Scaffold for Success: Prospecting Leads (Without Burning Cash)

When you’re starting out or trying to build a steadier flow of work, it can be hard to know where to look for customers—and what’s actually worth your time and money.

This hands-on workshop will help you understand the different ways tradespeople find work and choose the ones that make sense for where you’re at right now.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have:

• A clear idea of where your next customers could come from
• A better understanding of which ways of finding work fit your time, budget, and experience
• A simple plan for finding and following up with potential customers
• Practical ideas you can start using right away

We’ll look at the most common ways tradespeople find new work, including:

• Networking — suppliers, other trades, associations, and people you already know
• Cold outreach — calls, emails, door-to-door, and job site visits
• Social media — Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Websites and Google — getting found when people are looking for your services
• Paid advertising — Google ads and other paid options
• Local promotion — flyers, signs, trade shows, and community events
• Referrals — how to build a steady source of referrals instead of relying on them alone

We’ll also talk about the time vs. money trade-off for each approach, and why some ways of finding work make more sense at different stages of your business.

You’ll learn what a lead is, how to follow up, and what it takes to turn an interested person into a paying customer.

This workshop is for people in the skilled trades at any stage, including:

• Apprentices and journeypersons thinking about working for themselves
• Tradespeople preparing to take on independent jobs
• New or early-stage contractors looking for more work
• Experienced tradespeople who want a more consistent flow of jobs
• Anyone who wants to find more customers without overspending on marketing

No sales or marketing experience required.

Prospecting Leads (Without Burning Cash) is part of Scaffold for Success, a six-part workshop series through Conestoga College’s Venture Lab for Skilled Trades.

The series covers practical business skills that can help you get more work, work with better clients, and build a stronger business. You don’t need a business background to take part.

Attend one workshop or take part in the full series. There’s no requirement to attend all six.

Event venue & nearby stays

Catalyst Commons, 137 Glasgow Street, Kitchener, Canada

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

Get the app →