There’s no doubt about it, we are in a downturn right now. Gordon Brown admits it. That obviously presents challenges to some people, but it’s good for others because in some roles, there’s big demand right now.

Let’s take a peek at plumbers, electricians and gas engineers and see what they could do to actually grow their income at this time. A quick trawl of the internet yields few practical solutions on what this group can do. So let’s cut all the waffle usually spouted by marketing people in sharp suits that spend most of their time just ‘doing lunch’ and not much else. Let’s deliver practical secrets that every plumber, electrician and gas engineer can do to help them make even more money.

The first secret is to get qualifications. Fly-by-night plumbers, electricians and gas engineers are everywhere and Joe Public is petrified of getting stung. You can stand out from the crowd by actually being good at what you do. And to do that, you need reputable qualifications and have successfully completed plumbing courses, electrical courses and/or gas courses. This will give your customers instant confidence.

The second secret is to be truthful. Be honest with your potential customers. If you say you’re going to turn up at 10am, and you rock up to their house at 3pm, are you going to get another customer? Probably not. That money is now going into someone else’s wallet!

The third secret is not to believe the papers. Some believe that newspaper tell the news. Others believe that newspapers are there to sell more newspapers than their competitors. Sensationalism and outrageous opinions sell more newspapers. The reality is that high streets aren’t ghost towns. People are spending money. Customers exist. And you, as a well qualified, professional and honest tradesman, can now find them.

The fourth secret is that people are happy to refer people that do a good job. So give them a reason to recommend you. Make them proud to tell their friends and family you did a great job. The customers, and the money, will come knocking at your door.

The final secret is to talk to everyone you can. Everyone is a potential customer. Friends, family, neighbours and that bloke you see walking his dog every morning. Everyone is a potential customer because everyone lives in a home that has utilities.

Now the secrets have been revealed, it’s time to ditch your advertising campaign with a multi-million pound budget, thought up by that oh-so-smart advertising man. Its not, and never has been, about who spends the most, but who makes the most.