How to Get Customers for Local Service Businesses

Introduction

• Speaker backgrounds and local service business engagement
• Identified participants and their businesses/interests
  • General contractor, transitioning to sales
  • Starting landscaping company
  • Recently launched advertising company targeting restaurants and service businesses

Speaker's Background

• Background in construction; started as a carpenter/laborer
• Experience working in various construction jobs
• Worked as superintendent for a remodeling company
• Transitioned to marketing after losing a superintendent job due to lack of marketing investment
• Discovered Google Ads through entrepreneurial forum
• Self-taught Google Ads and created leads for remodeling company
• Transitioned to freelance digital marketing; established own business
• Currently operates with 100 clients, provides audit and consultation services for local businesses

Main Concepts

Understanding Marketing for Local Service Businesses

• Emphasis on using Google as a primary marketing tool for local services
• Over 90% of internet searches occur on Google
• 80% of local service searches happen on Google

Four Areas of Google for Business Visibility

1. Google Guaranteed / Local Service Ads (LSA)
   • Above traditional ads, customers pay per lead
   • Easy entry for businesses; verification is mandatory
2. Traditional Google Ads
   • Pay-per-click model; costs can be high
   • Effective but requires careful management
3. Google Maps / Google My Business
   • Free visibility, most visible place for reviews
   • Important to be in the top three to maximize calls
4. Organic Search Results
   • Free but requires SEO investment and time
   • Effective for long-term visibility

Strategies to Implement Google Ads and Google My Business

• Local Service Ads: Focus on getting verified, useful for immediate calls
• Google Ads: Recommended to be managed by experts to control costs
• Google Maps: Ensure business listing is complete, focus on gaining positive reviews
• SEO / Organic: Make a strong website, ensure listing is optimized

Business Fundamentals for Lead Generation

• Importance of tracking numbers: leads, cost per lead, sales conversion rates, and profit margins
• Ensure business viability through careful analysis of expenses vs. revenue

Techniques for Acquiring Customers

• Use personal networks and referrals
• Knock on doors, engage with neighbors for the initial few clients
• Regularly ask for customer reviews and referrals
• Use special phone numbers (stickers) for customers to contact directly

Tips for Effectiveness

Sales and Customer Interaction

• Immediate follow-up with leads improves conversion
• Personalized approach for asking reviews in person
• Engagement with customers, maintain regular contact
• Reward employees for garnering reviews

Managing Google Listings and Ads

• Regular monitoring and adjusting ad campaigns
• Work on maintaining a high frequency of recent reviews
• Be prepared for occasional Google My Business suspensions and know the process for reinstatement

Conclusion

• Consistent tracking and adjusting of marketing strategies
• Aim to appear in multiple areas of Google for maximum visibility
• Develop thorough, flexible strategies to scale from zero to millions in revenue
• Importance of a personalized, proactive approach in customer engagement

Q&A Highlights

• Discussion on significance and methods for obtaining reviews
• Tracking call sources and maintaining data for better strategy formulation
• Manual engagement for immediate sales closure
• Blogging and SEO considerations for non-service businesses
• Practical tools recommended for SEO and content creation