The commercial pipeline service gets your electrical company invited to bid. General contractors, property managers and facility managers keep short lists of electrical trades they trust, and they rarely look beyond them unless someone gives them a reason. We build that reason: a clear capability statement, project pages that prove the work, and outreach planned around who awards electrical work in your area.
We don't estimate, bid or perform any electrical work. We market the contractor who does.
What it includes
- A capability statement. One to two pages a project manager can read in a minute: the work you do, crew size, licence and coverage details, safety programme summary, insurance contact, and three representative projects.
- Project pages on your website. Each one names the type of space, the scope in plain terms, the schedule pressure and what went well. Photos of finished panels, lighting and rough-in where the owner allows.
- A target list. General contractors, property-management firms, facility managers and design-build shops within your realistic travel radius, sorted by the kind of work they award.
- An outreach plan. Introductions by phone and email, follow-ups timed to their project calendars, and a reason to stay in touch, such as a short note when you finish a comparable job.
- Search pages for commercial service. Lighting retrofits, tenant fit-outs, service and maintenance contracts, so facility managers who do search can find you.
Who it's for
Electrical contractors with the crew, insurance and supervision to take on commercial work and who want steadier volume than residential service alone. It suits shops moving from residential into light commercial, and established commercial shops that rely on two or three general contractors and want to spread that risk.
Timeline
| Month | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Capability statement, three project pages, target list of 40–80 firms |
| 2 | First outreach round; LinkedIn company page tidied |
| 3–4 | Follow-ups; first meetings by phone or video; more project pages |
| 5–12 | Second and third rounds; track invitations, bids and awards |
How results are measured
We track invitations to bid, bids submitted, awards, and the value of awarded work, by source. The ratio that matters most is awards per invitation, because it tells you whether the outreach is reaching firms whose work suits your crew.
A worked example: outreach to 60 firms leads to 9 invitations in six months. You bid 7 and win 2, worth $180,000 together. If marketing cost $15,000 for those six months, that's $12 of awarded work per marketing dollar, before considering repeat work from the same clients, which is usually where commercial margin lives.
Residential to commercial: a realistic transition
Many shops come to this service wanting to move from purely residential work into light commercial. That's achievable, but it's a transition, not a switch. A realistic path:
- Start with property-management service work. Small, repeatable jobs across several buildings build commercial references quickly.
- Add small tenant improvements with one or two general contractors who are willing to try a new electrical sub.
- Document every project as a page and a line in your capability statement.
- Grow the target list only as your crew and supervision grow.
Keep your residential marketing running during the transition. It pays the bills while commercial relationships mature.
Mistakes to avoid
- Chasing every GC in the province. Your crew can only travel so far. Target firms whose projects sit inside your radius.
- No proof of similar work. "We do commercial" means nothing without project pages.
- Hiding safety information. Commercial buyers ask about it early. Have a short safety summary ready and keep your workers' compensation account current with the board in your province.
- Stopping after one round. Most firms need several contacts over months before an invitation.
- Promising capacity you can't staff. Winning a large job and then scrambling for electricians damages the relationship. Pair this with electrician recruiting.
The full guide to building a commercial bid pipeline goes deeper. See all services, or contact us with your current commercial mix.
Frequently asked questions
Do general contractors really look at an electrician's website?
Yes, usually before they add a new trade to a bid list. They want to see similar projects, your licence, your safety record and who to call. A thin website makes the decision easy, in the wrong direction.
Do you write our bids or estimates?
No. Estimating and bidding stay with your team. We get you invited and make sure the company behind the bid looks credible.
Is LinkedIn worth it for an electrical contractor?
For commercial work, a modest presence helps. Project managers and facility managers use it to check who they're dealing with. Two or three project posts a month is plenty.
How long before we see bid invitations?
Usually two to four months after outreach begins, longer for large general contractors with established trade lists. Property-management service work can start sooner.