When someone nearby searches for your service, “roof repair near me” or “best cleaning company in Manchester”, will they find your business or a competitor’s?

Local promotion for local businesses is no longer about flyers, digital marketing, and word of mouth alone.

Today, getting local customers depends on how effectively you combine

I've analyzed data from over 2,400 UK multilocation service businesses to uncover what really works when promoting your business locally, and how tools like Trustmary help turn website visitors into measurable growth.

If you're a UK-based home renovation or construction company, check how you compare to local competitors with Trustmary's free UK review analyser.

1. Be in Local Listings

When customers search for “plumber near me” or “roofing repair in Manchester,” you want your business to show up.

Start by having a profile on the top local business directories in the UK.

Next:

  • Claim or create your Google Business Profile for each physical location
  • Ensuring your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details are consistent across directories
  • Creating dedicated landing pages for each area you serve (e.g., /manchester-plumber/, /leeds-electrician/) that include local keywords and embedded maps
  • On each page, integrate reviews that reference that exact location or service (more on this in a moment)

In interviews with tradespeople, I've discovered that many home-improvement firms emphasised that reviews are frontline proof, not optional content.

At the end of the day, having a constant stream of reviews on Google will guarantee that you'll be found in local search results.

That's easier than learning how to do search engine optimisation as a beginner.

2. Local Business Advertising Without Digital Ads

You don’t need big digital ad spend to grow locally.

Often, the better return comes from organic presence, reviews, and local press

Leverage Existing Channels and Community Presence

  • Ask happy customers for reviews soon after service while their experience is fresh. One company quoted in Trustmary's survey on using reviews for home improvement companies said: “I remember a particular case where a winter night without hot water was the concern of a client. We had it all sorted within two hours. One review alone brought three clients in their area.”
  • Use flyers, brochures, business cards, posters in local shops. Include a QR code or text such as: “See our reviews on Google”.
  • Participate in local events, sponsor a sports team, or partner with shops in your region. This reinforces your presence both offline and online, and makes the local community remember your business name.
  • Collaborate with other local businesses for referral networks (e.g., an electrician partners with a heating contractor).

In short, combine offline awareness (flyers, attend local events) back into your digital footprint (reviews and search listings).

3. Collect and Display Reviews That Drive Local Trust

Reviews do more than “look good”, they influence search visibility, conversion and customer perception.

From the home-improvement survey:

  • Companies saw a major jump in Google Business Profile interactions after increasing 5-star reviews. Example: a cleaning company went from zero interactions to over 200 per month once reviews increased.
  • Feedback was used not only for marketing but for operations (e.g., making sure no one uses shoes indoors)
  • Best timing for review requests is immediately after job completion, when the customer’s experience is fresh. This is a crucial feedback point in the customer journey.

Tips for Getting Target Customers to Trust You

  • Make it easy: one-click surveys or direct review links perform better.
  • Display reviews on your website, social media, and in proposals. Make sure they’re front and centre.
  • Ensure each location page and service page has reviews specific to that context.

What does your review and feedback strategy currently look like?

Read more about customer review maturity levels

customer review maturity levels

4. Showcase Service-Specific Testimonials

If you offer multiple services, say plumbing, HVAC, and electrical, you’ll want reviews that speak to each service.

A generic review won’t resonate when someone is searching for “boiler repair.”

From our survey: many home-improvement businesses still needed to segment their reviews and showcase them in the right places.

Best practice for showcasing reviews:

  • On your “Boiler Repair” page, include reviews mentioning the boiler job.
  • On your “Lighting Installation” page, show those reviews that talk about lighting or electrical work.
  • For each service, display testimonials that reinforce that service’s value, outcome, and location.

This improves relevance for visitors and search engines alike.

That's what a dynamic review widget can do automatically for you.

5. Automate Local Review Marketing with Trustmary

Managing reviews across many locations and services manually is labour-intensive.

Trustmary helps you:

  • Send one dynamic survey that adapts to the location + service used
  • Automatically tag reviews by location or service category
  • Embed widgets showing only relevant reviews on each page
  • Combine Google reviews with Trustmary-collected feedback for a unified reputation strategy

This is a great strategy for all industries:

6. Local PR Ideas: Earn Media Coverage through Community Action

Local newspapers and community sites are always searching for human-interest stories. When your business contributes to your community meaningfully, not just for show, it generates authentic goodwill, backlinks, and brand visibility that no paid ad can match.

1. Choose Causes that Fit Your Business Identity

Authenticity is crucial. The initiative should clearly connect to what your company does or believes in.

Examples of Good Deeds to Earn Local Media Mentions

  • A garage or auto shop offers to change engine oil for first responders free of charge.
  • A plumbing or drainage company spends a Saturday clearing blocked drains for elderly residents.
  • A waste removal business or cleaning service organises a “park clean-up day” with free rubbish removal.
  • A landscaping company restores an overgrown community garden.
  • A tech repair shop provides free phone or laptop check-ups for pensioners once a month.

When your contribution aligns naturally with your service, it feels sincere, and the local media notices that.

No need to write press releases or pitch yourself; the thankful people will tell others what you did, and the media coverage will follow.

7. Track and Improve What Works

Use analytics and feedback to fine-tune your promotion.

  • Which service pages see the most traffic or calls?
  • Which locations generate the best review sentiment?
  • Where are you getting weak reviews, or no reviews?

According to the survey, companies review feedback weekly, identify patterns (e.g., arrival times, clarity of invoices), and adjust accordingly.


Use the data to make incremental improvements that boost both reputation and visibility.

Small Business Owners: Focus on Engaging Content

Promoting your business locally is about visibility and building trust with prospective customers, not just ad spend or having a marketing strategy.

You don't need a huge audience or big pr campaigns to succeed.

Here's what all small business owners should do.

Checklist for Succeeding Against Other Business Owners in Your Region

  1. Have your own website
  2. List all your services so new customers can see what you offer
  3. Define what makes your business stand out --> Highlight that on your web pages
  4. Regularly review who has written a negative or positive review --> Respond to each

Only after you have these things down, should you start to consider any other digital marketing channels, like email marketing or digital advertising.

Data and Customer Voice from Trustmary's Survey Reinforce that:

  • Local search engine optimization and service-specific pages create the foundation
  • High-quality, timely reviews from existing customers build trust
  • Traditional methods like flyers still work in getting new customers
  • Automating the collection of social proof from current customers through Trustmary scales this process across locations and services

If you combine these strategies, you’ll reach more prospective customers in your service area, stand out in local search, and win more business online without relying solely on digital advertising.

As a matter of fact, if your existing customers recommend you to others, you don't even need to invest in ads to promote your business online.

ideal growth flywheel for service-based companies

FAQ on Locally Promoting a Business

How can I get local press coverage for my small business?

Focus on stories about real people or community benefit, not promotions. Then share photos and quotes with local media contacts or ask people to post about it on social media.

What’s the most creative way to use customer reviews?

Turn reviews into short social posts or videos, display them on vans, or share themed “review of the week” features.

Do local partnerships really work?

Yes. Cross-promotions, shared content, and joint community events expand reach and trust faster than solo efforts.

How often should I update local content?

At least monthly. Keep it seasonal, link your posts to weather, holidays, or local events.