Free Marketing Tips for New Local Owners
43 short, practical tips. Each one takes minutes, costs little or nothing, and works for a shop, a kitchen or a one-person service.
Ask for the Review Before You Leave
The best moment to ask is right after a happy customer says thanks. Not a week later by email.
Print a Review QR Card
A small card with your Google review QR code turns "I will do it later" into "done."
Reply to Every Review
89 percent of people expect owners to respond. Most owners do not. Easy win.
Never Pay for Reviews, Even With a Discount
A coupon for a review breaks Google policy and can break federal law.
Keep Reviews Coming Every Month
People want recent reviews. A burst at launch and then nothing looks like you closed.
Write Review Replies by Hand
Half of customers are put off by generic copy and paste replies.
Verify Your Google Profile First
Do not spend a week on photos before the profile is verified. Verify first.
Add a Real Photo of Your Front Door
Google says an exterior photo helps customers recognize your business when they arrive.
Set Holiday Hours Before the Holiday
Nothing loses a customer faster than a drive to a closed door.
Post on Your Google Profile Weekly
Posts show you are open and active. Old posts get archived after six months.
Do Not Stuff Keywords in Your Business Name
Your Google name must match your sign. Extra words can get your profile in trouble.
Hide Your Home Address
If customers never come to you, do not publish where you live.
Skip the Virtual Office Address
A rented mailbox you do not work from is not eligible for a Google profile.
Claim Your Apple Maps Place Card
iPhone users search Apple Maps first. Your card there is free to claim.
Use One Phone Number Everywhere
Different numbers on different sites confuse customers and split your calls.
Keep Your Hours the Same Everywhere
If Google says open and Yelp says closed, people trust neither.
Claim Your Free Yelp Page
Yelp says it is free to be on Yelp and free to claim your page.
Make a Free Nextdoor Business Page
Neighbors ask "who do you recommend" on Nextdoor every day.
Put a Tap to Call Button at the Top
On a phone, the first screen is the whole website for most visitors.
Give Each Service Its Own Section
One vague "Services" line will not match the searches people actually type.
Test Your Site on Your Own Phone
Open it on cellular data, not office wifi. That is how customers see it.
Add Your Site to Google Search Console
It is free and it shows the exact searches that bring people to you.
Write a Description That Says What, Who and Where
Skip "quality service you can trust." Everyone says that.
Ask for Referrals Out Loud
Happy customers will refer you. Most just never think of it.
Thank Every Referral the Same Week
The owner who notices referrals keeps getting them.
Build a Referral Circle
Three owners who serve the same customers can feed each other all year.
Carry Cards to Every Community Event
Shul dinners, school fairs and fundraisers are where locals meet locals.
Make Your Sign Readable From the Street
If people cannot read it from a passing car, it is decoration.
Letter Your Vehicle
A van or car that says what you do is an ad that works every time you drive.
Leave Door Hangers Near Every Job
Neighbors of a happy customer often need the same thing.
Post Photos of Real Work
A real before and after beats any stock photo.
Pick One Social Platform and Show Up
Being everywhere badly loses to being one place well.
Publish a "Starting At" Price
People skip businesses that hide every price.
Do Not Win on Price Alone
The cheapest business in town is one bad month from closing.
Offer a Simple Package
Three clear choices are easier to buy than a custom quote.
Get Written Consent Before Marketing Texts
Sales texts need written consent. A web form checkbox counts.
Send a Thank You After Every Job
One message the next day earns reviews, referrals and repeat work.
Put an Unsubscribe Link in Every Marketing Email
CAN-SPAM requires it, and each bad email can cost up to $53,088.
Run Ads After You Have Reviews
Ads send people to your profile. Make sure it is worth landing on.
Ask Every Customer How They Found You
Without tracking, you keep paying for the ad that feels busy.
Get Your EIN Free From the IRS
Never pay a website for an EIN. The IRS gives it free in minutes.
Register Your Business Name
Using a name other than your own? Most states require you to register it.
Get Your Nevada Business Licenses
Nevada needs a state license and usually a city or county one too.
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