Free Foot Traffic

Getting more people through your door doesn’t always require a bigger advertising budget. For many local businesses, the first opportunity is simply making it easier for nearby customers to find you, understand what you offer, and have a reason to visit.

Here are five practical ways to increase foot traffic to your small business without paying for advertising.

1. Improve Your Google Business Profile

When someone searches Google for a nearby restaurant, repair shop, salon, store, contractor, or other local business, your Google Business Profile can be one of your most important online assets.

Make sure your profile is complete and accurate. Check your:

• Business name
• Address
• Phone number
• Business hours
• Primary and additional categories
• Website
• Services or products
• Business description
• Photos

Add new photos regularly and keep your hours updated, especially around holidays.

Your goal is simple: when a potential customer discovers your business on Google Search or Maps, give them enough information and confidence to take the next step.

Cost: $0

2. Give Customers a Reason to Visit Today

“Come visit our store” isn’t a particularly strong reason to leave the house.

Give people something specific to come in for.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a discount. Try promoting a new product, limited-quantity item, demonstration, free consultation, seasonal service, customer appreciation day, new menu item, or an in-store special.

For example:

“We just received our fall inventory. Stop in this week and see what’s new.”

Or:

“Free 10-minute consultation this Saturday — no appointment necessary.”

Specific offers give customers a reason to act now instead of thinking, “Maybe someday.”

Cost: $0

3. Use Local Facebook Groups

Local Facebook groups can put your business in front of people who actually live nearby.

Look for community groups, neighborhood groups, local buy-and-sell groups, business groups, and “What’s Happening” groups for your town.

But don’t join and immediately start blasting advertisements.

First, read the group’s rules. Some groups prohibit business promotions, while others allow them only on certain days.

When promotion is permitted, make your post useful.

Instead of:

“Come to Joe’s Hardware!”

Try:

“Cold weather is coming. We put together a quick checklist of five things homeowners should check before the first freeze. If anyone has questions, we’re happy to help.”

You’re still promoting the business, but you’re also giving the community something useful.

Cost: $0

4. Ask Happy Customers for Google Reviews

Your existing customers can help bring you your next customers.

After a good experience, simply ask:

“Would you mind leaving us a Google review? It really helps a local business like ours.”

Make it easy by providing customers with a direct link or QR code to your Google review page.

Don’t offer rewards in exchange for positive reviews. Instead, consistently ask real customers for honest feedback.

Reviews can help prospective customers evaluate whether they want to call, visit, or buy from your business. They also provide fresh information about the experiences real customers are having with you.

A business with recent, detailed customer reviews can be much more reassuring than one whose last review was years ago.

Cost: $0

5. Turn Your Business Into a Local Information Source

You know things about your industry that your customers don’t.

Use that knowledge.

A garden center could post:

“What should you plant in September?”

An auto repair shop could publish:

“5 things to check before winter driving.”

A restaurant could share:

“How we prepare our most popular dish.”

A hardware store might post:

“Three things every homeowner should do before temperatures drop below freezing.”

Publish useful information on your website, Google Business Profile, Facebook page, and other social channels you already use.

You aren’t just saying “Buy from us.”

You’re giving local people a reason to remember your business.

When they eventually need what you sell, you have a better chance of being the business that comes to mind.

Cost: $0

Bonus: Make Sure People Can Actually Find Your Business Online

You can do everything above correctly and still lose potential customers if your online business information is incomplete, inaccurate, or difficult to find.

Search for your own business the way a customer would.

Try searches such as:

“[your service] near me”

“[your service] [your city]”

“best [your type of business] in [your city]”

Then look at what a potential customer sees.

Can they quickly determine what you do?

Can they find your phone number?

Are your hours correct?

Is your address accurate?

Does your website work properly on a phone?

Do your photos represent your business today?

Are there recent reviews?

If the answer to several of those questions is no, you may have found one of the reasons you’re not getting as much local traffic as you could.

Find Out How Your Business Looks Online

Before spending money on advertising, find out where your current online presence may be helping—or hurting—your business.

Get your Free AI Business Report at AIBusinessPromoter.com.

The report is designed to help small-business owners identify potential problems and opportunities with their Internet presence so they know what to work on next.

More visibility. More local customers. More opportunities to get people through the door.