16 Good Reasons to Use Tracking Numbers

By having a call tracking number you can:

Prove an advertising medium works – A tracked number in our books will give you all the proof you need to book again and again.
Discover which categories work best – Use a call tracking number under each of your headings to discover which headings work hardest for you.
Measure your campaign successes – Use different call tracking numbers in each of your campaigns to see which campaigns improve your return on investment and which campaigns should be dropped.
Discover what time of day most customers call you – Tracking numbers record the time of day that customers call enabling you to maximise your resources to answer their calls and to advertise to them when they are most receptive.
Appear bigger – By using multiple local numbers in different areas, you can give the impression that you have a network of local offices.
Appear to be local – Customers like to deal with local businesses. By choosing the local dialling code, tracking numbers allow you to appear as if you are a local business.
Track a customer’s online journey – By using different tracking numbers on different website landing pages, you can track which pages have most impact when initiating a customer response.
Help discover a campaign’s weakness – As well as all the positives, you can analyse the aspects of campaigns and webs pages that do not provide a response in order to improve their effectiveness.
Ensure your privacy – A tracking number connected to your personal phone protects you from the possible abuse caused by advertising your personal telephone in the public domain.
Monitor your average call length – By monitoring your call durations you can discover what percentage of calls are time wasters and which lead to more meaningful conversations
Discover your regular customers – Customers that call frequently can be turned into ambassadors for your business by offering them incentives and special offers.
Record all mobile numbers – With 84% of all adults in the UK owning a smart phone, mobile numbers are a quick and easy way of reaching potential customers with special offers.
See where customers are calling from – If a large proportion of calls are coming from a particular area, you can alter your advertising messages accordingly.
Carry out A/B Testing – By making changes to an advert with a different tracking number enables you to monitor the effectiveness of any changes made
Have different numbers on advertising platforms – A good way of comparing the effectiveness of different media
Differentiate between products – Depending on your business you could have a different number for each of your products or services to discover what your customers are really interested in.

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Road Map Out Of Lockdown

The end of lockdown is sight

We are delighted that there is some good news at last with the publication of the road map out of the current situation, and some light at the end of a very long tunnel for small businesses across the UK.

The sap is rising and Spring is well on its way. A sense of energy and potential is sweeping through the Local Pages Team so we wanted to share our thoughts on how to use the next few weeks effectively and dynamically. therefore given a high degree of trust.

For those of you who will be looking to your business re-opening, or those who have traded throughout, there will be some things you may want to consider to capitalise on the relaxation of lockdown regulations;

Safety first

Your customers are going to appreciate the reassurance of their safety, and since it appears mask-wearing and social distancing are going to be the norm for a few months yet, it’s a good opportunity to check the up-to-date government guidelines on Covid safety. They can be found by clicking here.

Get organised

Use the final few weeks of quiet time to plan and get organised. Now is the time to check when your insurance policies are due for renewal and that all your competency training is up to date. Put these dates in your calendar now as annual reminders so that you know you are covered.

Make a business plan

Setting goals and ways to measure your progress will help you focus on each step of the growth of your business. The Government has announced further grants and loans for small businesses so take a look to see what help is available. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support. There is useful information on making a business plan here too. Don’t forget to include your advertising budget. You will want to let your existing and potential customers know that you have ridden the storm and are still available for them, or if you are a new business, now is the time to get the word out so you can hit the ground running.

Sort your advertising budget

Use your advertising budget to shout about any developments, changes, or simply the fact you have survived and can’t wait to get back to it!

Our in-house designers can help you make the most out of your LP adverting and our Digital Team are available to talk through any and all online promotion, from Pay Per Click to Website Creation or Social Media Campaign Management. We have over 40 years experience of the local advertising marketplace and out expertise is available to help maximise your spend.

And finally

We have all been shaped and affected in one way or another by the events of the last year so let’s use our experiences to reflect, appreciate and grow from here.

The Local Pages Team are here to help you secure your spot in the marketplace. *

For help with all your marketing post lockdown, call 0117 923 1122, email sales@localpages.co.uk or book an appointment with the Local Pages Lead Generation Team below.

