slow & Painful Death

There is a MAJOR problem in most tradie businesses today.

It’s what we call the “Tradie’s Dilemma”.

Most tradies are technically brilliant at what they do.

But, for some reason, they are USELESS at selling.

A time and a half ago, a tradie could survive with a business card and a smile on their face.

But those days are dead.

And, unfortunately, having a great technical skillset will do absolutely nothing for your business if you cannot sell.

It’s why so many maintenance companies are finding themselves in a slow and painful demise.

The relentless pressures of competition from new entrants and technological obsolescence have created a perfect storm –

Making it harder and harder to survive.

Lucky for you, there’s hope yet.

8 Solid Steps You Can Use to Explode the Sales in Your Tradie Business

I hate to break it to you..

But there are no shortcuts or cheap tricks to exploding the sales in your business.

Growing your sales is a long-term game.

However.

With the right systems in place, and with the right tactics in your arsenal, you’ll do a whole lot better than most.

This is what I like to call…

The ‘eight solid steps’ of the trade of how to run a successful trades business.

1. Make customer service part of your psyche. Seriously, drill it in there really, really well.

Everybody emphasises the importance of customer service.

Not many people know how to do it well.

Every time a new customer reaches out to you, your team shouldn’t just be ‘friendly’ and ‘responsive’.

You have to take it up a notch.

You gotta be as friendly as a golden retriever puppy and reply faster than a pizza delivery with a guarantee.

Why? Because people remember this stuff.

David “Jim” Penman (the guy who founded Jim’s Mowing) described himself as being “thematically devoted” to his customers.

He said that poor service to customers was a ‘personal offence’. He said:

“Those who succeed have that emotional driver. They’re not after the money, it’s the service that really drives them.”

If you want your business to be as successful as Jim’s, you gotta adopt this kind of thinking.

Customer service leaves a lasting good impression on your brand.

Customers want quick responses to their needs and quality work that blows their previous experiences out of the water.

Basically, you’ll need to train yourself and your team to be customer satisfaction ninjas.

So they come to you.

Every.

Single.

Time.

Once a job is confirmed, make sure your service provider, whether it’s you or someone else from your team, shows up at the site looking spick and span in a clean uniform, armed with all the necessary tools (and wearing plenty of deodorant – seriously, most trades stink).

Once you’ve mastered this, you can watch your sales soar higher than a leaky tap’s water bill (a lot, I know).

If you want to access to our proprietary system we’ve developed to maximise your sales in 7 steps (hint – customer service plays a big part), you’ll need to read more right here:

7-Step Sales System Unlocked

2. Invest in organic content marketing so you’re in the faces of your customers. All. The Time.

Most businesses’ online ads fail for one simple reason.

They’re asking their customers out on a date too early.

In other words, they’re trying to push the “hard sell” on their customers without generating any sort of interest first.

How do you create interest?

Content.

Content branding for tradies is absolutely critical in today’s market,

Your staff dancing with wrenches and plumbing equipment on TikTok.

Your customers’ dogs dressed up in a sparkie’s uniform, fixing a lightbulb on Instagram.

Your most good-looking male staff member wearing a bra, raising money for breast cancer on YouTube shorts.

Sceptical?

Don’t be.

This is the stuff that gets people engaged.

That gets people laughing. Talking.

Recognising that your business isn’t boring – but relatable.

And, eventually it’s what gets people…

Buying.

Check out some of the content that our customers’ have created on their social media:

Here, our client didn’t just install a hot shower - they installed a memory. And then they told the world about it.

Here, our client shared an exciting story on their social media about their encounter with bees to connect with their community through a behind-the-scenes snapshot.

Here, our client partnered with Boxing Champion Tim Tszyu to excite their audience into participating in a giveaway.

And check out some more:

Here, our client recorded a mini walkthrough of their water filtration installation service to educate their audience about tap water quality and encourage them to opt for a more eco-friendly solution.

Here, our client partnered with their favourite local cafe using branded coffee cups to showcase their community roots and local reliability.

Within their first 6-months, one of our clients went from $35K in sales per month to $60K in sales per month, and they attribute that directly to a content marketing strategy that made their company stand out like a cow in a pig paddock.

3. Stay consistent. Be consistent. Remain consistent. Consistent. Consistent. (Did we mention consistent?). We can’t stress this enough.

Businesses (for some reason) struggle with this.

A tradie company whose branding is inconsistent, is unclear in their messaging, who only does “the odd Facebook post once a year”, or just spurts out random content that comes to their mind will go nowhere.

Sound a little familiar?

We thought so.

It is consistency that is the unsung hero of success.

You should think of your brand as your uniform.

Here’s an example of a client who has MASTERED the art of consistent branding (notice how the purple is a distinct part of their brand):

You wouldn’t show up to a job with weird coloured clothing that doesn’t match. Your marketing presence should be seamless.

Why are we stressing this?

Because consistency sticks into people’s brains.

They are much more likely to remember consistent messages, rather than a message that is confusing and all over the place.

Everything should align - your website, social media, quotes and business cards.

Give them a consistent look and feel.

Your business is worth it.

4. Create some irresistible Unique Selling Points – in other words, craft your “Godfather Offer”.

Why are you different from anybody else?

You’re not, aren’t you?

You’re just running the same tradie business as everyone else, doing exactly the same stuff, deploying exactly the same skillset.

Right?

..

Wrong.

You are different.

Sure, you may be offering the same service as others. Maybe your competitors are even better.

