The Foundation: Building Your Digital Home

Even if you don’t sell anything online, there’s a benefit to having a strong digital presence. I’m old enough to remember the days of asking a friend for a recommendation for a mechanic, hair stylist, or interior designer. Those days are mostly over. More and more, consumers are looking to Google, and increasingly, ChatGPT or other options for answers. If you want to be found when people search, here’s how I’d get started.  

1. Get a Website That Looks Good (and works well too)

Your website is your first chance to show potential customers, who likely know very little about your business, a little bit about who you are, what you do, and why you’re the best at it.  Keep the copy concise and scannable. Make sure it is crystal clear what services you offer as soon as someone enters your website. Your hero copy isn’t the time for a fancy or complicated slogan. Simply tell people what you do and how you can help them. People have short attention spans, and they won’t stick around to read paragraphs of copy or sift through multiple pages to find out if you offer what they need. Design is important, but captivating copy is critical.  

• Essential Check: Make absolutely sure you receive and respond to contact form submissions. You’d be surprised how many businesses I meet that miss out on leads because their forms are broken!

2. Optimize Your Google Business Profile (GBP)

This is the single most important free marketing tool for a local business. It’s easy to set up and will have a major impact on your business. 

Not sure what in the world I’m talking about? Learn more about it here: https://business.google.com/en-all/business-profile/

• Action: Set up your GBP, fully optimize it with correct information, and verify your profile.
• Consistency is Key: Post updates, photos, and offers to your profile consistently. An active GBP ranks higher and instills more confidence.

3. Claim and Optimize Other Local Listings

Google isn’t the only authority. High domain authority local listing sites (like Yelp, Bing Places, Yellow Pages, etc.) help solidify your local SEO. 

• Pro Tip: Use services like BrightLocal to manage this process affordably and efficiently. Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are identical across all listings.

Visibility and Traffic Generation

Once the foundation is set, it’s time to drive people to your business website. If you were thinking a new website would be a “if you build it, they will come” kind of thing…you’d be wrong. Sorry, but it’s true. There are a few easy things you can do to help get things rolling. 

4. Strategic Paid Traffic: Consider Google Ads

If you have even a small, dedicated budget, Google Ads can generate immediate leads.

• Strategy: Target low-competition, highly relevant keywords where the cost-per-click is manageable.
• Warning: Approach with caution. It’s not hard to waste a lot of money quickly. Start small, track everything, and optimize daily.

5. Long-Term Organic Traffic: Create a Blog

Organic traffic is generally free, high-quality, and compounds over time.

• Goal: Consistently produce helpful content that answers your customers’ specific questions. This establishes you as an authority and is the best long-term way to boost your organic search rankings. 
• Tip: If you are a local business looking to get people in the door, then write about things specific to your city/state/region. Local keywords make a huge difference. 

Deepening Customer and Community Connections

Effective marketing is about cultivating relationships, not just transactions. This part can be time-consuming and sometimes discouraging, but it’s worth it. Marketing can get people to your door, but relationship and trust building is what gets them to enter and return. 

6. Start an Email List

Your email list is your most valuable asset. It’s a direct line to your audience that you own.

• Content Focus: Don’t just toot your own horn. Share genuinely helpful content, insider tips, and exclusive offers.

7. Connect with Complementary Business Owners

Networking puts a bad taste in many people’s mouths. Mine included. But, if you find a way to get involved in a group that isn’t just a business card swap, you can truly get a lot out of it.  Seek out complementary businesses that serve your ideal client but don’t compete with you. Give more than you take. Promote their services to your list, refer clients, and brainstorm how you can help them succeed. Usually, this will come back tenfold (and provide excellent content for your email list!).

8. Join/Attend Local Events

Get out from behind the computer and meet people in the community.

• Purpose: This is another opportunity to give more than you take. Offer free advice, brainstorm solutions for others, and focus purely on building trust and rapport.

Building Social Proof and Trust

In a world full of options, social proof is the ultimate differentiator. 

9. Get Online Reviews (Especially on Google)

Online reviews are the currency of trust.

• The Ask: Ask your happy customers to leave a review. Yes, it can feel awkward, but it’s essential. Make your ask soon after your service or product is provided, while their experience with your business is still fresh in their minds and they are at their most excited.
• The Standard: If you consistently give 5-star service, people will genuinely be happy to take two minutes to share their experience. Make it easy for them by providing a direct link via text, email, or a handout with a QR code.

Starting a business is challenging, but attracting your first customers doesn’t have to be a mystery. The nine ideas outlined here will work well for nearly any business in any industry. They work because they focus on two core principles: establishing trust and maximizing visibility. By executing these items diligently and consistently, you will move beyond hoping for customers to creating predictable, sustained growth.

Remember, marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, and every great runner occasionally hits a wall. If you ever find yourself stuck on optimizing your Google Business Profile, creating high-value blog content, or crafting the perfect Google Ad, we’re here to help. Punch Bug Marketing specializes in guiding new business owners through these essential steps, ensuring your efforts lead directly to customer attraction and business success.