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The Importance of Reviews

Everyone now looks at reviews

Don’t try and kid yourself that your customers don’t go online and research your business before they make a decision. They do. The days of customer loyalty are almost over as customers more than ever consider all the various options open to them. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), in 2020 an average of 46.6 million people in the UK access the internet on any given day and only 7% of households in the UK do not have wi-fi.

Customers will research your business to ensure you can: solve their problems, carry out any work to a high standard and can be relied upon. Reviews are the modern-day equivalent of a ‘word of mouth’ recommendation. They are independent of you and your website are therefore given a high degree of trust.

Search Engines love them

Search engines also take into consideration your star rating, and voice activated smart speakers like Alexa, Siri and Google use them to decide who to recommend when being asked for a ‘plumber or builder near me.’

Dealing with bad reviews

The reality of reviews is that most people leave them if they are very happy or wish to complain. You seldom get a review that falls between the two. Obviously you wish to obtain as many positive reviews as possible, but even negative reviews can be turned around to a positive advantage if you deal with them in the right way. This involves staying positive and professional and not trying to deal with the issue in the public domain. An example would be to say, ‘Sorry you feel you had a bad experience with us. This isn’t something we often get but would like to sort this out with you. Please get back in contact…etc. Showing a potential customer that if something does go wrong then you are easy to deal with and will not shy away from an issue is as important as lots of 5* reviews.

Google My Business

One of the most powerful review sites, and one we recommend, is Google Reviews. Google Reviews are highly trusted, have a positive impact on Search Engine Optimisation and are displayed alongside Google’s search results. To obtain Google Reviews, you simply need a Google My Business account.

If you don’t already have a Google My Business (GMB) account, set one up.

Once set up you can download a link that will take your previous customers straight to the review section of your GMB page where they can read previous comments and leave reviews of their own.

Tips for getting great reviews

To achieve the maximum number of high scoring reviews we suggest the following:

Put links to your GMB reviews on all pages of your website.
Include the GMB link in your emails and any social media posts where it is appropriate.
Ask every customer to leave a review. You’ll be surprised how many will do it. By inviting reviews, you are telling your customers that you are proud of your work and can be trusted. It’s a good idea to have business cards or flyers printed with instructions on how to leave a review. These can be left with customers on the completion of any job.
If a customer hasn’t left a review after a couple of weeks, contact them to make sure they are still happy with your work and politely ask them to leave a review. For example, a double-glazing company, known for its high level of customer service, followed up every job after a couple of months and inspected the work they had done. This simple act of ‘caring’ for the customer generated many positive reviews and recommendations
Create a customer service questionnaire for customers to fill in when the work is completed. Use this information to inform others of how well you carry out your work. For example, most people employing tradespeople consider tidiness and cleanliness as being important. To say that 96% of your customers gave you 5/5 for cleanliness would be a highly advantageous selling point.
Make sure that all reviews are honest and genuine and don’t forget to thank customers for leaving a review or filling out a questionnaire.

*

For help with Google My Business, reviews, questionnaires, business cards, leaflets & flyers – Call 0117 923 1122, email sales@localpages.co.uk or book an appointment with the Local Pages Lead Generation Team below.

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Lead Generation

Our Mission

Our mission is to help local businesses in the South West and South Wales grow by providing exceptional online and offline marketing solutions that connect local businesses with local customers in the communities they serve. We’ve been doing this for over 40 years now and we’re pretty good at it.

Lessons Learnt

Like many of our 2500 customers, we are a small family business. It is this unique insight that has allowed us to evolve and fine tune our lead generating products to meet the needs and demands of our customers and based on the following:

– Local matters.

– Local is a powerful advertising tool

– Service providers want to work locally to reduce their travelling time and costs.

– Most customers prefer local suppliers and services.

– Marketing and lead generation is more complex in a digital age.

– Many smaller business owners need a reliable marketing partner with specialist knowledge and capabilities.

This is how we do it

Little Blue Book

Still highly relevant in the 24 areas we service.

