How to use oddjobs.imas 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. Need a hand? Use the in-app How to, or click the floating OJ helper for questions about Opportunities, estimates, diary, website and billing.

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 verification. Until you’re verified you can explore the dashboard but typically cannot send estimates.

Keep the profile sharp - customers choose people they trust. A real photo and clear trade list help a lot.

2. Opportunities (open jobs)

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

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

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 a PDF if your plan supports it (Pro/Elite).

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

Track what you’ve sent under My estimates (or Responses). When a customer accepts, follow up in Messages and diary the visit or start date.

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. Choose a layout that suits you, use larger type if needed, 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. Draft content and gallery, then submit for publish when ready. A strong public page helps win trust before customers open Opportunities. If multiple languages are enabled, you can offer copy in those languages after you save.

7. Ratings, favourites & reports

• Ratings - see feedback customers leave after jobs. Strong ratings help you win more work.
• Favourites - keep useful jobs or people handy when that feature is available on your account.
• Reports - a simple view of how you’re performing on the platform over time.

8. Ortally books (accounting partner)

OddJobs is in partnership with Ortally.com to give tradies easy accounting and bookkeeping at affordable prices.

• Open Account → Ortally books on your dashboard.
• One-click connect creates your Ortally workspace (or paste an API key if you already have one).
• When a job is awarded, you can push a sales invoice into your own Ortally books (auto-push if admin has it on).
• OddJobs still takes no commission on the job - Ortally is optional books software, billed on Ortally’s own plans.

Learn more: ortally.com.

9. Billing, trial, promos and plans

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

• 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.
• 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.

10. 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 subscribe (paid plan becomes active) - rewards follow the current program rules shown on Billing.

11. Ask OJ (in-app helper)

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

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

He will not invent job details, approve accounts, or take payments. Everyday how-to help is free; some open-ended questions may use a limited daily allowance of smarter AI answers.

For a full written guide anytime, open the dashboard How to (same content as this page).

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.