15 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Get More Local Customers

Most local businesses don't need a big advertising budget to win more customers. They need to be easy to find, easy to contact and easy to recommend. The 15 ideas below cost little or nothing, and most can be started this week.

If you only have time for three, start with these: complete your online listings so people can find you, ask every happy customer for a review, and reply to every enquiry quickly. Those three alone fix the most common reasons local businesses lose customers they never knew they had.

Start with your online listings

When people look for a local business, they usually start with a search on their phone. Your listings are your shop window there.

1. Claim and complete your main profiles

Set up or claim your Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect and Bing Places, plus one or two trusted directories. Fill in every field: category, hours, services, photos and a description. Half-finished profiles look abandoned. Our business profile checklist lists everything worth adding.

2. Keep your details identical everywhere

Use the same business name, address and phone number on every listing and on your website. Mismatched details send customers to old numbers and make search engines less sure about you.

3. Show prices, even roughly

People compare. A "from" price or a short price list helps them decide to contact you rather than the business that kept its prices secret.

Make it easy to contact you

4. Offer the contact options customers prefer

Some people want to call, others prefer to message, and some want to book without talking to anyone. Add a phone number, a messaging option such as WhatsApp, and online booking if you sell appointments. Every extra step loses someone.

5. Answer fast

Speed often decides who gets the job. A customer who messages three businesses will usually go with the first good reply. Turn on notifications, set up a short automatic greeting for busy times, and return missed calls the same day.

Ask for reviews

6. Ask every happy customer

Reviews help people choose between businesses that look similar. Most satisfied customers are glad to leave one, but few think of it unless you ask. Ask in person at the end of a visit, then send a short message with a direct link. Keep it simple: "Thanks for coming in today. If you have a minute, a quick review would really help us." Never pay for reviews or offer rewards in exchange for them. Our guide on how to get more reviews explains what is and isn't allowed.

Run a simple offer

7. Make one clear offer for new customers

A simple, time-limited offer gives people a reason to try you now rather than later. Examples: "10% off your first service this month", "free consultation for new clients" or "free delivery on your first order". Keep the terms short and clear, set an end date, and make sure your team knows about it.

8. Use offers to fill quiet times

If Tuesday afternoons are always empty, aim your offer there. A discount that fills an empty slot costs you far less than one that applies to your busiest day.

Partner with nearby businesses

9. Swap recommendations

Look for businesses that serve the same customers without competing with you. A hairdresser and a nail salon, a gym and a physiotherapist, a wedding photographer and a florist. Agree to recommend each other, display each other's cards, or create a joint offer.

10. Ask suppliers and past clients for introductions

Your suppliers know other businesses that may need you. Past clients know friends and neighbours. A polite "If you know anyone who needs this, I'd be grateful for the introduction" works better than you might expect.

Use WhatsApp and social media

11. Use WhatsApp for quick, friendly replies

Many customers find it easier to send a message than to call. Set up a business profile with your hours and address, and save quick replies for common questions such as prices and directions. Only message people who have contacted you or agreed to hear from you.

12. Post real, local content

You don't need to post every day. One or two genuine posts a week, such as a finished job, a new product, a team member or a behind-the-scenes photo, keep your profiles alive. Local community groups can also help, as long as you follow their rules on promotion.

Get involved in your community

13. Show up locally

Sponsor a youth sports team, run a stall at a local fair, give a short talk at a library or community centre, or offer a prize for a school raffle. These are low-cost ways to put your name in front of people who live nearby, and they build goodwill that ads can't buy.

Choose activities that suit your business and the people you want to reach. A children's dentist might support a school reading week; a bike shop might lead a free Saturday ride. When people meet you in person and have a good experience, they remember your name the next time they need what you sell, and they are more likely to recommend you to friends.

Reward repeat customers

14. Make it worth coming back

Winning a new customer usually takes more effort than keeping an existing one. A simple stamp card, a small thank-you discount on the next visit, or a reminder when a service is due ("your car is due for its annual service") keeps people coming back. Remember birthdays or anniversaries only if the customer has agreed to share them.

Track what works

15. Ask "How did you hear about us?"

Ask every new customer, and write the answer down. After a month or two, you'll know which ideas bring people in and which don't. Many directories and business profiles also show views, calls and website clicks. Check these monthly and put more time into what works.

You don't need special software. A simple notebook or spreadsheet with the date, the customer and where they heard about you is enough to spot patterns.

Summary checklist

• Main profiles claimed and complete
• Same name, address and phone number everywhere
• Prices or "from" prices visible
• Call, message and booking options added
• Replying to enquiries the same day
• Asking every happy customer for a review
• One clear offer for new customers
• Quiet times targeted with offers
• Two or three partner businesses agreed
• Asking suppliers and clients for introductions
• WhatsApp business profile and quick replies set up
• Posting genuine updates once or twice a week
• One community activity planned
• A simple reward for repeat customers
• Recording how every new customer found you

Pick three items, do them well, then add more. If you'd like one more place for local customers to find you, add your business to Search IT. Every listing is checked by our team and includes online booking.