Perusing my Facebook feed, I saw a local small business closing near me. I hate to see this occur especially if there is some way to prevent it.
An All-Too-Common Tale
I wondered Why? I have seen this pattern before and being a full-time investigator I had to dig further.
They had an active Facebook page with over 400 followers. They had an attractive website. They were located in an area with good visibility and foot traffic in a tourist town.
The issue I think was they only had 3 Google reviews!
They did claim their page which is no small feat with all the hoops and whistles Google puts you through these days. They could have used some more photos and Google Posts, but their lack of reviews hurt them most.
One comment on the post was quite telling.
“Wait, why haven’t I heard of this store?”
Unfortunately, lots of small business owners have a field of dreams approach. I have built it, they will come. They believe they are offering an excellent service or product and word of mouth and an active Facebook or Instagram page, a TikTok video or a YouTube channel will do the trick.
Google puts you on the map. People can know your business hours, the days you are open and closed, get directions to your business and most importantly rate your business so others will know it is worth visiting and your product or service is worth buying!
A Facebook or Instagram page does not have that kind of visibility or power.
If you pick the right business category and you’re diligent in getting real positive reviews in your area people will find you and most likely do business with you.
The business appears to have been there for 2 years but the comment by the person on the post is instructive. Pick any business category and think of 5 such businesses in your area. Unless you required a particular service and had done the research I am betting it would be difficult for you to do.
The bottom line is you have to be on Google, and you have to be regularly getting new Google reviews.
Our NFC/QR code review plate and our NFC/QR code review cards make the review capture process so much easier, and our review gateway can also remove some of the fears associated with soliciting reviews. Our review widget for your website highlights the positive reviews that will make visitors want to call you or come into your business.
Check out our pricing page and demos at reprenu.com and contact us so we can help keep your business open. We can get you started on your way to more reviews for under $50.