The way consumers find reputable tradespeople has changed beyond recognition over the last few decades.
NICEIC Media Team | Communications
Just a few decades ago, Britain’s electricians relied almost entirely on word of mouth – perhaps supplemented by an ad or two in the local paper – to gain more work and grow their business.
The rise of the internet changed all that. It gave consumers a way to find electrical businesses, compare them against one another, and publicly rate the service provided to help other consumers make informed decisions. Today, 68% of UK consumers turn to online reviews as their primary source for purchasing decisions, far surpassing recommendations from family and friends (24%) and brand advertising (18%).
With so many new forms of advertising to juggle, including social media, review platforms, and specialist online tradespeople directories, standing out from the crowd has never been more difficult.
It’s why we recently updated our Find a Trusted Tradesperson tool, which is designed to connect consumers with local NICEIC-certified businesses and reiterate the importance of using a certified tradesperson when carrying out electrical work in their homes.
Now, prospective customers can submit all the details of their electrical job and send their job request directly to local NICEIC-certified businesses. And, because it’s a benefit only reserved for our certified businesses, our tool helps cut through the competition by only linking customers with companies certified on one of NICEIC’s electrotechnical or renewables schemes.
Not only that, but we’re investing heavily in national marketing campaigns designed to drive customers to NICEIC’s tool. These activities are already connecting over 1,000 customers with NICEIC-certified businesses every single day.
Statistics show that today’s consumers use a complex network of social media platforms, review sites, online tradespeople directories, and friend and family recommendations when making purchasing decisions.
Here’s a few statistics to show you how beneficial it can be to have a strong online presence across the board:
Remember that whenever you post on your business page or comment on a post, it’s in the public domain for everyone to see – so make sure your posts and comments reflect well on your brand and show your business in a positive light
Find out more about the many and varied benefits of NICEIC certification.
The rise of the internet changed all that. It gave consumers a way to find electrical businesses, compare them against one another, and publicly rate the service provided to help other consumers make informed decisions. Today, 68% of UK consumers turn to online reviews as their primary source for purchasing decisions, far surpassing recommendations from family and friends (24%) and brand advertising (18%).
With so many new forms of advertising to juggle, including social media, review platforms, and specialist online tradespeople directories, standing out from the crowd has never been more difficult.
That’s why NICEIC is here to help
At NICEIC, we’re all about providing solutions that support your business and take some of the weight off your shoulders.It’s why we recently updated our Find a Trusted Tradesperson tool, which is designed to connect consumers with local NICEIC-certified businesses and reiterate the importance of using a certified tradesperson when carrying out electrical work in their homes.
Now, prospective customers can submit all the details of their electrical job and send their job request directly to local NICEIC-certified businesses. And, because it’s a benefit only reserved for our certified businesses, our tool helps cut through the competition by only linking customers with companies certified on one of NICEIC’s electrotechnical or renewables schemes.
Not only that, but we’re investing heavily in national marketing campaigns designed to drive customers to NICEIC’s tool. These activities are already connecting over 1,000 customers with NICEIC-certified businesses every single day.
Why it still pays to have an online presence
Even when you’ve got NICEIC on your side, consumer online behaviour is often complex – meaning that businesses shouldn’t rely on a single source when it comes to securing new work.Statistics show that today’s consumers use a complex network of social media platforms, review sites, online tradespeople directories, and friend and family recommendations when making purchasing decisions.
Here’s a few statistics to show you how beneficial it can be to have a strong online presence across the board:
- 88% of consumers look up products or services online before buying.
- Research from Direct Line Business Insurance found that tradespeople who use social media to promote their business get almost half (47%) their jobs from these channels.
- Facebook is by far the most successful channel, with 60% of tradespeople saying it’s the most effective platform, followed by Instagram (39%) and YouTube (33%).
- 74% of consumers check at least two different review sites before making a purchase decision.
- The top industries where consumers see business reviews as most important include healthcare, automotive services, and service businesses/tradespeople.
- 64% of consumers say business reviews are the most important factor for them when making purchasing decisions.
- More than one in five (22%) of potential customers are suspicious of a tradesperson who doesn’t have a website or social media profile.
Top tips for marketing your business
Getting the word out about your business in today’s world can feel overwhelming – at the end of the day, you’re an electrical professional, not a digital marketer! But even doing just a few small things to build yourself an online presence could make the world of difference for your business.1. Create a Facebook business page
Judged the most effective platform for tradespeople in the Direct Line Business Insurance research cited above, having a presence on Facebook could help you win more jobs and spread word of mouth about your business. A Facebook page helps you get found online and secure reviews from satisfied customers – and it’s also a great place to post images of your best work! In fact, almost 40% of people look for images of completed work before picking a tradesperson for a project, so posting pictures could really help you stand out from the crowd.Remember that whenever you post on your business page or comment on a post, it’s in the public domain for everyone to see – so make sure your posts and comments reflect well on your brand and show your business in a positive light
2. Set up a Google My Business profile
A Google My Business profile can help your business be found by potential customers searching for tradespeople and businesses near them. You can populate it with your contact details, website address and business opening hours, post photos of your work, and link to it when asking for reviews. This will help make your business visible to thousands of prospective customers using the search engine to find reputable local businesses.3. Join community and householder Facebook groups
There are a ton of community groups on Facebook designed to act as communication hubs for people living in a certain town, area, or even one residential street. Local homeowners will often ask each other for recommendations of good tradespeople on these groups, so they’re great spaces to monitor and put yourself forward for relevant jobs. You might find people are already recommending you, providing you with a perfect opportunity to step in with a link to your Facebook page or a direct message to the requester.4. Ask for reviews
It can feel uncomfortable at first, but four in 10 consumers say they would leave a review if asked by email, while 27% would do so if asked in person. Getting into the habit of sending the customer a review request email a few days after you’ve completed the job could help you accumulate a bank of positive reviews that you can use to build your reputation with potential customers.5. Join NICEIC!
In addition to receiving job requests through the Find a Trusted Tradesperson tool, NICEIC-certified businesses enjoy the prestige of being with the UK’s most recognised certification body. NICEIC-certification is often a requirement for large construction tenders and jobs for public sector organisations such as housing associations and local councils, meaning that joining us often means accessing jobs and customers you simply couldn’t without certification.Find out more about the many and varied benefits of NICEIC certification.
