This page collects the questions Ontario trades owners ask before working with us, with short, direct answers in the list. Below, we go a little deeper on the four topics that come up most: cost, commitment, ownership and the regulators. If your question isn't here, the contact page explains how to ask it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does marketing help cost?
Plans start at $1,999 a month, or $1,499 a month billed annually, plus 13% HST. Ad spend is separate and paid from your own account to the platform.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. Plans run month to month with 30 days' notice to cancel. Annual billing is optional and lowers the monthly price in exchange for a year's commitment.
How long before I see results?
Follow-up fixes can show within weeks. Google profile fixes often show within a month or two. New rankings usually take three to six months, and longer in crowded markets such as the GTA.
We tried an agency before and it didn't work. Why would this be different?
Ask us to show you the arithmetic before you commit. We start from your job value and close rate, recommend the smallest useful step, put scope and price in writing, and report on calls and jobs rather than impressions. If it doesn't add up, we'll say so.
Who owns the website, domain and Google profile?
You do. Your domain, website, Google Business Profile and ad accounts are in your name, and we're added as managers. If you leave, everything stays with you.
Can you get my Google profile back from an old agency?
We can help you request ownership through Google's own recovery process. It often works, though timing depends on Google and on whether the old agency cooperates.
Can you promise a number of leads or a ranking?
No. Nobody honest can promise rankings or lead numbers. We promise clear work, plain reporting and the ability to leave with 30 days' notice.
What do your reports show?
Calls, texts and emails from each channel, spend against plan, and jobs won where you share that information. Each report explains what we did that month and what we plan next.
Can you tell me whether my business meets TSSA, ESA or WSIB requirements?
No. We're a marketing service, not a regulator or compliance adviser. Ask the body directly. We can help you present your existing credentials accurately on your website.
Do you do any trade work?
No. We don't install, repair or service anything. Our clients are trades businesses, and we never compete with them for jobs.
Do you work with businesses outside the GTA?
Yes. We work with trades across Ontario, including Ottawa, Southwestern, Eastern and Northern Ontario. Each region has its own page on this site.
Is the first consultation really free?
Yes. The first 30-minute consultation is free for eligible trades businesses and carries no obligation.
Are your case studies from my trade?
Our published case studies come from HVAC clients. We present them as results from our HVAC work and explain which parts of the method transfer to other trades.
Cost: what you pay and what you don't
You pay a monthly plan fee and, if you run ads, your own ad spend. Plans are priced on Trades.Agency plans and start at $1,999 a month, or $1,499 a month billed annually, plus 13% Ontario HST.
What you don't pay for is ad money passing through us. Ad spend goes from your own account straight to the platform, so you can always see exactly what was spent. The pricing page shows all three plans and a worked example of how to judge whether a plan pays for itself.
Commitment: how to start without regret
The safest way to start is small and month to month. Plans can be cancelled with 30 days' notice. Many owners begin with one fix, such as a Google profile clean-up or a follow-up routine, and add more only once that fix is paying off.
If a previous agency left you wary, that's reasonable. Ask any agency, including us, to show you the arithmetic behind its plan, to name the clients behind its results, and to explain how you'll leave if things don't work. The results page sets out how we present our own case studies.
Ownership: the question to ask every agency
Insist that your domain, website, Google Business Profile and ad accounts are registered in your business's name. Agencies that hold these hostage make leaving expensive, and recovering a Google profile can take weeks.
With us, you own them all from day one. We work as managers on your accounts. Leaving us means removing our manager access, nothing more, because the accounts were always yours.
Regulators: what this site will and won't tell you
We link to the provincial bodies trades owners deal with, such as TSSA, ESA, WSIB and Skilled Trades Ontario, and we summarise what each covers as of the date shown. We don't interpret their rules or give compliance advice, because we're a marketing service, not a regulator or a law firm.
Where we can help is in how you present your credentials. Our guide on regulator links on your website explains how to show registration and licence details accurately and keep them current. The areas hub lists the main bodies in one table.
Timelines: what to expect in the first season
Honest timelines depend on what's broken. Here's a rough guide by type of work.
| Work | When you'd usually notice a change |
|---|---|
| Missed-call texts and callback rules | Within the first two to four weeks |
| Google Business Profile clean-up | Often within one to two months |
| New or rebuilt website | Within a month or two of launch, as calls from the site are tracked |
| Ranking in new towns | Usually three to six months, longer in the GTA |
| Seasonal ads | From the first week, with costs settling over the first two months |
If someone tells you all five will transform your business in 30 days, ask how. The work that pays off fastest is usually the least glamorous: answering the phone, following up on quotes and fixing your Google profile. The services overview explains which of these to start with for your situation. Owners who start with one of the quick fixes usually have a clearer sense of whether the bigger projects are worth it by the end of their first busy season.
Still have a question?
Call, text or email, and include your trade, the towns you serve and the question on your mind. We usually reply within one business day. You can also browse the guides, which answer many of these questions in more depth.