Delivered by Royal Mail to over 500,000 homes and businesses

It contains:

Classified adverts under directory headings
Local maps and street guide
Other useful information

Exceptional return on investment

Updated every 12 months

LocalPages.co.uk

Serves the same areas as our Little Blue Book
Over 15,000 searches made each month for local businesses
Mobile friendly
Very cost effective especially for small businesses
Free listings available by clicking here
Updated immediately

Get a free listing by clicking here

Digital Marketing

Includes:

Website design
Search engine optimisation
Online advertising
Social media
e-Commerce
Content
Strategy

Print Services

Includes:

Logos
Branding
Business stationery
Flyers
Menus
Brochures
Posters

*

Find out more regarding how Local Pages can drive more customers to your business. Call 0117 923 1122 today, email sales@localpages.co.uk or book an appointment with the Local Pages Team below.

Leave a commentAdvertising, Blog, Help & Advice, Marketing, Sales, Small businesses, Websites

Fork ‘n’ Ale Beer Game

We build games

One thing you may not know about Local Pages is that we have a game designer in our studio.

So, when Fork ‘n’ Ale wanted a fun way to encourage more customers to visit their website and increase the amount of time that they stayed there… what better way to meet the brief than to create an addictive game for customers to play.

The game is simple. By pressing the space bar on your computer or the ‘pour’ button on your mobile phone you fill a glass with beer. Once the glass is full, your time is recorded and you can leave your initials on the leader board.

At the end of each month there is a prize for the top score .

So why is this particular game such a good marketing tool?

1 – You have to engage with Fork ‘n’ Ale’s website – the game is at the bottom of the home page exposing players to all Fork ‘n’ Ales’s marketing, including special offers and menu.

2 – The game is easy and quick to play – ideal for groups to play in a pub on a mobile phone. E.g. the one with the lowest time buys the next round.

3- To enter your score on the leader board you have to leave an email address – ideal for data capture and future marketing activities.

4 – Winners are announced on their Facebook page – encouraging players to interact with Fork ‘n’ Ale on their social media platform.

It ticks lots of boxes!

Play the game by clicking the box below.

Get a game to encourage more visitors to your website

*

Call the LP Digital team today on 0117 923 1122 or book an appointment below for a call back.

Leave a commentBlog, Branding, Creative, Design, Marketing, Small businesses, Social media, Websites

At last some good news…

Covid has been difficult for many businesses. in fact it has probably been the hardest trading year in living memory with many businesses hardly surviving and many others, unfortunately, going to the wall.

Recent new reports regarding the economy have been encouraging with the Office of National Statistics reporting that the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by a record 15.5% during Quarter 3 (July to Sept) 2020, as lockdown measures were eased.

This was mostly due to the services, production and construction sectors increasing by record amounts. In September alone, the services sector grew by 1.0%, production by 0.5% and construction by 2.9%.

But what does this mean in real terms for the average small to medium sized business? How do these figures relate to what is happening on the ground?

The good news is that consumer confidence has increased as people with disposable incomes seek to find ways to dispose of it. This is reflected in the massive rise of search requests we have seen at Local Pages during a similar time frame.

In October, trackable leads from our printed directories showed a 6.5% increase. As good as that figure is, it pales into insignificance when you consider the number of customer searches requested at localpages.co.uk

The above graph shows monthly localpages.co.uk searches over last three years

After a big slump during the spring when most of country was in lockdown, the number of online searches has increased to record levels. The average number of monthly searches between August and October this year is 15,934, an amazing 28.5% increase on the same period last year and a 51.7% increase on the year before.

More than ever, people are relying on Local Pages Online to connect with local businesses within their communities. This large increase in users means that localpages.co.uk has never been so cost-effective or, with annual ‘Enhanced’ contracts available for less than £5.00 per week, delivered such high returns on investment.

To find out more about how your business can tap into this huge increase in potential customers, book an appointment with one of our sales team below.

Local Pages – Connecting local businesses and local people

Leave a commentBlog, Business Tips, Local Pages News, Sales, Small businesses

Market Research Advice for Small Businesses

Research your market

Before investing any money on developing or advertising a new product or service, it is important to find out if anyone wants it. Researching the market enables you to test your idea, evaluate the competition and check to make sure your idea is viable.

The following headings will help guide you through the process.

