Google Search is being fundamentally replaced by conversational AI like ChatGPT. For the millions of businesses that rely on search for leads, this is a crisis equivalent to the Yellow Pages disappearing. The transition is happening now, not in a distant future.
Use customer data to perform radically thoughtful, unexpected acts of kindness. Sending a customer a personalized gift related to their hobbies (like a signed jersey) can create a powerful story that generates referrals from high-value connections within their network.
As consumers use AI assistants (e.g., Alexa) to find services, the platform will choose the provider. If customers don't ask for your business by name, you become a commodity. Building a strong brand is the only way to ensure customers request you directly.
Mediocrity is the worst strategy for local businesses. You must either fully commit to modern social media to build brand at scale, or go to the other extreme of old-school relationship-building through radical, personalized kindness. The middle ground is a losing position.
You don't have to only post about your business. Create content about your personal interests (e.g., golf, TV shows). The algorithm will show it to people with similar hobbies, who then discover your business through your bio or a soft call-to-action.
Platforms like TikTok fundamentally shifted content delivery from a "social graph" (friends) to an "interest graph" (hobbies, topics). This means businesses can now reach highly engaged audiences who don't follow them, making organic discovery more powerful than ever.
Don't guess which ads will work. Post content organically and let the platform's algorithm validate it. When a post gets unusually high engagement, you've found a winner. Turn that specific post into a targeted paid ad to de-risk your ad spend.
Instead of running ads, search your town's location tag on Instagram to find public posts from potential local customers. Leave genuine, non-salesy comments from your business account (e.g., "Cool photo!") to create awareness and goodwill within your direct community.
Create videos titled "A Video So You Don't Have to Hire Me." By teaching customers how to solve simple problems for free, you build immense trust and establish expertise. This reputation-first approach is far more effective for long-term growth than a direct sales pitch.