How to grow your handyperson business

If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, you’re in the right place. We’ve put together our top ideas for how to grow your handyman business.

We’ll also look at the steps to achieve manageable business growth. So, let’s get started…

What does business growth look like for you?

Before you try finding more leads for your handyman services, it’s important to understand what growth means for your business.

Business growth is more than just finding more handyperson leads. It helps to have a plan in place, and that plan should ideally cover the following points:

• How you’re planning to scale up
• How quickly you’re planning to grow
• What marketing activities you’re planning to carry out
• How you plan to finance your growth
• A list of new services or locations you want to add to reach a wider audience

The key is to grow at a sustainable rate that allows you to win more business and continue to provide a quality service.

After all, having a strong business reputation can help you win more work. And you’ll want to protect that reputation by providing an excellent service at all times.

Not sure where to start with your business growth plan? Check out our guide on how to create a business development strategy below:

Ideas for growing your handyman business

When it comes to finding customers and growing your business, there are many effective ways to market a small business.

However, every business is different. What works for one handyman might not work for another.

The best way to find out what works for your business is to try different marketing methods. Then do more of the marketing that brings you new customers…

Digital marketing ideas for your handyman business

According to recent statistics, a high percentage of people research a business online before buying a product or using a service.

Some surveys put it as high as 95%*. Therefore, your digital presence is so important. So, here’s how to grow a handyman business with digital marketing:

• Build a high-quality, user-friendly business website that’s designed to boost your SEO performance
• Create and carefully curate social media profiles for your business
• Encourage online customer reviews (on your website and independent review sites)
• Invest in a membership for an online directory – like Checkatrade!

Want more ideas for reaching more customers for your handyman services? Sign up for our free digital marketing guide below:

Traditional marketing for your handyman business

In addition to digital marketing, traditional print marketing methods can be an effective way to reach potential customers.

You might want to try some of the following printed marketing materials:

• Mailing brochures and leaflets
• Creating signs and branding for your vans and workwear
• Sponsoring local events or sports teams with your company name
• Adverts in local magazines and newspapers
• Exhibiting at trade shows
• Using billboards or smaller temporary signage

But remember, many customers will be looking online for handyperson services. So, make sure you combine classic advertising techniques with digital activity.

Key steps for growing a handyman business

To help you get started, we’ve put together a summary of the steps for how to grow a handyman business in the UK:

• Make a plan – Write down your ideas, what you want to achieve and how you plan to get there
• Sort your finances – Growing a business often means spending more, so plan how much you’ll need and how you’ll cover those costs
• Carry out marketing – Budget accordingly and start marketing and advertising in different ways
• Target new areas or services – Expanding your business area or the types of services you offer can help you reach new customers
• Assess your progress – Regularly check how your business growth is going and always ask customers for feedback to ensure you’re providing an excellent service
• Hire more staff – If you’ve grown your business so much that you can’t handle all the work alone, it’s time to hire people for your team or bring on an apprentice

Once you’ve put together your plan to grow and followed the steps above, your handyman business should see exciting signs of growth.

But, how else can you keep up the momentum? If you’re not already a Checkatrade member, you might want to be…

Grow your handyman business with Checkatrade

Marketing costs time and money, so it’s important to be discerning if you’re short on either.

With our digital marketing strategy and strong online presence, becoming a Checkatrade member makes it easier for customers to find you.

First, you’ll get a business profile on the UK’s leading trade directory. You’ll also have an online listing on Google – something that can take months to achieve otherwise.

Get more leads

In 2023 alone, there were over 536,000 job searches for handyman work on the Checkatrade website**. That means a substantial volume of interest in services like yours. It would be a shame to miss out, wouldn’t it?

Help to secure more work

Checkatrade has been around for over 25 years, so homeowners looking for tradespeople often recognise our brand. We have the tick that homeowners trust, which can help you win more business.

Save money

As a Checkatrade member, you’ll get exclusive access to our partners. That includes exclusive offers and discounts to help you save money on handyman business essentials.

You’ll find great savings on workwear, tools, equipment, insurance, van leasing, fuel, and more.

Already a member? Log in to our members’ app now to see what offers are currently available!

Getting to grips with a Checkatrade membership

As a Checkatrade member, you and your business can benefit from features such as:

• Display customer reviews, testimonials, and examples of your work on your profile page
• Control your flow of leads by marking your availability in the Checkatrade app
• Manage customer enquiries on-the-go, directly from the app – keeping everything in one handy place

With the Checkatrade tick by your name, it makes your marketing just that little bit easier.

We’ll also help you with free marketing materials and exclusive discounts on business essentials.

* Data quoted January 2022 by Brand Rated on GlobalNewsWire (see here)
** Internal search data from users of the Checkatrade.com website in 2023