USP

The first thing you need to discover is what sets you apart from all the other competitors in the market. There is a temptation to say that the people within your organisation is what makes it unique. Unfortunately, that’s not good enough. Consider the following:

What does my product or service provide that is better than anything else available?
How can I go the extra mile to ensure my customers have the best user experience?
Is my product or service required by the general public or is it more niche?
Can my product or service solve my customer’s problems in a way that’s never been done before.
How is my product or service easier to use than that of my competitors.

Customers

It is essential to know who your customers are so that you can tailor your products and services to meet their needs. Defining them will also help you build a relationship with them in your communications. It is highly probable that you will have multiple customer types. To help you identify your customer types consider the following:

Who is buying similar products and services?
Create a picture of each of your ideal target customers based on their demographic (age, gender, profession etc.), likes, dislikes and behaviours.
What needs or problems will your products or services solve for each of your customer types?
Will your customers types be interested in paying for the products and services you offer?

Prices

Once you have established that there are customers for your products or services, you then need to find out how much to charge. Consider the following:

What prices are being charged for similar products and services by your competitors.
Ask potential customers how much they would be willing to pay.
Could you charge different prices to different customers based on levels of service or quality?
Could you offer discounted packages of products?
Try some either or questions with different customer types to find out what your product or service is actually worth.
Once you have decided on a pricing structure, ensure that your business idea is still viable.

The Competition

By finding out what your competitors are doing, you can challenge them on price and service.

Check out what people think of your competitors’ prices, levels of service and what could be improved by asking their current customers.
Research your competitors online, through trade associations, trade publications, market reports, local chamber of commerce and their advertising
Ask your competitors questions either by phoning them or email.

Product

If you are developing a product it is essential to find out what potential customers think of it.

Develop a prototype to test it.
Use focus groups to obtain a wide range of opinions.

Tips

Use questionnaires and surveys.
Surveys, questionnaires and focus groups can be carried out simply and cheaply using online platforms like Mailchimp, Survey Monkey and social media.
All answers should offer a score or opinion rather than a yes or no.
All questions should be clear and concise.
Be wary of questions that could be misinterpreted
Encourage both positive and negative responses
Ask a reasonable number of people to get a better perspective.
Do not try to lead people to a particular answer.
Be realistic and remember that people don’t always say what they feel.
Get qualitative data that involve thoughts and feelings
Get quantitative data that involve facts and figures that can be measured.

A Continual Process

Market research should be done continually. Once you become established in a market, your competitors will look to copy and improve on what you are doing to reclaim their lost market share. By regularly testing and researching your market, and adapting your products in light of any feedback, you should always stay one step ahead.

For more information…

For help with market research or generating leads call the marketing team at Local Pages on 0117 9231122 or email us at marketing@localpages.co.uk

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Time to Change

Change is constant

According to the ancient greek philosopher Heraclitus, “The only constant in life is change.”

And to misquote Shakespeare, “Some are born to change, some achieve change and some have change thrust upon them.”

Change in light of Covid

For most of us the Covid pandemic has meant massive changes forced upon our lives. Businesses faced with uncertainty are having to adapt to new ways of working that may involve employees working from home or restricting face-to-face contact. On a personal level we have had to change our behaviour and adapt to new challenges such as social distancing and homeschooling while learning new technical skills in order to work and socialise online.

Whether change is a voluntary process or forced upon us, it is always uncomfortable.

Adapting to change.

Below we look at the various steps in the change process. It’s worth noting that depending on the significance of the change, we can go through all seven steps in minutes or in years. At each stage we consider the emotions felt and ways in which we can make each phase a little easier.

The 7 steps of change

Step 1 – A sense of loss

Something has changed, it’s different and it’s put you in a spin.

You can feel: loss, out of control, fear, shock, overwhelmed, unsafe and paralysed.

It’s important at this stage not to ignore these feelings and to find some sense of control. This can be done by addressing your concerns and trying to regain some perspective by considering the most likely and worst case scenarios.

For managers of change: You should listen, empathise, offer support and give as much information as possible. If the change is likely to have a negative impact on people, do not try and sell it as a positive.

Step 2 – Feeling doubtful

Doubt and uncertainty can create defensive behaviours and, even though you may be aware that change is necessary, you may resist the change and try to obstruct the process.

You can feel: resentment, angry and righteous.

