About The Trade Marketer
Most Hull customers don’t phone the first name they hear anymore.
They Google… compare… squint at a few websites on their phone… and then pick the one that feels easiest to trust.
If your online presence looks unclear, dated, or a bit thin, you can lose the job before you even know you were shortlisted. Not because you’re not good – but because your website didn’t get chance to prove it.
That’s what I help with.
The Trade Marketer is me, Susi – and I build websites and local visibility setups for Hull-based trades and service businesses that want more of the right enquiries, without having to learn marketing to get them.
No passing you to a team. No mystery process. Just a clear plan and a build that does what it’s meant to do.
What I’ve learnt about Hull - and how customers really choose
This understanding doesn’t come from guesswork. It comes from working with Hull businesses day-to-day, running my own local business here, and carrying out detailed research into Hull’s digital and customer landscape.
Hull is full of good businesses. Skilled tradespeople. Solid service providers. People who take pride in what they do.
What often lets them down isn’t the work – it’s visibility and clarity.
From looking closely at the local landscape, a few patterns come up again and again:
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Most customers in Hull still value price and honesty – but they also expect reassurance. They want to know you’re local, active, and real before they pick up the phone.
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Many businesses rely heavily on word of mouth, which works well when things are busy. But when work slows, there’s often nothing in place to support enquiries coming in from online searches.
And while Hull is digitally well-connected, a lot of local websites haven’t kept up. Old pages, missing information, unclear services, or no recent signs of life can quietly rule a business out – even if they’re excellent at what they do.
The opportunity is this: Hull’s digital space is still wide open for trades and local services.
Businesses that are clear about what they do, where they work, and why they’re worth choosing don’t just show up more – they stand out. Especially on a phone, where decisions are made quickly.
That local reality shapes how I build websites here. What works in London, Leeds, or nationally doesn’t always translate. Hull customers want clarity, credibility, and value – fast.
If you’re curious about Hull’s local market in more detail – including customer behaviour, digital gaps, and where the real opportunities are – you can explore the Hull Business Insights here.
How I work - clarity, transparency and defined scope
One thing I hear time and again from business owners is how unclear web projects can feel. - What’s actually included? What’s extra? And why does something that sounded simple end up taking longer - or costing more - than expected?
I’ve seen that from all sides. Over the years, working in and around bigger projects (and commissioning work myself), I’ve learnt what causes frustration – and more importantly, what avoids it.
For me, the answer is clarity.
When the scope is clear, decisions are easier. Projects move faster. And the end result is usually better because everyone stays focused on what actually matters.
That’s why everything I offer is clearly defined and properly scoped from the start.
You’ll see exactly what’s included, what each option is for, and when it makes sense to use it. Many services can be booked directly, without needing a long conversation just to get straight answers.
It’s not about being rigid. It’s about removing uncertainty - so we can get on with building something that genuinely helps your business be found, trusted, and chosen.
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Working directly with me
When you work with The Trade Marketer, you’re working with me – from the first conversation through to delivery.
There’s no handover to a team, no account manager layer, and no junior doing the important bits while someone else oversees.
That continuity matters. It means decisions are made quickly, context isn’t lost, and what we agree is what gets built.
Clients often say it feels less like “dealing with an agency” and more like having someone sensible in their corner who understands the bigger picture and gets on with it.
Experience that’s useful - not just impressive on paper
I’ve spent over 30 years working in and around marketing, websites, and customer decision-making.
That’s included launching brands, shaping customer journeys, building websites and systems, and working with businesses at very different stages – from one-person operations through to established teams.
What matters isn’t the titles or sectors. It’s the pattern recognition.
Knowing what customers look for, what they ignore, and what actually helps them choose – especially when time is tight and they’re comparing options on a phone.
That experience is what underpins every recommendation I make.
Style-wise? I adapt to you
You’ll probably notice I like colour, contrast, and a bit of creative energy.
That’s my personal taste - not a template.
Your website should feel like you, not me.
Some businesses suit bold and confident. Others need calm, simple, and understated. Most sit somewhere in between.
My job is to translate your business into something that feels right for your customers – not impose a look that doesn’t fit.
Think of me as a design chameleon. The goal is always the same: a site that feels natural, credible, and easy to trust.
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A practical approach
to AI
I use modern tools, including AI, where they genuinely help.
Used well, they speed things up, remove repetitive work, and make projects more cost-effective.
What they don’t replace is judgement, experience, or accountability.
