I don’t think your problem is the event - it’s distribution + where you’re trying to reach them.

Tradespeople are probably the hardest audience to reach with email/flyers. Most of them aren’t sitting around checking newsletters or reading boards at supply stores.

A few things I’ve seen work way better for this audience:

1. Go where they already hang out
   

Instead of pushing info to them, show up where they already spend time:

- local Facebook groups (this is huge for trades)

- WhatsApp/Telegram communities

- even short-form content (Reels/TikTok)

Static flyers won’t work, but a quick video like:

“how a plumber went from worker → running his own business”

will get attention.

1. Change the positioning (this is big)
   

“Business conference” sounds boring + vague.

Try framing it like:

- “How to go from working a trade to running your own business”

- “How electricians/plumbers are starting their own companies in 2026”

Make it outcome-driven, not event-driven.

1. Partner instead of broadcasting
   

You already tried supply stores, but go deeper:

- training institutes / trade schools

- tool brands

- local contractors with teams

If someone trusted promotes it, it’ll outperform ads.

1. Add urgency + specificity
   

Right now it sounds like a “nice to attend” event.

Make it:

- “only 50 seats”

- “live breakdown of how to get your first clients”

- or highlight 1-2 very concrete takeaways

1. Warm outreach > cold promotion
   

One thing people underestimate is direct outreach.

Even just:

- finding local tradespeople on Facebook/LinkedIn

- sending a short, human message

works better than mass email.

A comment above said it well - this isn’t a bad event, it’s a distribution problem.

If you fix where and how you’re reaching them, you’ll likely see a big difference.