How to use oddjobs.im
as a tradie

What oddjobs.im does for trades

Customers post real Isle of Man jobs. You see them under Opportunities, respond with interest, a site visit offer or a priced estimate, then chat and win the work. The customer relationship is direct - oddjobs.im takes no commission on the job.

You start with a free trial (no card at signup), then pick Trade, Pro or Elite via PayPal when you’re ready. Customers always post free - the plans are for tradies only.

Your home is the tradesperson dashboard. OJ Bot there answers tradie how-to questions only (not customer “post a job” flows).

1. Register, promo codes and verification

1. Register as a tradesperson (use a special link with ?promo=CODE or ?ref=CODE if you were given one - it can prefill on the form).
2. Optional: enter a promo / coupon code on register (or later under Billing). Codes can add extra trial days or a discounted plan when you subscribe.
3. Complete Profile (photo/logo, trade(s), phone, location, bio, insurance ticks where relevant).
4. Upload certifications if your trade requires them.
5. Wait for admin verification. Until you’re verified you can explore the dashboard but typically cannot send estimates.

When verified, OJ can celebrate once (“Nice one - you’re verified!”). Keep the profile sharp - customers choose people they trust.

2. Opportunities (open jobs)

Opportunities is the live board of open customer jobs. Newest first. Filter by trade category chips when available.

• Open a job card to read the brief and photos.
• Respond with the mode the customer asked for: estimate, visit offer, or interest.
• First solid response often wins attention - don’t leave good jobs sitting.

If you ask OJ “how many open jobs?”, he uses live board counts and opens Opportunities - never a customer “My jobs” page (that doesn’t exist on the tradie dashboard).

3. Send an estimate or response

From a job, open the estimate / response flow. Enter price when it’s an estimate, notes/message, and attach letterheaded PDFs if your plan supports it (Pro/Elite).

You always send the response yourself. OJ can help polish wording: open the job, sketch a price, then Ask OJ for a short professional message - review before send.

Track what you’ve sent under My estimates.

4. Messages

Messages is for chat with the customer (and support). Use it for clarifications, access and dates. Enable push/email under Communications so you don’t miss replies.

5. Diary

Diary keeps visits and booked work in one place. Classic or modern style, large type options, and print-the-week for the van. Plan site visits after customers shortlist you.

6. My website (public page)

My website is your public oddjobs.im page (slug under /t/…). Draft content and gallery, then submit for publish/approval when ready. A strong public page helps win trust before customers open Opportunities. When multi-language is on, gallery/copy can be offered in enabled languages after you save.

7. Billing, trial, promos and plans

Open Billing for trial status, Trade / Pro / Elite and PayPal. Typical list prices (admin can change them): Trade £29.99/mo, Pro £49.99/mo, Elite £79.99/mo. During a live campaign you may see a lower “now” price (e.g. Trade from £29.99/mo) and a big price tag on marketing/register.

• Free trial first - no PayPal at signup. Subscribe when the trial ends (or earlier if you want).
• Promo code on Billing - apply before you open PayPal to preview discounted prices (and so checkout can use promo plans when provisioned).
• PayPal processes the subscription. We don’t store full card details. Cancel anytime from Billing or PayPal.
• Still no commission when you win a job - plan fee only.

Full comparison: For Trades → Plans.

8. Referrals (invite a mate)

When the referral program is active, Billing shows an Invite a mate card with your personal link (?ref=YOURCODE).

• Share the link with other tradies.
• When they register with your code, the signup is attributed to you.
• It typically qualifies when they pay (subscription goes active) - rewards are tracked by tier (referrer / referee rules set by admin).

9. Ask OJ Bot (tradie brain)

On the tradie dashboard, click OJ to Ask OJ. He can:

• Explain Opportunities, estimates, diary, website and billing.
• Navigate you to the right section.
• Filter open jobs by trade (when chips exist).
• Help draft estimate message wording (you still send).

He will not invent job IDs, approve customers, or handle payments. Free answers come from local FAQ + his published tradie brain; open-ended AI asks count toward a daily smart-question limit.

Tips to win more work

• Respond fast on new Opportunities.
• Write clear, friendly estimate notes - price + what’s included.
• Keep diary and Communications prefs up to date.
• Finish verification and a real photo before you expect full access.
• If you have a promo or referral link, use it at register so the deal sticks to your account.