Despite feeling that the old way is the best way, it is important that you gather the facts to form an accurate picture of reality.

For managers of change: Be patient, continue to offer support and offer any extra information to allow the person to reach their own conclusions

Step 3 – Frustration

You now know what’s going on but are unsure of how to deal with it.

You can feel: anxious, uncomfortable, confused and lethargic.

The danger here is that if you don’t come to grips with the new reality you could end up back at stage one. It is therefore important to stay motivated by planning and taking the best steps forward.

For managers of change: Allow the expression of difficult emotions while giving stability in areas that can be controlled.

Step 4 – Acceptance

Your perception changes.

You can feel: more resourceful, energised and positive

There is light at the end of the tunnel and you start to feel more in control.

For managers of change: You coach, encourage and support people to complete their unfinished tasks and create goals to allow people to focus on their immediate future.

Step 5 – Test the future

You consider your options, make decisions and try out new plans to see what does and does not work.

You can feel: excited, optimistic and pessimistic

You will experience a wave of positivity when plans go well and feelings of despondency when new ideas fail. The important thing is that you keep on experimenting to see which solutions deliver the most success.

For managers of change: Create clear achievable objectives and encourage risk taking without the fear of failure.

Step 6 – Understanding

You come to accept the reality that change can be forced upon us by a wide range of circumstances and that they have to be dealt with and endured.

You can feel: confident, competent and productive.

You accept that life is a messy process and even though you may never reconcile or fully accept the changes, you are able to apply and implement what has to be done.

For managers of change: Encourage learning, celebrate success and provide the opportunity to reflect.

Step 7 – Integration

Instead of feeling different, the change now feels normal.

You can feel: satisfied, focused, more generous and resilient.

By reflecting on the past and present you are aware of the consequences and rewards of the change. By experiencing change and proving that you can be flexible during a time of uncertainty can lead to a sense of personal accomplishment and great satisfaction.

Thanks to changecycle.com and Anchor Success

Leave a commentBlog, Business Tips, Help & Advice, Small businesses

Time to Reclaim our High Streets

During the lockdown period, more and more of us have been discovering that long queues outside supermarkets can be avoided by shopping at smaller retailers on the high street. Butchers, bakers and greengrocers have all seen an increase in customers during the last three months. But what happens after ‘Lockdown?’ Will we all go back to buying from the big national chains or will we remain loyal to the retailers who continued to offer exceptional service when the going got tough?

At Local Pages, we believe it is time to reclaim our local High Streets and carry on spending locally. This is why:

10 Great Reasons for Shopping Locally

1 – Your money stays in the local community.

According to research by the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, for every £1 spent in local businesses 63p is invested back into the local economy, where only 5p is reinvested when money is spent shopping out of town or online. Research by American Express also found that house prices close to thriving town centres are likely to rise faster than similar houses in areas where there are few local shops.

2 – It’s quirky and fun

It’s much more fun searching around little streets full of quirky little independent stores than visiting the national chains that all sell a variation of the same thing. Small independent retailers know the local market and stock items that appeal to local people rather than the masses. This means they are more likely to take risks and stock a more diverse range of products; items that you may not be able to find anywhere else. Local shops also support local artists and designers, so you could end up buying something truly unique.

3 – It helps create local jobs

Last year it was reported that independent businesses accounted for 60% of employment and 52% of turnover in the UK. Independent businesses tend to pay more as a proportion in local taxes than their larger counterparts which means more local investment leading to more local services, more jobs and a better quality of life.

4 – It’s good for our health

Buying locally improves our well-being. By encouraging us out of our homes and places of work, we interact with others, breath fresh air, gain new experiences, give ourselves a sense of purpose and see life from a different perspective. Shopping locally is also a valuable form of physical exercise. Walking to and from the shops combined with carrying our purchases increases our heart rate and muscular development. Research in America by the Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, found that there were lower rates of mortality, obesity, and diabetes in areas where there was a high volume of thriving local businesses .

5 – It’s the ethical choice

Local butchers, greengrocers and other suppliers of fresh produce often supply a high percentage of food that is produced locally. Not only does this reduce the amount of fuel required to get the food from the farm to your table, but it also decreases the amount of plastic packaging necessary to transport food over large distances. As well as being fresher, locally produced food is also often tastier and contains more nutrients and less preservatives.

