Advertising doesn't have to mean a monthly contract with a marketing agency. For most local trades, work comes from being easy to find and easy to recommend. Here's where we'd put a small budget, roughly from cheapest to dearest, and how to tell whether it's paying off.
Do the free things first
Before you spend anything, set up a Google Business Profile (as a service-area business if you work from home, so your address stays hidden), add Bing Places and Apple Business Connect, and ask every happy customer for a review. These cost nothing and they're what most people see when they search for a trade near them. Our guide to free ways to get tradie leads goes through them one by one.
Your ute is an ad
Signage is a one-off cost that works every day you drive or park on a job. Keep it simple: your business name, trade, phone or website, and your licence number if your state requires it. If people can't read it from across the street, it's too busy.
Print that still works locally
- Cards and fridge magnets. Leave one on every job. People keep a magnet for years and pass cards to neighbours.
- Letterbox drops near current jobs. The neighbours have already seen your ute. A short flyer in the same street gives them a way to call you.
- Community newsletters, club and school bulletins. In country towns especially, the local paper or newsletter is read cover to cover and ads are usually cheap.
- Noticeboards. Hardware stores, supermarkets, post offices and community halls often have one. Ask before you pin anything up.
- Local sponsorship. A sign at the footy or netball club is cheap goodwill in a small town, and people like to hire someone who backs the local team.
Small online ads with a tight radius
Facebook and Instagram ads can be run on a small daily budget and limited to the suburbs or towns you actually work in. Before-and-after photos of real jobs tend to do better than stock images. Run one ad for a week or two, then look at how many calls or messages it brought in, not how many likes.
Google Ads can bring calls quickly, but clicks in busy city trades can get expensive. If you try it, set a daily cap, target only your service area and check the search terms report so you aren't paying for searches you don't want.
Directory and lead sites
Free directory listings cost nothing but time. Flat-fee listings, like Find My Tradie at $19 a month, give you a profile page with no per-lead charges. Lead marketplaces cost more but can deliver jobs faster. See how tradie sites charge before you sign anything with a minimum term.
Work out what each job costs you to win
Ask every new customer how they found you and write it down. After a couple of months, add up what you spent on each source and divide it by the jobs it brought in. For example, if a letterbox drop costs $150 and brings two jobs, it cost $75 to win each one. Keep what works and drop the rest.
A few rules to keep in mind
- Licence numbers. Some states require your licence number on advertising for licensed work. Check with your state regulator.
- SMS and email. The Spam Act applies to marketing messages. Say who you are, include a way to opt out, and only message people who have agreed to hear from you or whose address is published for business enquiries.
- Honest claims. Under the Australian Consumer Law, ads can't be misleading. Don't use fake reviews or make claims you can't back up.
List your business for $19 a month
One flat price, inc GST. Your own profile page, shown to people searching for your trade in the suburbs you cover.
- $19/month inc GST, billed monthly by direct debit
- No lock-in, no setup fee, cancel any time by email
- No lead fees, no commission, no paying per quote
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to advertise as a tradie?
The free options come first: a Google Business Profile, Bing and Apple listings, reviews and referrals. After that, one-off costs like ute signage, cards and magnets are cheap because you only pay once.
Are Facebook ads worth it for tradies?
They can be, especially for trades with visual before-and-after results. Start with a small daily budget, target only the areas you work in, and judge the ad on calls and messages rather than likes.
Do I need my licence number on my ads?
In some states, yes, for licensed work. The rules differ by state and trade, so check with your state regulator.
Is Find My Tradie free?
No. A listing is $19 a month including GST, with no lock-in, setup fee or lead fees. Searching is free for homeowners.
General information only, not legal, financial or marketing advice. Prices and terms of other services are as published on their own websites on the date shown and can change, so check them directly.