Learn: plain answers for owner-run businesses
Straight answers to the questions US business owners ask about getting found, getting more customers, keeping them, and knowing whether marketing is working.
Getting found
Showing up on Google, Google Maps and AI assistants when customers look for a business like yours.
How do customers find a local business now? Google, Maps, reviews, websites and AI assistants
Guide · Updated
Customers usually find a local business in one of three ways: someone recommends it, they search Google or Google Maps and compare reviews, or they already know it.
Why isn't my business showing on Google Maps? Causes and fixes
Answer · Updated
If your business isn't showing on Google Maps, check four things in order: is your Business Profile verified, has it been suspended for breaking Google's guidelines, does it match what the customer searched for, and how far away are you?
Getting more customers
Leads, ads and lead marketplaces: what is worth paying for and what to do instead.
How do I get more customers without wasting money on bad leads?
Guide · Updated
Start with the people already reaching you, not new ads.
How do HVAC, plumbing and electrical companies get jobs without buying shared leads?
Playbook · Updated
Start with the sources nobody else is sold: your past customers, your Google Business Profile and reviews, referrals from realtors, builders and property managers, and your trucks and yard signs.
How do remodelers get leads without lead marketplaces?
Playbook · Updated
A remodeler who doesn't want to rely on Angi or HomeAdvisor can build three things: proof of their work (photos, reviews and a pricing page), visibility around every job (yard signs and notes to neighbors), and search ads aimed at homeowners already looking for a kitchen or bath remodel.
Is HomeAdvisor (Angi Leads) worth it? An honest look
Comparison · Updated
In our reading of owner reports, HomeAdvisor (now sold as Angi Leads) is worth it for a small remodeler only if you can reply to leads within minutes, your jobs are large next to the lead fee, and it's one source of work among several.
Is Thumbtack worth it, and what are the alternatives?
Comparison · Updated
Based on owner reports, Thumbtack can pay for itself if you reply within minutes, your jobs are standard and worth well more than the lead price, and it isn't your only source of work.
New gym, not enough members: how small gyms get new members
Playbook · Updated
In our view, a small new gym wins members by being the obvious choice for one kind of person nearby, not by out-advertising bigger gyms.
Should I pay for leads? When pay-per-lead works and when it doesn't
Answer · Updated
Sometimes, but for a minority.
What actually works in restaurant marketing right now?
Playbook · Updated
For a small restaurant, what works is usually local and specific: a complete Google Business Profile with your menu, photos and hours; food in people's hands through samples and community events; one strong offer for your slowest night; and a reason for first-time guests to come back.
Why am I getting so many low-quality leads from my ads?
Answer · Updated
Most junk leads come from how the ad is set up, not from advertising itself.
Why aren't customers choosing my business? (and who they're choosing instead)
Answer · Updated
Start by finding out where customers went instead.
Converting and keeping customers
Answering, following up and bringing customers back.
Where am I losing customers between the first call and the paid job?
Guide · Updated
Customers usually drop out at one of four points: an unanswered call, a slow reply, a quote nobody follows up, or a finished job with no contact afterward.
Do clients expect a same-day reply? A follow-up playbook for small accounting, law and consulting firms
Playbook · Updated
Aim to acknowledge every client and prospect the same business day, even when the full answer takes longer.
How do I follow up with leads without being pushy? (scripts)
Answer · Updated
Follow-up feels pushy when it repeats itself.
How do I handle calls I can't answer (on a job, after hours, during the rush)?
Answer · Updated
To handle calls you can't answer, combine three things: a voicemail greeting that says when you'll call back, set times each day to return calls, and a backup for busy hours, such as call forwarding, a live answering service, or an automatic text.
How fast do I really need to respond to a new lead?
Answer · Updated
Reply to a new lead the same day at the very least, and within an hour during working hours if you can.
What does a missed call really cost my business?
Answer · Updated
A missed call costs you the job that caller would have booked, if they call someone else instead.
Marketing ROI and agencies
How to tell whether your marketing, or your agency, is working.
How do I know if my marketing is working?
Guide · Updated
Your marketing is working when you can show it brought in paying customers for less than they were worth to you.
Marketing agency red flags: signs you're paying for activity, not customers
Answer · Updated
The biggest red flag is an agency that reports activity, such as posts, clicks or reach, but can't tell you how many calls or paying customers its work brought in.