1. Show up where people are already searching
People who search Google for your service are ready to hire. Being in the top three map results and on page one for your service and town is the steadiest source of new customers for most local businesses. Start with a complete Google Business Profile.
2. Turn happy customers into reviews
Reviews help you rank and help people choose you. Ask every happy customer, right after the job, with a direct link. How to get more Google reviews.
3. Make your website do its job
A slow site, or one that's hard to use on a phone, loses people who were ready to call. Put your phone number, services, service area and reviews on the first screen, with a tap-to-call button.
4. Answer fast and follow up
Many customers contact more than one business. The first to respond often wins. Answer calls, reply to form fills quickly, and follow up on every quote you send. An automatic text-back for missed calls helps when you're on a job.
5. Ask for referrals and repeat work
Past customers are your cheapest new customers. Stay in touch with seasonal reminders (furnace tune-ups, gutter cleaning, spring lawn care), and ask happy customers who else they know.
6. Be visible locally
Truck lettering, yard signs, Facebook and Nextdoor groups, local sponsorships and partnerships with related trades all add up, and many of them also give you local links and mentions that help your SEO.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to get more customers?+
Fixing your Google Business Profile and asking every recent customer for a review is often the quickest win. Paid ads can bring calls immediately but stop when you stop paying.
How do small businesses attract customers online?+
By showing up in Google Maps and search for their service and area, having a website that works on phones, collecting reviews, and responding quickly to every inquiry.
Do I need social media to get customers?+
It helps, but for most local service businesses, Google search and Maps bring in more ready-to-hire customers than social media.