Local Marketing Gems Most Businesses Haven't Discovered Yet

Keep track of where your new enquiries come from

Look, I'll be honest with you - after working with dozens of businesses, I've noticed something interesting. There are some absolute marketing gems that most local business owners walk past every single day without realising it. Let's chat about them, shall we? 🤔

The Google Business Profile Gold Mine

Picture this: You've set up your Google Business Profile (yes, that thing that used to be called Google My Business), and you're getting a few calls here and there. But here's what most people miss - it's not just a digital business card. It's your 24/7 shop window.

A roofing company started posting before-and-after photos of completed roofs (with permission, of course). Within two weeks, their profile views increased. Why? Because people love seeing real work from real local businesses.

Quick Win: Next time you finish a job for a customer, or have successfully treated a patient, snap a photo and pop it on your profile. Add a brief story about how you helped solve the customer's or patient's problem. Real stories beat generic posts every time.

The Facebook Groups Secret

Here's something funny - while everyone's obsessed with their business page followers, there's a goldmine sitting right under our noses. Those local Facebook groups? They're absolutely buzzing with potential customers.

True story: An osteopath spent months trying to grow her Facebook page. Then she started genuinely helping people in local groups by answering questions. No selling, just helping. Guess what? She's now the go-to osteopath within her area.

Smart Move: Find three active local groups where your customers hang out. Spend 15 minutes each morning just being helpful. There is no sales pitch needed.

A group of people 's heads are lined up in a row.

Team Up with Other Local Businesses

This one's cheeky, but it works brilliantly. Think about it: What other local businesses do your customers use? Not your competitors, mind you, but complementary businesses.

A green car is parked in front of a red garage door.

Here's an example: A mechanic could team up with a local mobile car valeter and a dent repair specialist.

It makes perfect sense, right? When customers bring their cars in for a service or MOT, they can also have them properly cleaned or have those annoying car park dents fixed while they're waiting.

The mechanic isn't losing any work - instead, they're improving their customers' experience. Plus, when the valeter or dent specialist spots mechanical issues during their work, guess who they recommend?

It's a win-win, and customers love getting everything sorted in one go.

Try This: Write down three local businesses your customers might use before or after they use yours. Give them a call for a coffee and a chat about working together.

Got a work's Van? View it as more than just a way to travel from A to B.

You're actually driving around with unused advertising space. But hold on - I don't mean plastering your van with boring old contact details.

A good example of this would be a local dog groomer putting a huge photo of a happy, freshly groomed dog on their van with the text "Does your pooch need a pamper? 🐕" It gets people smiling - and more importantly, remembering.

Top Tip: Make your vehicle memorable, not just informative. Use humour or eye-catching images that make people do a double-take.

Local Events - But Not How You Think

A double glazing firm recently did something different at their local Home Show. Instead of the usual sales pitch, they created an interactive "Energy Savings Calculator" station.

Homeowners could enter their window measurements and current heating bills into an iPad and instantly see how much they could save with different types of glazing. They even had a thermal imaging camera that showed how much heat people's homes might be losing. This was proper clever stuff, and homeowners were queuing up to check their potential savings.

The reason it worked? They weren't just trying to sell windows - they were helping people solve a real problem: rising energy bills. Plus, it gave everyone something interesting to take home (their personalised savings report), rather than just another leaflet that ends up in the recycling bin.

Give This a Go: Think about how you can make your next local event interactive and fun. People remember experiences, not sales pitches.

Making It Actually Work

Here's the thing - none of these ideas are rocket science. But they work because they're genuine, local, and personal. That's what customers love.

Start small. Pick one idea that feels right for your business and give it a proper go for a month. Keep track of where your new enquiries come from (just a simple notebook will do).

Remember, the best marketing often doesn't feel like marketing at all. It's just about being helpful, being visible, and being yourself.

Need a hand getting started? Give us a bell on 01268 439917 or drop us an email at info@getcustomersfast.co.uk. We love chatting about this stuff (maybe a bit too much, if we're honest!)