Most local customers search online before they visit, call or buy. Being easy to find and easy to trust is half the battle.
Whether you run a café, salon, garage, dental practice or plumbing business, the people most likely to buy from you live or work nearby. This guide covers ten ways to reach them, from the free basics that work fastest to the extras that keep customers coming back.
Something new: more people now ask AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini and Google's AI Overviews for local recommendations. These tools draw on your Google profile, reviews, website and mentions around the web, so the steps below help you there too.
- Local customers search, compare, check, then act
- Be easy to find and easy to trust
- AI assistants use the same signals as Google
Your free Google listing is often the first thing customers see, and the most important local marketing tool you have.
Claim your free listings on Apple Business Connect (Apple Maps and Siri) and Bing Places too. They take minutes and reach people Google doesn't.
- Your Google profile is your most important local tool
- Fill in everything and add real photos
- Post weekly and reply to every review
Reviews are the number one reason people choose one local business over another. Make asking for them part of every sale.
- Get your review link from your Google profile and put it on receipts, emails and a QR code at the till.
- Ask in person: "Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It really helps a small business like ours."
- Reply to every review within a few days.
- Respond to negative reviews calmly, apologise where right, and offer to sort it out offline.
Write a friendly, professional reply to this Google review for my [type of business]: [paste review]. Thank them, mention a detail from their review, and (if negative) apologise and invite them to contact [email/phone]. Under 80 words, British English.
- Ask every happy customer
- Use a direct link or QR code
- Reply to every review; never fake them
Your website should tell visitors in five seconds what you do, where you are and how to buy or book.
"Same-day flower delivery in Bath" beats "Welcome to our website".
A phone button and booking or order button at the top of every page.
Most local searches happen on phones. Make it fast and easy to read.
Reviews, photos of real work and recognisable local clients.
- Show your address, map and opening hours on your contact page.
- Keep your name, address and phone exactly the same everywhere online.
- Create a page for each main service, and for each town you serve if you travel to customers.
- Make sure the site loads in under 3 seconds on mobile.
- Say what, where and how to buy in five seconds
- Tap-to-call and booking buttons on every page
- Consistent name, address and phone everywhere
Help Google and AI assistants understand exactly what you do and where.
| Do this | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Use local keywords on your pages ("plumber in Swindon") | Matches what people type and ask |
| List your business in trusted directories (Yell, Thomson Local, trade bodies) | More consistent mentions build trust |
| Get mentioned on local sites (news, events, partners) | Local links and mentions are strong signals |
| Answer common questions on your site (FAQ page) | Gives AI assistants clear answers to quote |
| Add LocalBusiness structured data | Helps search engines read your details |
I run a [type of business] in [town]. Write 10 frequently asked questions my customers ask, with short, helpful answers (60 to 100 words each) for my website's FAQ page. Naturally include [town] and nearby areas where relevant. British English.
- Use local keywords naturally
- Get listed and mentioned on trusted local sites
- FAQ pages help both Google and AI assistants
Social media lets your community get to know the people behind the business.
Local community groups where people ask for recommendations.
Behind the scenes, products and customer moments.
Neighbourhood recommendations and local business pages.
Short videos showing your work and personality.
- Post real photos and videos of your work, team and customers (with permission).
- Tag local places and use your town in captions.
- Answer recommendation requests helpfully, without hard selling.
- Share local news, events and other businesses, not just your own posts.
- Be where local people ask for recommendations
- Show the real people behind the business
- Support your community, not just yourself
Small ad budgets go a long way when you only show ads to people nearby.
| Ad type | Best for | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Google Local Services Ads | Trades and services (plumbers, cleaners, solicitors) where available | Per lead |
| Google Search ads | People actively searching for what you do | Per click |
| Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ads | Promoting offers and events within a few miles | Per view or click |
| Google Business Profile in Maps | Standing out in map results | Per click |
- Target a radius around your business or service area.
- Send people to a page that matches the ad, with one clear action.
- Start with £5 to £10 a day and track calls and bookings.
- Stop ads that don't bring enquiries after two weeks.
- Target only people nearby
- Match the landing page to the ad
- Judge ads by calls and bookings
Winning a new customer costs far more than bringing back an existing one. Stay in touch.
- Always get clear permission before adding anyone to your list (UK GDPR and PECR rules apply).
- Send something useful, not just offers: tips, news and behind-the-scenes.
- Send birthday or anniversary offers automatically.
- Use text messages only for important, time-sensitive offers, and only with permission.
Write a friendly monthly email for my [type of business] in [town]. Include: one useful tip, one piece of news, one offer [details] and a clear button to [book/order]. Subject line options: 5. British English, under 200 words.
- Collect emails with permission
- Send useful monthly emails
- Automate welcome and birthday emails
Events and time-limited offers give people a reason to visit now, not someday.
A florist's wreath class, a bike shop's repair evening, a café's coffee tasting.
Celebrate a new product or refit with your community.
Tie promotions to local events, school holidays and the seasons.
A digital stamp card or a reward for every fifth visit.
- List events on your Google profile, Facebook and local event sites.
- Collect emails at every event.
- Use deadlines to create urgency, and stick to them.
- Give people a reason to visit now
- Promote events everywhere locals look
- Collect contact details at every event
A recommendation from a friend or a trusted local business is the most powerful marketing there is.
A hairdresser and a nail salon share vouchers.
A local food or family account visits and shares.
- Offer great service: it's what makes people want to recommend you.
- Partner with businesses that serve the same customers but don't compete.
- Run joint giveaways or bundles.
- Make sure paid or gifted promotions by creators are clearly labelled as adverts.
- Reward referrals for both people
- Partner with complementary local businesses
- Great service creates word of mouth
Spend your time and money on what actually brings customers through the door.
| Measure | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Calls, direction requests and website clicks | Google Business Profile performance |
| Website visitors and enquiries | Google Analytics |
| New customers by source | Ask "How did you hear about us?" |
| Review count and rating | Your Google profile |
| Repeat customers | Your booking or till system |
Here are my results for the last 3 months: [paste numbers by channel: Google profile actions, website enquiries, social, ads, referrals, sales]. Which channels give me the best return? What should I do more of, less of and try next? Give me a simple 30-day plan.
- Track calls, clicks, enquiries and sources
- Always ask how customers found you
- Do more of what works; drop what doesn't
Work through these tasks over the next month. Start at the top: they bring the fastest results.
Start with your Google Business Profile and reviews this week. They bring the fastest results for most local businesses.