3 ways tradies can link up and better promote each other's firms

Trust is something that when broken, is extremely difficult to restore. When you attach money and livelihoods into this mix, what brews underneath is something you don't necessarily want stewing to the surface.

As a tradesman finding someone who defies this and who you can rely on is like striking gold after years of exploration.

In this thought-provoking blog entry, we examine 3 ways to get workers who sing your praises, which are:

• locating your operational facilities near to other trade-based businesses
• attending professional based seminars with interconnected professionals
• joining networking organisations where there is a mix of skill sets in the room

The advantages of situating your business in a location where many trades are are immense. You instantly open yourself up to having direct access to a range of professions that will be able to support (and help expand your operations). It means that if you network in the right way, and make your presence known, you might get selected for projects or delegated work which better sits in your hands.

Already we have seen the emergence of coworking spaces like Spaces and WeWork, however when it comes to this sector start to think of 'industrial spaces'. These are open plan environments which house multiple workshops pivoted around core building materials like wood, stone and metal. Equipped with top-notch equipment, they also give access to tools and professional operators which might otherwise come at a hefty price. The aim is that through a collective pooling of models, you'll be able to reduce time and expenditure on tasks that may take longer to complete using the resources you possess. One such company pioneering the aforementioned is Able Trade situated in Knoxville, Tennessee (USA), who some have described as providing the gym membership for tradespeople. On the flipside is the idea of inviting skilled trades to have a presence in what is deemed the more typical workspace filled with tech entrepreneurs, digital startups and design-led professionals.

If the above option isn't feasible, then learning of interrelated businesses in and around your locale, and formally reaching out to them will help you build sustainable relationships over time. It would help if you were happy to share your latest works with them and highlight where having access to their skills may have worked to your advantage. Continuously press this activity because new businesses are emerging by the day. You, therefore, want to leave a lasting impact in the minds of these owners.

When promoting your ability to work with local trades, you could record a webinar that you syndicate for individuals unable to attend. As much as you are building your connections, you want to ensure you are making the right ones. Admittedly, you will meet persons via multiple avenues, but those invested in your vision will always deliver the best results. Another action which shouldn't get skipped is a solutions-based landing page which invites supporting trades to sign up and work alongside you. Here is where you can include FAQs, case studies, testimonials and useful statistics to persuade these partners to sign up.

One of the most potent ways you can open yourself up to future projects is by meeting with partners you'll depend on in coming years. In this type of forum, you will be hearing about future industry direction from the sector's leading influencers. These stand as great conversation starters with your fellow tradespersons present. In these instances, you should smartly mould the discussions to mention what you do. It should also coincide with the disciplines you may call on to help you reach your desired destination.

If a list of the attendees is made available before the event itself, you should reach out to these persons and arrange as many meetings as possible during the breakout periods. It is the most solid weapon you have in your toolbox, and if you are going to use it, research the organisation and ways in which you'd like to adjoin your services. You should position part of the conversation to invite these firms to be added to your preferred suppliers/referees. With an opening gesture of this nature, you only stand to enhance your dialogue as you drill down to the fundamental reasons why you may need them.

Another set of people you might embark upon within a seminar are startups and tech entrepreneurs who are new entrants to the market. They'll often be presenting a recent innovation that they hope will receive massive industry take-up at some point. These are persons you shouldn't ignore, and if what they are giving is useful, trial it and try to lock in a favourable rate at the point of purchase.

There is no reason why you shouldn't host roundtable discussions and where common issues faced by fellow tradies get circulated. A problem shared is a problem solved, so why not pioneer a knowledge hub. For you, it's a chance to make essential links based on mutual understanding. With each upcoming event have multiple reminders sent out, and share various resources to help sell why it's worthwhile to be involved. If you're using a robust CRM, it should enable you to trigger an automation chain, so all these send-outs are handled in autopilot.

If you sit in a room where various skills sets are seated regularly, you will identify synergies and persons who can help grow your operations. In presenting yourself well and showing what you've worked on, it is these same individuals who'll call on you in their time of need. Better still, once you gain their trust and commitment, they'll keep you in mind when they know of others that can benefit from your services. We advise you to engage with this process because what you are tapping into is a workforce who'll hunt down projects on your behalf.

When deciding which networking groups might work for you, an option may be to go after those who only allow one profession per category. What this means is that you won't be competing with persons promoting the same service as you, allowing a higher level of seriousness gets placed upon your capabilities. It also enables you to be called upon by other tradesmen who have gaps in their projects that need filling. For the sake of examples, let's say your fitting a kitchen, and you need a sealant specialist, or after completing the install of garden shed you require a waste removal service, what you do here is expose many partners to what you do. When they see this and recognise your kindness, your name will naturally come to the fore when they are in similar scenarios. A group well known for this with a global presence is BNI (Business Network International), a franchise with circa 8,970+ chapters.

If physical meetings happen not to fit your current schedule, or your living under restrictions (such as the COVID 19 pandemic faced at this time of writing), make some gains by reverting to online platforms. As businesses do their best to survive, several creatives have come up with apps and leant on teleconferencing technologies to keep firms, owners and verticals connected. With the reduced strain of running around, you should look to this timesaving avenue to receive just as much acclaim. It also allows you to meet fellow members via the same methods. In going an extra step to get a well-structured platform, you can use a packages screen sharing options to exhibit your works and interact with others.

If neither suit you and you have a set of rules you'd rather play by, build your own. The structure doesn't need to be overly formal; it might merely be the case of sharing what you do with your nearest and dearest. Some of your most significant wins might be in front of you. However, it could be that you have got overly caught up with what you're doing and haven't found time to tell everyone who knows (and doesn't know) you about what you do. Just think the number of connections you'll have made throughout life, from school friends to former colleagues, social acquaintances to neighbours, and so much more. Why not compose a message about your operation, then share how they may help you going forward. In writing, invite those willing to catchup to a short call or meet up with you.

By no means is our list exhaustive, and we are sure there are hundreds of other ways to get trustworthy tradespeople representing your firm. If you have any ideas you'd like mentioned in our follow-up piece, please do head down to our comments section and leave your insights. Also, if you what you've read has been useful do let us know.

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