Every decision – from structure and wording to tone and priorities – is still guided by human thinking and real-world experience.
In other words: tools support the work, they don’t lead it.
Is this the right fit?
It’s important we’re a good fit for each other – and the easiest way to work that out is usually a short, relaxed chat. That’s exactly what the free Quick Guidance Call is for: a chance to talk things through and see if this feels right, before anyone commits to anything.
The Trade Marketer tends to be a good fit if you:
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Run a trade or local service business
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Want clarity, not marketing noise
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Value straight answers and defined options
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Prefer working directly with the person doing the work
It’s probably not the best fit if you:
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Want lots of trend-led experimentation
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Prefer large teams and layered processes
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Are looking for the cheapest possible option
And that’s okay. The aim is always a good fit on both sides.
results
Some Moments That Mattered
Over the years, I’ve helped businesses make meaningful shifts – not by chasing tactics, but by getting the foundations right.
Helped a business-to-consumer hobby brand build their online presence from scratch.
Their email campaigns now achieve 58%+ open rates (industry average: around 22%).
Worked with a local trade business to redesign their counter service and customer journey, resulting in over 200% growth in drop-in sales.
Supported a small eCommerce business moving onto Amazon, with optimised product listings that elevated their overall brand presence and performance.
Where next?
If this feels like your kind of approach…
You can explore the site in a few different ways, depending on what you want to see next.
See some live examples
If you’re interested in how this works in practice, take a look at our Website Walkthroughs - mini case studies and links to real and demo sites for info.
Go to Website Walkthrough →
Why The Trade Marketer?
If you’re curious about why I built The Trade Marketer the way I have, start with the blog post From Corporate to Community: Why I Offer Web Design for Trades in Hull. It explains the thinking behind my focus on Hull businesses, why being visible online matters more than ever, and how I approach websites in a way that’s practical for busy trades.
Just click here to go to →
Want a chat?
And if you’d rather talk things through, you’ll find ways to get in touch below. Whether it’s a quick question or a proper conversation, I’m always happy to help you work out what makes sense for your business.
Let's Talk - Get in Touch
Call
WhatsApp Me
Book a Quick Guidance Call
You can WhatsApp and Email at any time. These are checked regularly so normally we reply within a very short time the same day. For calls please respect office hours (9.00am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday).
Quick Summary (Tl;Dr)
TL;DR simply means “too long; didn’t read”. It’s a quick summary for anyone who wants the headline version before diving into the details below.
- I build websites and local visibility setups for Hull-based trades and service businesses who want to be found, trusted, and chosen – without learning marketing.
- I work directly with you from start to finish. No teams, no handovers, no mystery process.
- My approach is shaped by real experience: working with local businesses, running my own, and researching what actually works for Hull customers.
- Everything I offer is clearly defined and transparently priced, so you know what you’re getting before you commit.
- Style-wise, I adapt to you – bold or understated, simple or more developed – whatever suits your business and your customers.
- I use modern tools (including AI) where they genuinely help, but experience and judgement always lead.
- If you’re not sure what you need yet, that’s normal. A short Quick Guidance Call exists purely to help you work out whether this feels like the right fit.
Page FAQs
No – it’s intentionally personal. The Trade Marketer is me, Susi. I do the thinking, the planning, and the delivery. There’s no handover to a team and no account manager layer. That continuity means clearer decisions, less repetition, and a smoother process overall. Because local context matters. I live and work in Hull, run my own business here, and have spent time researching how Hull customers actually search, compare, and choose local services. What works nationally doesn’t always translate locally – and building with Hull customers in mind leads to better results. No – that’s very common. Many people come to me knowing something isn’t working, but not yet sure what they need instead. The Quick Guidance Call exists purely to talk that through and see what would make the most sense. There’s no obligation – it’s about clarity, not commitment. Because clarity leads to better outcomes. Clearly defined services remove uncertainty around scope, timelines, and cost. You can see what’s included, what it’s for, and whether it’s right for you before you decide anything. It keeps projects calm, focused, and free from surprises. No. While I enjoy bold colour and creative visuals personally, your website is designed around your business and your customers – not my taste. I adapt the style to suit you, whether that’s bold, understated, simple, or somewhere in between. As a support tool – not a shortcut. AI helps speed things up and reduce repetitive work, bIs The Trade Marketer a team or an agency?
Why do you focus specifically on Hull-based businesses?
Do I need to know exactly what I want before getting in touch?
Why are your services so clearly defined?
Will my website end up looking like yours?
How do you use AI in your work?