Why Word-of-Mouth Isn't Enough Anymore for Trades Businesses

I hear this all the time from trades business owners in Simcoe County. And I get it—word-of-mouth has worked for decades. Your dad built his business that way. Maybe you did too.

But here's the uncomfortable truth: word-of-mouth alone isn't enough anymore. And it's getting worse every year.

The Problem With Relying Only on Word-of-Mouth

1. You Can't Control It

Word-of-mouth is unpredictable. Some months you're slammed. Other months your phone doesn't ring. You can't scale it. You can't turn it up when you need more work or turn it down when you're booked solid.

You're always at the mercy of whether someone happens to mention your name at the right time.

2. The Next Generation Doesn't Work That Way

Here's the reality: younger homeowners don't ask their neighbors for recommendations anymore.

Millennials and Gen Z—who are now buying homes and hiring contractors—default to Google first. Always.

When their furnace breaks at 10 PM, they're not calling their neighbor. They're Googling "emergency HVAC repair near me" and calling whoever shows up first with good reviews.

If you're not online, you're invisible to an entire generation of customers.

3. Referrals Check You Online Anyway

Even when someone DOES refer you, the first thing that potential customer does is Google your business name.

If they find:

• No website
• No Google Business Profile
• No reviews
• Or worse—a competitor with better online presence

They're calling someone else. The referral doesn't matter if you look less legitimate than your competition.

4. You're Leaving Money on the Table

Let's do some math:

Say you're in Orillia. Every month, there are hundreds of searches for services like yours:

• "plumber Orillia"
• "electrician near me"
• "HVAC repair Orillia"
• "contractor Barrie"

If you're not showing up in those searches, every single one of those potential customers is calling your competitor instead.

That's thousands of dollars in revenue you're just... giving away.

5. Word-of-Mouth Doesn't Compound

When you do a great job and get a referral, that's one new customer. Great.

But when you do a great job AND that customer leaves a Google review? Now every person who searches for your service sees that review. That's dozens, maybe hundreds of potential customers influenced by one satisfied client.

Online presence compounds. Word-of-mouth doesn't.

The New Reality: Word-of-Mouth + Online Presence

I'm not saying word-of-mouth is dead. It's still valuable. Referrals from happy customers are some of the best leads you'll get.

But in 2024, you need both:

• Word-of-mouth gets you started.
• Online presence makes you sustainable.

Think of it this way: word-of-mouth is your foundation, but online visibility is the multiplier.

When you combine the two:

• Referrals find you online and see social proof (reviews)
• People searching online find you and see you're legitimate
• Past customers can easily find you again when they need you
• Your reputation extends beyond just the people you know personally

The Generational Shift Is Accelerating

Ten years ago, most homeowners were still asking neighbors for recommendations.

Five years ago, it was about 50/50—some asked around, some Googled.

Today? 76% of people search online first before hiring a trades professional.

And that number is only going up. Every year, a larger percentage of homeowners default to Google instead of asking their network.

If you're not adapting now, you're going to wake up in 3-5 years wondering where all your customers went.

What You Actually Need Online

You don't need a fancy website with animations and videos. You need:

1. Google Business Profile (optimized and active)
2. Basic professional website (mobile-friendly, clear services, contact info)
3. Reviews (20-30 is enough to look legitimate)
4. Accurate business information across online directories

That's it. You don't need social media influencing. You don't need a blog with 100 articles. You just need the basics done right.

Bottom Line

Word-of-mouth built the trades industry. It's still valuable, and it's not going anywhere.

But the world has changed. Your future customers are online. If you're not visible there, you're leaving money on the table and giving your competitors a massive advantage.

The businesses that thrive in the next decade won't be the ones with the best word-of-mouth OR the best online presence.

They'll be the ones with both.

Ryan Suter
Simcoe Digital Boost
Orillia, Ontario