One Of The Biggest Secrets Of Promoting Your Local Business Online

By Author: Claude Whitacre
Total Articles: 164
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It happened again today. A customer came into our store to buy a vacuum cleaner. They knew what they wanted, and they knew the price. The sale took 10 minutes, and produced a $300 profit. I asked the gentleman how he found us. He said "I watched your video demonstration on your website. I felt like I knew you before I came in."

I asked how he knew about our website. He said "I looked online in the Yellow Pages. You were listed number one, and had a website. I also saw that you had a video, so I watched it."

I appreciated the sale. But here is something you need to know. There are over ten online Yellow Page directories, and about a dozen "Yellow Page like" directories. Had he looked in a directory where I wasn't listed (with my website and video links), I wouldn't have made that sale. Had he looked on a search engine that didn't rank my website highly, I wouldn't have made the sale. If I was listed where he looked, but I didn't have a video, and someone else did...I would have missed that sale.

A few months ago, I decided to list myself with every online local directory, every search engine, every Yellow ...
... Page directory. I realized that if you want to be found online, you have to be wherever the prospect looks, or they won't see your business listing.

I did this manually, for about a month. You can find local search directories by simply Googling "free local search directories". You can also try "free online Yellow Page directories". There are complete lists of these directories for free online. You can also submit your business website and business listing to them all for free. There are more than 200 directories that will cover better than 85% of any possible place a local online customer would look for local listings.

There are services that will do the submitting for you. The prices vary from $399 to about $1,200 a year. I didn't see much difference in what they wee offering.

Most of these directories will let you place links for video in your listing. All local search directories will let you place your company website link in the listing. This also builds up a couple hundred links to your website which helps with your Search Engine Optimization.

Many of these directories will let you post as much information as you would normally find in a full page Yellow Page ad. And, after you navigate the maze of up-sells in each directory website, you can place your listing for free. That's what I did, although I must admit that after a month, I just used a service to do the work for me.

Sales are increasing noticeable.
Claude Whitacre is a speaker on the subject of local online advertising, and offline advertising for small business. He is the author of the book The Unfair Advantage Small Business Advertising Manual. You can download a free copy of his book at http://www.local-small-business-advertising-marketing-book.com You can also learn about a local online marketing service that places your business information with over 200 local search directories at http://www.localbusinesslistingservice.com