How Do People Find Your Business?

Some Basic Questions About How People Hear About You

By Tom Seest

How Did People Find Businesses In the Frontier Days?

In the days of the western frontier in the United States, people had to locate their businesses either in the small towns, larger cities, or along the trails frequented by the people traveling on foot, by horse, or by wagon.

How Did People Find Businesses In the Early Days Of Shipping and Canals?

In the early days of the shipping and transit via the rivers and man-made canals, people would locate their businesses in the towns that sprang up at the common ports along the routes.

How Did People Find Businesses In the Early Days Of Railroads?

In the early days of the railroads, people located their businesses and shops in the towns where the steam locomotives had to refill their water tanks. These towns sprung up as the railway lines were built, and these railroad towns attracted people and traffic.

How Did People Find Businesses In the Early Days Of Cars?

In the days of the early roads and early automobiles, people would locate their businesses along the roadways that were dirt, gravel, brick, or paved.

How Did People Find Businesses In the Early Days Of Highways and Super Highways?

Once cars migrated to using faster highways and superhighways, many of the businesses that were located in small out-of-the-way towns lost to businesses that were more conveniently located along major bi-ways of travel.

How Do You Locate Your Business Near Traffic?

Today, when you consider traffic, you also have to consider the costs of rents, real estate taxes, business taxes, etc when purchasing or renting business property near major traffic. As a general rule, the more traffic the roadways or the pedestrian walkways have, the more expensive the real estate is to lease or purchase.

How Did People Attract Customers to Their Businesses In the Early Days?

For pedestrian walkways, signage in all forms was important. For the early highways, billboards on signs, highway signs on barns, etc. were all major forms of attracting customers. Advertisements on radio stations, television stations, newspapers, and magazines would get the word out about your products and services.

How Can You Attract People to Your Business Today?

All the old methods still work to varying degrees but consider all the new, more modern ways people can hear about your business? They can talk into the air and Siri or Alexa can direct them, their watch can give them names of businesses and directions to get there. Their phones and their in-car GPS systems can give them detailed directions and ratings for businesses. The bottom line is that you need to know where your potential customers are gathering and talking and listening, either in person, or virtually, and meet them there.

What Is an Online Business Directory?

Since the advent of the internet and the world wide web, there has been a lot of talk about online directory sites for businesses. And it appears that more and more directory sites are popping up every single day. An online directory is basically an online telephone directory, however, it’s likewise a lot more. Online directories are sites that hold the information of various companies. An entrepreneur can send their service information to these websites, making sure it contains things like their service name, their telephone number, their website, their physical location, and the kinds of products and services they use.

What Are the Capabilities Of Online Business Directories Today?

Online Business Directory listings today allow your customers to interact and engage directly with you and your business without calling; they can simply chat with you and ask questions or email you if they are in no hurry. Since you now have virtual locations and signs, assuming you can ship products or provide remote services, they can find you from virtually anywhere. Some of the directories will even allow them to purchase and pay for your products and services, see your inventory, and allow them to review your products and services.

What Are the Risks and Rewards for Having an Online Business Directory Listing?

If you do great work and your customers give you good reviews, everyone will know and this brings you more business. If your business has problems responding to complaints, then you can still have a problem because your customers will quickly know that you have dissatisfied customers. This can also make your business growth more volatile. One great review or one bad review from one respected customer can change everything in an instant. So, you will need to plan for this as you grow your business.

Where Can You Learn More About Online Business Directories?

You can read more about what benefits and features Online Business Directories provide to businesses by reading the article at https://branddoneforyou.com/what-is-an-online-directory/. Each of the Online Business Directories has specific features, benefits, and targeted traffic that can provide you with more methods of attracting more traffic and customers.

Where Can You Learn More About Specific Online Business Directories?

I have created specific instructions for you to get your business listed in the following online business directories:

• Angi – What Is Angi Ads and How Do I List My Business?
• Apple – What Is Apple Maps and How Do I List My Business?
• Better Business Bureau – What Is Better Business Bureau and How Do I List My Business?
• Bing – What Is Bing Places for Business and How Do I List My Business?
• Chamber of Commerce – What Is Chamber Of Commerce and How Do I List My Business?
• Citysearch – What Is Citysearch and How Do I List My Business?
• FourSquare – What Is Foursquare for Business and How Do I List My Business?
• Google – What Is Google Business Profile and How Do I List My Business?
• HotFrog – What Is Hotfrog and How Do I List My Business?
• Local – What Is Local.Com and How Do I List My Business?
• Manta – What Is Manta and How Do I List My Business?
• MerchantCircle – What Is Merchantcircle.Com and How Do I List My Business?
• Meta – What Is Meta for Business (Formerly Facebook) and How Do I List My Business?
• Nextdoor – What Is Nextdoor and How Do I List My Business?
• SuperPages – What Is Superpages and How Do I List My Business?
• Verizon – What Is Verizon Small Business Essentials and How Do I List My Business?
• YellowPages – What Is Yellowpages.Com and How Do I List My Business?
• Yelp – What Is Yelp and How Do I List My Business?