Why are you different?

You’re different because you have unique selling points and an irresistible offer that nobody else has.

Maybe that offer is based on price.

Maybe it’s based on service.

Maybe it’s based on your branding.

Whatever it is – it’s that thing that makes you different. That offer that your dream customers just can’t refuse.

Here are some examples of unique selling points we helped our clients develop:

• Commitment to quality and efficiency: this client ensured tasks were completed correctly the first time.
• Same-day service: this client guaranteed quick service to minimize inconvenience and downtime for customers.
• Family-owned and operated: emphasizing trust, personalized care, and the values of a family-run business.
• 24/7 emergency response: offering round-the-clock service for urgent repairs, emphasizing reliability and availability
• Lifetime guarantee on workmanship: showcasing confidence in the quality of work and level of technical expertise.
• Exclusive memberships and benefits: offering membership programs with perks such as priority services, rewards, and bundled offers.
• Drainage specialists: highlighting knowledgeable service in a critical area of maintenance that a general plumber may not handle with the same level of expertise.

5. Keep your competitors close. Real close.

As you well know, there are dozens of different tradie types.

Everyone from electricians and plumbers to bricklayers and builders.

And guess what?

You all need each other.

There is no point treating them like the enemy.

I’m serious.

The days of shark eat shark, dog eat dog (despite what others say) are over.

Let’s say one of your clients wants to build their dream home.

Well, there’s a whole league of experts needed to create a dream home.

There’s plenty of them: suppliers, utility experts, architects, designers, realtors and of course, the tradespeople—the real MVPs.

With 30% of experienced professionals aged 45 and above making room for the emerging 40% in the 25-44 bracket, the industry is undergoing a natural shift.

Now obviously while healthy competition can drive improvement, collaboration presents an opportunity for collective success.

Competing in business can be a catalyst for progress, often driven by a fear of underperformance and individualistic goals.

But …

Collaboration diminishes ego, promotes positivity, and encourages teamwork and creative problem-solving.

Collaboration isn’t only a strategic business move.

It’s a means to build a supportive and innovative community.

6. Understand your buyers’ objections – and CRUSH them.

Objections are “reasons why somebody does not want to buy from you”.

A lot of novice and experienced business owners see objections as a curse.

They are scared of objections.

They turn a blind eye to objections.

Because objections make them FEEL bad.

But here’s the thing…

Objections are a good thing.

When someone objects, it actually means they are considering to buy from you and they just want to ensure that they are making the right decision.

And so..

It is critical to handle objections without emotion.

The moment you become emotional is the moment you lose the sale.

Ask your buyers:

• “Why do you feel that way?
• “Why do you say that?
• ‘Compared to what?”

Listen to their answers to these questions…

Address them appropriately so you can close the sale.

7. Repeat customers. Make them your focus.

It can feel nice having something “new and shiny”.

Which is why SO many businesses focus on pleasing new customers ..

At the expense of their current customers.

Little do they realise…

Repeat customers are their GOLD MINE.

Repeat customers spend 67% more money than new ones.

Repeat customers are EASIER to sell to (because they already know you).

Repeat customers refer 50% more people than one-time buyers.

And, on average, increasing customer retention by 5%...

Can BOOST your profits by 75%.

And no..

These are NOT numbers we’ve made up.

There are PLENTY of ways you can market to your current customer base that can EXPLODE your sales.

• Have periodic check-ins with current customers to assess their needs – this shows them that you care about them.

• Create a loyalty program where customers earn rewards or discounts for repeat business.

• Encourage current customers to refer friends and family by offering incentives.

• Share informative content about home maintenance tips through newsletters or social media, positioning your business as a valuable resource.

• Offer priority scheduling for regular customers, ensuring prompt service when they require assistance.

8. Learn how to close the deal. Every single time.

I hate it to disappoint you, buttercup.

It doesn’t matter how well you generate leads…

Or how consistent your branding is...

Or how well you handle your objections…

NONE of it matters if you can’t close deals.

Most tradies completely freak out because they feel awkward asking money for their service.

So what should you say to CLOSE the sale?

I’ll tell you..

Nothing.

The Silent Close is the simplest and most powerful closing technique to learn.

To perform the Silent Close, you present your suggested options to your customer…

And then deliberately stop talking.

Why does this work?

Because they need time and space to digest what needs to be done and why.

People are naturally uncomfortable with silence, and feel the heat to make that decision to seal the deal.

If you break the silence (say, because you are nervous), your customer will sense an opportunity to procrastinate, come up with an objection or ask for concessions in the deals (like discounts).

Don’t give them that opportunity.

Real life example: We taught some of our newest clients to execute the Silent Close technique perfectly, and all were able to significantly increase their average ticket sales.

Here are the results:

This is real and happening right now.

It’s time for you to stop sitting on the sidelines and join them.

Now You Try It

Every tradie business is built on consistent branding and a winning sales strategy.

But handing out business cards, putting out an ad, then hoping and praying for sales isn’t a scalable strategy.

Sure, it can work – if you’re willing to wait years and only enjoy growth at a snail’s pace.

But we found a MUCH more SCALABLE solution.

We’ve taken these eight “tips”, some other knowledge gained from experience, and created our own proprietary system.

We called it the 7-Step Sales System.

With this strategy you can transform your tradie hustle into a maintenance empire.

That will get your sales EXPLODING in a way that you have never experienced before.

To get started, read more about the strategy here:

7-Step Sales System Unlocked