6 – It encourages entrepreneurs

By shopping locally you are encouraging the success of local businesses. This inspires other entrepreneurial types with a passion for growth and local communities to do the same. As new businesses are created they look to fulfill the continually changing needs of consumers. This leads to an increase in innovation and a constant turnover of new products and services.

7 – It helps build communities

Many high street stores including bookshops, cafes and craft shops host events to entice customers into their premises. If the businesses are not supported, the local groups that use them tend to disappear too.

8 – Great for advice

Local shops know their products inside out and want to share that knowledge by helping you whenever they can. Not only can they advise on how something is made or used, but they can make other recommendations based on your needs and budget. It’s a more personalised shopping experience than can be offered by a national chain with the emphasis on helping you buy, rather than selling you something you don’t need or ignoring you altogether.

9 – Great for Price

Most local shops are just as competitive as large retailers with the added advantage that you can normally haggle on price; something you cannot do online or in a chain store. Many local retailers also offer loyalty schemes offering extra discounts and free merchandise to those that shop with them regularly.

10 – Try before you buy

It sounds obvious, but by trying clothes on in a store you can see how they fit and feel before you buy them. When buying furniture you can check how comfortable the sofa is or inspect the quality of the materials and construction. Looking at pictures online can never take the place of the tactile experience. What’s more, in most cases you can take away your purchases there and then for instant gratification without the added worry of possibly having to organise returns, exchanges or asking for your money back.

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Invest in Your Business Now for Future Success.

To succeed in the future… you have to act NOW!

Like many of the businesses that advertise in our Little Blue Book and online directory, Local Pages is a small family business. During this time of economic uncertainty we have been looking to learn lessons from the past to shape and determine our future. This is what we have learned:

It will be those that continue to market their businesses who will reap the benefits later.
Business goes where it is invited.
If you don’t advertise and engage with your customers, you will be forgotten.
If you don’t advertise and engage with your customers, they will assume you have gone out of business
If you don’t engage with your customers, your competitors will.
Marketing = leads = sales = food on the table
Control the things you can control and adapt to the things you cannot change.
The way things have been done in the past are not the ways that things will be done in the future.
We need imagine future working practices and alter the way we work to meet them.

Therefore, at Local Pages we are embracing this period of uncertainty by increasing our marketing activity and adapting our working practises in order to better support our customers, staff and suppliers.

Our business has grown in the past few years due to us keeping our promises and generating low-cost, affordable leads for our customers through our online and printed media. By continuing to invest in our marketing now, we are determined to build on that past success and come through this economic downturn stronger than ever.

We encourage all businesses to do the same. Which brings us to…

10 reasons why you should invest in our Little Blue Book

1 – The current situation will not last forever and when it does end our little blue books will be in even greater demand as people look to buy goods and services from local people they know and trust.

2 – By booking now you are investing in the long term as each book generates leads for 12 months.

3 – One of the reasons the Little Blue Books are so successful is that we can prove they work by offering all our customers unique, trackable phone numbers.

4 – Local Pages is one of the cheapest and most cost effective advertising media available as it generates high quality leads from less than £3 per week.

5 – Every booking during the current lockdown (minimum 30th June, 2020 comes with a free enhanced listing on www.localpages.co.uk where over 200 people each day search for businesses like yours.

6 – Where possible we are offering a range of flexible payment terms allowing you to spread the cost and protect your cash flow.

7 – Free graphic design to create eye catching adverts that engage and entice new prospects.

8 – People like to buy from local people. Your advert will be seen by people local to you who want your products and services with very little wastage.

9 – Every customer is offered a free digital consultation to ensure their online activity is optimised to generate leads..

10 – For over 40 years Local Pages has been a tried and trusted source of leads for local businesses. Due to public demand, we are printing and distributing more Local Pages directories than ever before and promoting their use through increased marketing and highly targeted advertising campaigns. This means your business gets even more awareness for every £1 invested.

For more details email info@localpages.co.uk or call 0117 923 1122

Leave a commentAdvertising, Blog, Business Tips, Help & Advice, Marketing, Small businesses