Getting customers
How to find customers as a tradesperson
The methods that work for finding steady customers as a tradesperson or service professional, and how to combine them.
Plumber, electrician, roofer, gardener, locksmith, coach or repair technician: when you work for yourself, the hardest part is often getting a steady flow of requests. Here are the main sources of customers, what they bring and how to combine them.
1. Word of mouth
This is the most reliable source: a happy customer recommends others. To encourage it:
- simply ask satisfied customers to talk about you;
- leave a card or a message with your details at the end of the job;
- stay reachable: a missed call is often a lost customer.
Its limit: it is slow to get going and hard to predict.
2. Being found on Google
When someone has a leak, a breakdown or a project, they usually search on their phone: "plumber + city", "emergency electrician" and so on. Showing up for these searches brings customers with an immediate need. That requires:
- a complete, up-to-date Google business profile;
- a clear, fast website that ranks well for your trade and your area;
- regular customer reviews.
We cover these points in our guide to being visible on Google in your city.
3. Being recommended by AI assistants
More and more people ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity directly "which tradesperson should I call". These assistants rely on well-ranked websites and clear information. See how to get recommended by ChatGPT.
4. Lead platforms
They sell quote requests. They are quick to get started with, but the same request is often sent to several businesses: you have to be the fastest or the cheapest. We compare this model with an exclusive site in shared leads or an exclusive site.
5. Social media and local groups
Showing your work in photos, answering in neighbourhood groups and sharing customer reviews helps people get to know you. It works well for your image, less so for urgent needs.
6. Partnerships
A plumber can work with a tiler, an electrician with a kitchen fitter, a gardener with an estate agent. Swapping recommendations with neighbouring trades brings customers who already trust you.
How to combine these sources
The strongest approach is to have one steady source that brings requests every week, and to add word of mouth and partnerships on top. For most service trades, that steady source is visibility on Google and AI assistants, because that is where customers search at the moment they need you.
Whatever the source, what makes the difference is how you respond: see how to turn a request into a customer.
The RankoWeb solution
RankoWeb builds websites that rank well on Google and ChatGPT, by trade and by area. Each site is rented to a single professional, exclusively: calls, WhatsApp messages and forms come straight to you. The first 30 days are free.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to find customers quickly?
Show up in Google searches for your trade in your area, because those people have an immediate need. Answering calls quickly then makes the difference.
Are quote platforms worth it?
They help you get started, but requests are often shared between several businesses. Compare the cost per customer you actually win.
Do I need to be on social media?
It is useful for showing your work and your reliability, but rarely enough for urgent needs.
Keep reading
Renting a website that brings customers: rank and rent explained How renting an already-ranked site that brings calls works, what to check before renting and how it compares with having your own site. Shared leads or an exclusive website: which to choose? Buying shared leads or receiving prospects exclusively: how each works, the hidden costs and how to choose. Turning a prospect into a customer: 7 good habits Call back fast, ask the right questions, send a clear quote, follow up: the habits that turn more prospects into customers.