How to Grow Your Electrical Business: 4 Tips That Work

Electricians have to be entrepreneurs. Your ability to sell your services translates directly into how much you make. It’s critical to promote your services as a contractor; otherwise, some other electrician will get the next job you wanted.

Despite how important it is to cultivate business, so many up-and-coming electricians aren’t used to building contacts, networking, and promoting their services. We’ve crafted a basic guide to teach you how do all of these things and more. Read on to learn four tips that will grow your business.

1. Cultivate Relationships With Vendors, Facilities Managers, and Co-workers

Referrals are a staple of every successful electrician’s business. Let’s say you get hired to install the electrical system in a large, downtown hotel. During this job, you’ll encounter the hotel’s facilities management team, corporate liaisons, engineers, and other well-connected people.

It’s important to make yourself known to every person you meet, not just for this job but during every job. The relationships you build with these people will help you land new contracts in the future. They may hire you directly for another contract, or they may refer you to friends.

Business owners always prefer to hire and refer electricians they can trust. Take the time to get to know the team you’re working with and the management you’re working for. Find out how they like their coffee,
whether they have a family or not, and which sports teams they root for. These personal touches create common ground and sense of familiarity.

2. Provide a Great Customer Experience, and Follow Up Later With a Survey

Even though we’re in the age of social media marketing, word-of-mouth is still the best way to grow your business. The best way to generate word-of-mouth is to give your customers unparalleled service. Go above and beyond for them, and they’ll share their positive experience with others.

Don’t forget to follow up with your customers. Try sending them an email survey, asking them to rate your service and to offer suggestions for improvement. Keep them in an email list so you can alert them when your service offerings expand or when you provide a seasonal discount on a service. This preferred treatment creates repeat customers.

3. Use Meet-and-Greets as a Platform to Discuss Your Services

When you bid on jobs, you have an opportunity to wow potential new customers. Set up meetings with your customers and your team. Make sure you dress nicely, and bring materials that demonstrate your knowledge and unique approach to the job.

If you’re inviting clients to your office, have coffee, juice, and snacks available. If you’re meeting clients, pick a quiet place where you can pitch them without loud distractions. Understand that the point of these meetings isn’t simply to land a contract. It’s to impress potential new client base and to network with them.

4. Build a Database of Clients, Co-workers, Project Managers, and Other Networking Contacts

You’re on your way to getting new customers and business contacts. How do you keep treat of everyone you’re meeting? You create a database. The method you use is up to you. Some people like to use a good, old-fashioned spreadsheet, while others use a program like Microsoft Exchange. It doesn’t matter as long you update it regularly.

Every great electrician started as an apprentice. The Independent Electrical Contractors of Greater Cincinnati are committed to helping you start your electrician training and apprenticeship. After you’ve completed your training, you’ll need to work diligently to grow your electrical business. Review our tips to maximize your business growth coming out of the gate.

For more information about our programs, call us directly at (515) 542-0400.