If I was a tradie (electrician, plumber, carpenter...)

Tradesmen, or "tradies" as they're affectionately known here in Australia, are, in essence, the reason our homes are so comfortable to live in (we have shelter, we can switch on the power, hot running water...), so naturally, as the population continues to boom, they're in demand.

However, as more and more of the public uses word of mouth for their jobs, it seems that the tradesman's sector is becoming segregated into those that get so much work they can't keep up, and those that are just scraping by.

So how do you make sure that everyone knows about you, your quality, your speed and your service? Social Media of course.

Here's some tools to get you started:

Facebook: Yes, this is a succinct collection of everyone you've ever come across in your lifetime, however, many of these are actually potential customers (including the people they know, that don't know you - just yet)
Twitter: Nothing gets your name out there faster than Twitter
LinkedIn: If rubbing shoulders with Master Builders and CEO's of large development companies doesn't get you jobs, who knows what will.
YouTube: Get a mate to film you doing what you do and talk your way through it. You'll be surprised at the reactions.
Flickr: Get some shots of you in action and instantly become 'Googleable'
Firstly, use the Facebook account you already have and scope out anyone and everyone talking about 'houses', 'homes', 'building', 'moving'... The more of your friends you can tap on the shoulder, the bigger your referring army. Make sure you're reading what their friends are saying on their wall... If they happen to mention anything to do with building/moving, make sure you tap them on the shoulder too.

Get a Twitter account if you don't have one already. Here, you can Micro-blog and post links to your Facebook/YouTube/Flickr accounts... This almost "Jamie Durie-ises" you. It elevates your presence on the web.

Next, it's time for your Linked In account. Don't dismiss this as just another Social Media tool... Because it is and it isn't. Linked In is about corporate/business connections. So connecting to every business owner you know, you'll be able to connect to every business owner they know, and so on. This way, you're in the face of potential large-scale employers who can keep money dropping into your pockets.

The all-important YouTube. If you've ever had dreams of being one of those TV tradies, here's your chance to grow a fan-base. Like mentioned above, get yourself filmed doing what you do best, and talk about it. Give tips, build stuff, and create almost an episodic presence on YouTube... You'll have people viewing time and time again. Don't forget to include Twitter/Facebook links on you video descriptions.

Finally, use a Flickr account to post any and every image of you doing what you do best. Write descriptive comments about what you're doing and refer to these images when you're posting on Facebook/Twitter/Linked In. This way, you're cross-promoting yourself like no other method can.

If you're part of a building company, or a director of one and you would like the upper hand, contact us here: http://ping.fm/R3KPx

Until Next Time,

Tomer Garzberg

http://ping.fm/zBsf4