Tweet

Boost Your Store’s Foot Traffic For Free

Written by: Jay Hamilton-Roth

Article Overview: To get more customers into your store, make it easier for people to find your business online. Use Google’s Local Business Center to get your business listed in Google Maps, include a photo of your store, a description of your services, and even downloadable coupons for free. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and you can easily change your store listing at any time.

Boost Your Store’s Foot Traffic For Free

To get more customers into your store, make it easier for people to find your business online. Use Google’s Local Business Center to get your business listed in Google Maps, include a photo of your store, a description of your services, and even downloadable coupons for free. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and you can easily change your store listing at any time.

1. If you don’t already have a Google account, get one here (https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount). A Google account is also a necessity for using Google Analytics, Google Pages, etc.
2. Create your Local Business Center Account (https://www.google.com/local/add/)
3. Enter your business name, street address, phone number, website, and description. While you don’t need a website, Google requires a valid street address and phone number.
4. Categorize your business (major categories include: retail stores, organizations, business to business, entertainment, transportation, travel, education, services, health & medical, restaurants, government offices, and real estate)
5. (Optionally) Specify your hours and payment options.
6. (Optionally) Upload pictures of your storefront or goods.
7. (Optionally) Add details such as keywords, price ranges, and/or areas served.
8. Confirm your listing (either by phone or postcard).

Many Good Ideas Google Maps Listing

The more information you provide, the easier it will be for people to find you: by location, by type of your business, by the hours of your business, and even what your store looks like. Think of Local Business Center as a free online Yellow Pages listing. Make sure you highlight the key benefits of your store to attract online attention.

Of course, adding a listing alone isn’t going to make your business an overnight success. It will make your business easier to find, and is a great addition to an old-fashioned brick-and-mortar store that doesn’t have a website but does want an online presence.

This tip will help increase awareness of your store online. Getting customers to tell their friends and return back to the store is vital strategy for creating an ongoing stream of clientèle.

In addition to Google, many other search engines also allow you to submit your store (in many cases for free) to their business lists: Yahoo (http://listings.local.yahoo.com/), Super Pages (http://www.superpages.com/about/new_chg_listing.html), Yellow Pages (http://www.yellowpages.com/sp/contact/update.jsp), MSN (https://llc.local.live.com/ListingCenter.aspx), Insider Pages (http://www.insiderpages.com/), Local (http://advertise.local.com/), and City Search (https://selfenroll.citysearch.com/).

Related Articles
  Driving Retail Foot Traffic With Coupons And Free Stuff
  Website Role In A Brick-And-Mortar Business
  Lift Foot Traffic and Retail Sales With Freebie Marketing
  Using Free Samples To Lift Retail Sales
  Starbucks Strategy

Article Tags: address phone number, brick and mortar, brick and mortar store, downloadable coupons, education services, entertainment transportation, google, google maps, google pages, government offices, health medical, local business center, overnight success, price ranges, retail stores, services health, storefront, upload pictures, valid street address, www google com



Related Forum Posts
Re: Alexa Ranking Goals - LOL, I spoke too soon. Within a few hours of my post, Alexa updated the Traffic Rank on the toolbar. Note however that the 3 month Traffic Rank on Alexa.com has still not been updated...
Funnies - Hi There, Here are some bad headlines: Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge Eye Drops Off Shelf Hospitals Are Sued By 7 Foot Doctors Inclued Your Children When Baking Cookies Safety Experts Say School Bus Passengers Should Be Belted Kindest regards Beat
Re: Free elecrtricity generator - Can anybody help me with any aspect of my invention? In basic terms it is the energy of Gravity conserved and reused = (Auto engaging and disengaging shafts) = perpetual motion Perpetual motion + static friction generated in a pipe = free static electricity Free static electricity converted to usable electricity = Free usable electricity Free usable electricity generated by the constant friction generated by an auto engaging and disengaging machine that conserves the energy of gravity in a overcrankable clock spring The weight is easilly lifted back up the shaft with the aid of a double pully on ropes
Clothing Niche - Yasunori, can you dig deeper into the clothing niche? e.g. Business Casual for people 6ft and taller (men only, women only or both). Victoria Secret is big in Canada because they don't have retail Stores here and the only way to get their product in Canada is thru online purchases. They have a great Hassle-free return policy too.
Re: Internet Fax Services - any suggestions? - This is a list of the best free internet fax services. Efax 1 Month Free Trial Only Receive unlimited faxes in your Efax email (or you can forward your Efax email to another email account), but your fax number may not be based in your local area. Also get free voicemail over the phone or on the web. JFAX.com Free Fax Plus 1 Month Free Trial Only This service gives you a free personal phone number (your number may not be in your local area code, so long distance charges may apply) you can use to receive voice messages and faxes right in your email. This service is available in the US and UK. Xoip Receive faxes on your Xoip number (Netherlands, Belgium, and United Kingdom numbers only) and it will be forwarded to your email address where you will be able to view it as a graphics (.tiff) file. This service also provides free voicemail.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Winning Market Share in a Tough Economy

Why We MUST Reinvent The Wheel

Four Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Should Blog

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.