Digital business cards for tradespeople: plumbers, electricians, builders and more
By Online Business Cards Editorial Team | Published | Updated | By profession
Customers want to know three things about a tradesperson: can they do the job, can they be trusted, and how do I get a quote? Here is how to set up a digital business card that answers all three.
For plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, decorators, gardeners and other trades, most work comes from two places: recommendations and repeat customers. A neighbour passes on your number, or a customer digs out your card a year later when the boiler needs a service. The trouble is that paper cards get lost in kitchen drawers, and a phone number on its own does not tell a new customer much.
A digital business card gives customers your number, your past work, your registrations and your reviews in one place they keep on their phone. This guide explains how to set one up for a trade business.
What customers want to know
Before they call, most customers want answers to three questions:
- Can you do the job? What you do, the area you cover, photos of similar work.
- Can I trust you? Registrations, insurance, reviews and how long you have been trading.
- How do I get a quote? A phone number, a way to message you, or a short enquiry form.
Your card should answer these near the top, in that order.
Your details
- Your name and business name
- A phone number you answer, and a way to message you, such as WhatsApp
- The area you cover, such as "Leeds and within 15 miles", rather than your home address
- Your working hours, and whether you take emergency call-outs
Our guide to digital business card privacy explains why it is usually better to show your area than your home address.
Show your registrations
Registrations and memberships tell customers you are qualified, and many customers check them.
- Gas work: by law, anyone working on gas appliances in the UK must be on the Gas Safe Register. Show your Gas Safe registration number, so customers can check it on the register, and carry your Gas Safe ID card, which shows your licence number and the work you are qualified for.
- Electrical work: if you are registered with a competent person scheme, such as NICEIC or NAPIT, say so and give your registration details.
- Trade associations and schemes: only list memberships you actually hold and are allowed to display, and keep them current.
If you are insured, you can say so, for example "Fully insured, public liability cover". Only say this if it is true and your policy is current.
Photos of your work
The Gallery is one of the most useful parts of a trade card. Photos of finished jobs show what you can do far better than a list of services.
- Show recent, good-quality photos of real jobs you did.
- Before-and-after pairs work well for kitchens, bathrooms, gardens and decorating.
- Ask customers before you photograph their home, and avoid anything that shows their address or personal belongings.
Services and prices
List what you do in the Products section, one service per line: boiler servicing, rewires, extensions, fencing. If you have standard prices, such as a boiler service or a call-out charge, show them. If every job needs a quote, say how quoting works: "Free quotes, usually within two days of a visit".
Make getting a quote easy
On the Business Plan, the Enquiries and Forms features let customers tell you about a job before you call: what needs doing, their postcode and when they would like it done. That saves time on calls and helps you prioritise. Keep the form short; four or five questions is enough.
The Bookings feature can handle fixed appointments, such as annual services, if that suits your work.
Reviews
Reviews are how many customers choose between trades. Add your review link to your card, and on the Business Plan the Get Reviews section gives it its own place. The best moment to ask is at the end of a job, when the customer is pleased: show them your QR code and ask if they would mind leaving a review.
Never write reviews yourself, or offer money off for a good one. Fake and incentivised reviews are banned under UK consumer law. Our guide to getting more Google reviews explains how to ask in a way that works.
Keep customers coming back
- Send your card link in the message confirming the job, so customers have your details.
- Leave a printed card or invoice with your QR code at the end of the job, for customers who prefer paper.
- Remind them of annual work, such as boiler services or gutter clearing, if they have agreed to hear from you.
Your van and invoices
Your van is seen by many people, but usually from a distance or while moving. Put your phone number and website on it first, and add a large QR code on the back doors or near the side door, where neighbours can scan it while you are parked at a job. Our guide to where to put your QR code has size tips for vans, invoices and signs.
Working with a team
If you employ other tradespeople, give each a card in the same style, or share a business card for the company. Customers then know who is coming, and your branding stays consistent. Our guide to consistent branding across your cards covers this.
What customers ask, and how your card answers
Customer question | Card feature
Are you registered or insured? | Registrations in your details or a document
Have you done jobs like mine? | Gallery of recent work
Roughly what will it cost? | Services and prices
Can you quote? | Enquiry form (Business Plan)
Can I trust you? | Review link
As a mini-website for a local business
Trades work is local, and most customers find you through a recommendation or a nearby search. Your online business card can be the small website behind your van sign: areas covered, prices, reviews and a quote request, all on one link you can add to your Google profile.
Which plan you need
Brand Presence (£45, one-off) covers your details, service list, gallery, documents, testimonials and analytics, which is enough to show your work and how to reach you. The Business Plan (£90, one-off) adds enquiries, forms, bookings, Get Reviews, contact leads and a CRM, which help busy trades handle quotes and repeat work. Compare them on our plans, or see the digital business card.
Read next: Which industries benefit most from a digital business card? A guide by trade and Digital business cards for sales teams and salespeople. You can also browse all our guides.
If most of your work comes through Google Maps, our guide to the online business card and Google Business Profile explains what belongs on each and how to keep them in step.
Frequently asked questions
What should a tradesperson put on a digital business card?
Your name, business, phone number, the area you cover, your services, photos of past work, registrations such as Gas Safe, and your reviews.
Should gas engineers show their Gas Safe number?
Yes. Anyone doing gas work in the UK must be on the Gas Safe Register, and showing your registration number lets customers check you on the register.
Can customers request a quote from my card?
Yes, on the Business Plan, using Enquiries or Forms. On Brand Presence, customers can call, message or email you from your card.
Should I put a QR code on my van?
Yes, as long as your phone number and website come first. Put the code where people can scan it while you are parked, such as on the back doors, and make it large.
Should I show my registration numbers on my card?
Yes. Customers often check them, and showing scheme names and numbers, such as Gas Safe, with a link to the register makes that easy.