Stop Hiding: Get Found in Your Town (Even If You’re Not Online-Savvy)
Marketing in Small Towns: What Actually Works for Local Service Businesses
So you're a plumber in Parys, a seamstress in Stutterheim, or an electrician in Empangeni. You’ve got skills, you’ve got experience, and you’ve got a name people trust. But unless folks already know you personally or drive past your bakkie, they probably have no clue you exist.
Here's the truth. Marketing in small towns isn’t the same as marketing in big cities. You don’t need fancy funnels or TikTok dances. You need visibility where it matters most: in your town, among your people, on platforms they actually use. Let’s fix that.
1. Claim Your Google Business Profile (and Optimise It Properly)
Yes, I know this sounds boring and I’ve repeated it loads in my blog, but this is free and powerful. If you’re not on Google, you basically don’t exist when locals search “plumber near me” or “seamstress in town”.
Here’s how to make it work:
Add your real business name, town name, and main service.
Choose specific categories (like “Plumber”, not “Service provider”).
Add your mobile number. People will WhatsApp you from this.
Upload your own photos. Tools, vehicles, a sewing machine, anything real.
Post an update once a week. Doesn’t have to be Shakespeare. “Fixed a burst geyser on Langa Street this morning. No drama.”
Bonus: Ask one happy client per month for a review. Don’t be shy. Text them the link directly.
2. Set Up a Facebook Page That Does the Job
If a website feels like a mission, don’t stress. A proper Facebook Page can do the trick, especially in small towns where most people scroll Facebook during lunch or after church.
Here’s how to do it right:
Use your real business name, not something vague like “Fix-It Guy”. Add your town in the name if possible. Example: Sipho’s Plumbing Parys.
Set the category clearly. Plumber. Seamstress. Electrician. Not “Local Service”.
Write a short About section: “Affordable electrical work in Empangeni. 15 years experience. Fast, neat and local.”
Add your phone number and WhatsApp button. This is where you’ll get 90% of messages.
Upload real photos of your work, not stock images. Messy to neat. Zip fixed. Geyser installed. Whatever it is, show it.
Post once or twice a week. You don’t need fancy graphics. Just quick updates like “Unblocked a drain on Protea Street this morning” or “Sewing zips this week. Book yours.”
Bonus: Turn on reviews. Ask happy clients to leave you one. A few good reviews = instant trust in small towns.
3. Join Local Facebook Groups (But Don’t Be Annoying)
Most small-town locals live in those groups. But they hate spam.
Here’s what works instead:
Comment helpfully when someone asks for your service.
Share a before-and-after pic now and then.
Offer advice. “If your DB board keeps tripping, don’t stick a broomstick in it. Try this first.”
Once a month, post a mini-intro. Keep it casual. Not a sales pitch.
Example:
“Hey folks, I’m Sipho. I do welding and metalwork here in town. Gates, trailers, carports. Based in the Industrial area. Shout if you ever need something solid.”
4. Put Your Phone Number on Everything
This sounds obvious until you realise you didn’t do it. Your bakkie, overalls, Facebook cover photo, toolboxes, fridge magnets, invoices. Everywhere.
People can’t call you if they don’t know how.
If you’ve got an easy WhatsApp link, even better. Type this in your browser, fill in your number:
https://wa.me/27YOURNUMBER
Now copy that link and paste it in all your posts and online listings.
5. Print Flyers That Don’t Suck
No, flyers aren’t dead. But bad flyers should be.
How to do it right:
A5 or A6 size (not massive posters).
Use one bold heading like “Local Plumber in Town – Call Sipho on 073...”
Bullet points. Short, clear services.
Add your WhatsApp link or number.
Stick to one or two colours to save ink.
Put them up:
At your local spaza.
On community boards (municipal office, shops, hair salons).
Inside the butchery (ask the owner, don’t just sneak them in).
6. Use Your WhatsApp Status Like a Business Billboard
You already talk to customers on WhatsApp. That “Status” tab is free marketing space.
Post things like:
“Just installed a new geyser in Steynsburg. No leaks. Happy client.”
“Sewing zips today. Drop your torn pants at my place in town.”
“Electric fence sorted on a farm just outside Robertson.”
Even if you don’t get a bite today, people start associating your name with your work. And that’s half the job done.
7. Partner with Other Local Businesses
Know the local car wash guy? Offer to fix his broken tap in exchange for putting up your flyer.
Does the dress shop in town know you do alterations? Ask them to refer you. In return, you refer clients who need new dresses.
You don’t need a fancy “affiliate programme”. Just do good work and be nice. People remember that.
8. Take One Decent Photo Per Week
If you’re not showing your work, it’s invisible.
Use your phone. Clean the lens. Get the full picture. Don’t post blurry, dark photos.
Some examples:
Before and after.
You in action.
Tools laid out neatly.
A happy customer (ask permission).
Upload to your Google Profile, WhatsApp status, and your one-pager website. Over time, this builds trust and proof.
9. Make a Digital Business Card (That Actually Works)
Forget printed cards that get lost in bakkies. A digital business card lives on your phone and can be shared instantly.
Here’s how to create one in under 10 minutes:
Use a free tool like HiHello, Beacon.bio, or even Canva (my fave, and so easy to use!)
Include your name, town, services, phone number, WhatsApp link, and a short intro
Add a link to your Facebook Page
Add one photo of you or your work
Save the link to your phone's home screen. The next time someone asks, “Do you have a card?”, you just tap and send it via WhatsApp or SMS. Clean. Fast. Free.
If you're already using WhatsApp Business, update your profile link to include it in your greeting message too.
10. Market With Your Face (Sorry)
Here’s where I lose at least half of you, especially our older small business owners, but, trust me, this works.
People trust people they know. If you're shy, tough luck. A friendly face builds trust.
Post one clear photo of yourself on your website or Google Profile. Say who you are, what you do, and that you live in town.
If you’re a little awkward,
Example:
“Hi, I’m Raymond. I’ve been fixing electrics in town for 15 years. If you’ve got a DB board that’s acting wild, call me. I’ll sort it fast.”
Keep it human. Keep it local.
Want Help With your Marketing?
I can help. I offer marketing and social media setup and design services made for small South African businesses. No retainers. No fluff. Just what works.
📅 Book a call here
WhatsApp: 067 601 0605
sez@sezdg.com