How To Sell - Sales Basics For Tradespeople

Let’s be honest. Being the best tradesperson in South Africa doesn’t mean much if there's no one buying your services. Your business success is only partly linked to how good you are at your craft. The rest is down to how well you sell it to your customers.

Listen to this.

Selling is about understanding your customer, building trust, and offering solutions to their problems. A process helps you do that more effectively and efficiently so you can sell more to more with less.

In this article, we’ll explore the basics of sales and how they apply to take your trade business to the next level.

How do you see yourself? As a tradesperson - or a commercial business owner?

Shifting from a tradesperson to a salesperson requires a mindset shift - proactively focusing on customer satisfaction and business growth. Embracing this mindset positions you as a problem solver rather than just a service provider.

For example, if you’re a plumber don’t just fix your customer’s leaks but take the time to educate your customers on simple maintenance tips. By demonstrating genuine care for your client's property, you establish trust and increase the likelihood of repeat business and referrals.

Check out this video

by Sales Insights Labs for 10 practical tips to start shifting your mindset you can start implementing today.

A

sales process

is a set of repeatable steps that your sales team takes to convert a prospect into a customer. Having a standardized sales process adds structure and accountability to your sales activities, leading to a higher win rate and shorter sales cycles. So what are the stages of the sales process?

Whilst different businesses might have different processes, a sales process typically includes:

Whilst it might seem straightforward, not all trade business owners have thought through their sales process and designed it in a way that gives the highest chance of closing the deal.

Have you?

Designing the right sales process for your trade business allows you to manage things through the process and make tweaks for things that aren’t working. It allows you to move from operator to manager - so you can continuously improve and eventually manage others through the process.

ServCraft allows tradespeople to design, build and manage your sales and implementation process across leads, quotes, invoices, and payments.

Check out this video

by James White who shares the importance of a sales process for small and medium businesses. We’ll unpack how you build a sales process of your own in a future article.

The power of reporting: Measuring your success

Measuring sales success isn't just about the number of jobs you’ve landed, it involves analysing metrics across your sales process. It doesn’t have to be complicated - but unless you measure it, you can’t manage it.

The first step is to identify and track relevant metrics for your trade business. Metrics like conversion rates (the percentage of leads that move from one stage in the process to the next), average deal size, and customer acquisition costs - all provide insights into the efficiency and effectiveness of your sales efforts.

Regularly analysing this data will give you a deeper understanding of your customers, market trends, and areas requiring improvement. It's not just about collecting numbers but using them to identify actionable insights.

For example, you might notice a pattern in the types of projects that convert the fastest. By analysing this data, you can adjust your marketing strategy to focus more on those specific services, resulting in increased leads and quicker sales cycles.

Check out

this video by LYFE accounting

to learn more about some of the most important metrics you should be tracking and why.

People buy people, so building a strong personal brand is as important as promoting your trade services. It's about creating a lasting impression that speaks volumes about your professionalism and expertise.

For example let’s take two plumbers: one with a well-established brand, including a professional website and active social media presence and uniformed team, and another that’s just as skilled but less focused on branding. The branded plumber will gain more business thanks to increased visibility, credibility, and trust among potential customers compared to the one without a distinct brand presence.

ServCraft customer

Pool Sqaud

’s professionally-designed uniform is a great example of how a consistent look adds another layer of professionalism to its service.

Let’s look at a few ways you can build a strong brand for your business:

Building your brand and establishing rapport isn't just about showcasing your skills; they're about creating meaningful connections with your clients. These connections often serve as the bedrock of long-term relationships and repeat business

Listen to this podcast

from Tradesmen Talks about how contractors can use branding to help build trust with their customers.

After completing a job, staying in touch keeps your services at the forefront of your clients' minds. This strengthens relationships and encourages repeat business.

From newsletters to personalised messages, various methods help in staying connected with clients. Asking for feedback is another way to stay connected with your clients while also helping you improve your services and increase your ratings.

Take a plumber who periodically sends out newsletters with plumbing tips or exclusive offers for loyal customers as an example. This proactive engagement not only keeps the plumber top-of-mind but also positions them as a helpful resource.

Send a personalised thank-you note to a recent client. Express gratitude for their business and inquire if they have any feedback or additional needs. Email is perfect for these kinds of personalised messages and to ask for feedback. Be sure to check out our article on email marketing to learn more about how you can use this channel to its full potential.

In South Africa, if you want your trade business to succeed, you need to focus on both your craftsmanship and on mastering sales. This means you need to embrace a sales-oriented mindset and understand all aspects of your sales process.

By mastering the basics of sales you’ll be able to

develop a sales strategy

that can help your business grow, help you better understand the needs of your customers, make it easier for you to plan your finances, and ensure that your business survives in the competitive South African trade landscape.