Word of mouth works, but it has its limits. And when it stops working, you have no plan B.
If your business depends 100% on a customer saying good things about you to their neighbour, you have a problem. Not because you are not good — but because word of mouth is unpredictable, slow and not scalable. If you want to grow, you need more sources of customers.
1. Your Google profile is your shop window
Search Google for ‘electrician + your town’. If you do not appear, you do not exist for thousands of people looking for exactly what you offer. And if you appear but your Google Business profile is empty, you are losing customers every day.
What you need:
- Real photos of your work. No logos or generic images. An installed electrical panel, a fitted air-conditioning system, a refurbished kitchen.
- Reviews. This is the most important factor. Ask every satisfied customer to leave you a review. Do not be shy: ‘Hi, if you are happy with the work, would you mind leaving us a review on Google? It really helps us.’ 70% will say yes.
- Reply to every review. Including the bad ones. Be polite and offer a solution. Prospective customers will read those replies.
- Up-to-date opening hours and phone number. It seems obvious, but many profiles contain information that is years out of date.
2. WhatsApp as a sales channel
Most of your prospective customers would rather send a WhatsApp message than call. Put your WhatsApp number on your Google profile, on your van, everywhere. And reply quickly — the first to respond usually gets the job.
One trick: prepare template messages for the most common enquiries. ‘Hello, thank you for contacting us. Could you give me your address and a brief description of what you need? I’ll prepare a quote for you today.’
3. Social media: you do not need to be an influencer
You do not need to dance or make viral videos. Upload before-and-after photos of your work. People love seeing transformations. An old electrical panel versus the new one. A completed air-conditioning installation. A repaired fault.
Post 2–3 times a week on Instagram or Facebook. Keep it simple. Photo + brief description + location. Over time, that builds awareness of your name in your local area.
4. Tradespeople platforms
Habitissimo, Reformadisimo, Cronoshare... There is some debate about whether they are worthwhile. The reality is that it depends on your sector and your area. Try one with a limited budget for 3 months and measure how many jobs you win. If the customer acquisition cost is reasonable, continue. If not, stop using it.
5. Partnerships with other trades
A plumber who recommends an electrician. An electrician who recommends a painter. Create an informal network with other tradespeople in your area. It is word of mouth, but organised and reciprocal.
6. Your van as a mobile billboard
Your van travels around the town every day. Good signage with your name, phone number and main services is advertising 24/7. Invest in a clean, professional design — not a collage of clip art listing 15 services in small print.
The mistake everyone makes: doing all this for one week and then forgetting about it. Customer acquisition is a habit, not an event. Spend 30 minutes a week maintaining an active presence and the results will follow.