Is a Checkatrade membership worth it?

One way to figure out whether the cost of something is worth it is to look at ROI (Return on Investment).

In its most basic sense, this is how much something costs compared with the income it generates.

Working out the ROI of a Checkatrade membership is definitely a must-do for any trade business, whether you’re already a member or thinking about joining.

The returns to gain with the Checkatrade tick on your side

With a Checkatrade membership being built around your business needs and the wide variance of income generated by jobs done by our trades, it’s near impossible to plant a figure on ROI within the scope of this post.

However, what we can do is lay down the ROI Checkatrade tradespeople are seeing along with the benefits of having a Checkatrade membership. That way, you can compare its value ‘like-for-like’ with other forms of marketing.

The ROI of a Checkatrade membership, told by our members themselves

Member feedback on Checkatrade ROI

Still not sure whether a Checkatrade membership is worth it? Here’s what some of our members have to say:

“One call that comes in and that’s paid for the entire month. Or if you get 3, you know that’s paid for your entire year with Checkatrade.“

Checkatrade member, Lily, Bear House Build and Roofing Ltd

“That one job pays for itself, and then the rest is my money.”

Checkatrade member, Aaron, Smooth Touch Plastering

Don’t forget the exclusive savings on business essentials too!

To get a true idea of the cost of your investment, you’ll also need to factor in the savings you’ll make through your Checkatrade membership.

That is, costs that would otherwise come off your bottom line, for example, paying top dollar on insurance, tools, workwear, materials etc, rather than taking advantage of the exclusive discounts you receive through your Checkatrade membership.

Members using the exclusive offers and discounts that come with a Checkatrade membership can potentially save hundreds of pounds a year on business essentials.

How to calculate your Checkatrade ROI

There are many different ways to calculate ROI. One of the simplest is to use this formula:

ROI = net profit / cost of investment x 100%

But don’t forget those member savings you can make, with the likes of Selco, Tradepoint and Superscript Insurance in your calculation.

Cost of a Checkatrade membership

Every member pays a slightly different amount, depending on the agreement on your membership, the type of trade you are, and your location/s.

Every Checkatrade membership is different. Our fixed membership option lets you build the plan that’s perfect for you and your business needs.

What we can tell you:

• Our most basic plan starts from £30 +VAT per month
• Our fixed term membership plans give you an easier way to help manage marketing spend for a set volume of leads

If you’re not yet a Checkatrade member, find the plan that suits your business needs and note down the cost. This is the ‘cost of your investment’.

Note on basic membership: With our basic package, you won’t appear on the Checkatrade search. You will be able to make a start on building up your Checkatrade profile: Write your description, upload photos and collect reviews. To appear in the search, you’ll need to decide on the lead volume you’d like to see throughout the year.

3 common mistakes when calculating ROI

Another point to mention is that people often focus on the metrics when calculating ROI – the money in their pocket or the number of calls received from potential customers.

However, there are plenty of intangible benefits – or outcomes – that should also be factored in, they’re just much harder to quantify.

For example, how do you quantify the association with the Checkatrade tick? We know it helps to build trust and gives your business instant credibility, but it’s tricky to put a monetary value on that.

So what other mistakes do people make when calculating ROI on a Checkatrade membership?

1. Comparing apples with oranges

A Checkatrade membership is more than just a listing in a trade directory.

Our unique proposition makes it unrealistic to compare the ROI of our membership with another form of basic advertising, for example, placing an ad in a local magazine.

As we’ve mentioned above, Checkatrade membership can save you ££££s on business essentials per year – you wouldn’t get that as part of your advertising package with a local magazine. Nor would you get access to a free app that can supercharge your efficiency.

2. Thinking it’s a magic bullet

It’s important to remember, as with any marketing activity, you get out what you put in.

A Checkatrade membership is certainly a quicker route to gaining that all-important visibility in search engines, but to really get the most out of it, you need to nurture it.

Our three top tips to keep your Checkatrade profile front and centre?

1. Log in to your Checkatrade profile
2. Optimise your profile for search
3. Create a strong profile

While ROI doesn’t incorporate the value of your time, these simple activities will take much less time than it would to build a website and get it ranking well in search engines.

3. Impatience

Checkatrade membership is a form of advertising your business, and – as is the case with most advertising – it can take time to build momentum.

Invest time in your Checkatrade membership and it’ll pay dividends as a constant backstop for your business.

Is Checkatrade worth it as a tradesman?

With males still making up the majority of tradespeople in the UK, there is still some discussion about using the term tradesman or tradesperson.

However, with growing numbers of women joining the skilled trade workforce, the male-centric term is looking more and more outdated.

However, the question of whether it is worth joining Checkatrade still applies!

Is Checkatrade membership worth it? Considering what you get back – the monthly cost will soon seem like a great investment.

• Leads and jobs coming your way
• Higher visibility among homeowners
• Savings on business essentials like insurance and Quickbooks software
• Use of our trades app – designed for job management and invoicing on the go
• Guarantee for jobs booked through us – up to £1,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Support from our different teams

And don’t forget! Our fixed membership option lets you build the plan that’s perfect for you and your business needs.