E43: The Most Common Local Service Business Marketing Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
If you’re a local service business owner and your phone has been a little too quiet lately, I’ve got some news for you. It’s not the economy. It’s not your competition.
It’s your marketing.
And the crazy part is this. Most of the mistakes you’re making are simple. They’re fixable. And once you fix them, your business finally starts to grow like it should.
In this episode, I’m breaking down the biggest marketing mistakes I see after working with hundreds of local service business owners. These mistakes show up over and over again and they quietly choke your leads, kill your website performance, and make customers choose your competitors even if you’re way better than they are.
I walk you through:
Why your brand message is confusing people and costing you sales
The hidden website issues that make prospects leave before they ever call you
The top three website sections almost every business is missing
Why having no lead generator means your pipeline dries up fast
The follow up problem that’s losing you sales every single week
Why ignoring your Google Business Profile is basically handing customers to your competition
How automating reviews can unlock way more visibility and trust with zero extra work
If your marketing feels scattered or random or you’re just tired of guessing at what to do next, this episode will show you where the real problems are and how to fix them. No fluff. No complicated tactics. Just the straight answers you need to start getting more leads and dominating your local market.
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P.S. When you are ready, here are a few ways I can help…
Get Your FREE Marketing Domination Checklist: https://www.seangarner.co/
FREE Marketing Assessment | Discover what's wrong with your marketing & get a FREE customized plan to fix it: https://www.seangarner.co/marketingreport
Schedule A Call to Build, Fill, and Optimize Your Sales Funnel For More Leads: https://www.seangarner.co/
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Sean Garner is a marketing consultant and Certified StoryBrand guide dedicated to helping small business owners grow and dominate their industries. He created the Marketing Domination podcast to teach people how to combine storytelling with strategic marketing to help businesses connect with customers and stand out online.
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MARKETING DOMINATION PODCAST
Introduction
Sean Garner (00:01.838)
Alright, here we go. If you’re a local service business owner and your phone isn’t ringing right now, I’m gonna tell you something you probably don’t want to hear. It’s most likely not the economy. It’s your marketing.
After working with and seeing behind the scenes of hundreds of local service businesses, I can almost guarantee you’re making one of these common marketing mistakes. The good news is every one of them is fixable, and you can start correcting them today. Welcome to Marketing Domination.
Mistake 1: Your Brand Message Is Confusing
Sean Garner (02:41.698)
The first mistake I see all the time is unclear brand messaging. The words you’re using in your marketing are confusing. It shouldn’t be hard for people to understand what you do, how you make their life better, and what they need to do to hire you.
I can’t tell you how often I go to a business’s website and I already know the industry because they reached out to work with us… but even I can’t figure out what they actually do. You’re so close to your business that things feel obvious to you, but they’re not obvious to your customers.
If someone has to think too hard to understand your business, they’ll leave.
A clear brand message should feel almost too simple. That’s why at our agency we use the StoryBrand Messaging Framework to create clear Brandscripts that help our clients stand out online. If you missed the last Marketing Domination episode all about brand messaging mistakes, go check that one out too.
Mistake 2: Your Website Is Broken
Sean Garner (04:00.918)
The next big mistake is having a broken website. And no, “it loads when I open it” does not mean it’s working.
Most local business sites we audit have broken links, missing security settings, slow load times, broken images, or just a messy structure that confuses visitors.
Your website is your digital storefront. If the front door of your office was hanging off one hinge, tiles falling out of the ceiling, and things didn’t work, you’d fix it. But online — which is where customers meet you first — most businesses ignore it.
Customers don’t know you. They don’t know your years of experience. All they see is your website. And more often than not, the businesses winning online aren’t the most experienced. They’re the ones communicating the clearest with a clean, professional, modern website.
Mistake 3: Missing Critical Website Sections
Sean Garner (05:35.373)
Even if your website looks good, most local businesses are missing key sections that help customers understand what to do next.
We actually created a free 10 part website wireframe you can download at seangarnder dot co slash website wireframe. Make sure your site includes all 10 parts.
But let me give you the top three sections almost everyone misses:
1. A Clear Header (Above the Fold)
In the first five seconds, your header should answer:
What do you do?
How do you make my life better?
What do I need to do to buy from you?
No vague taglines. No slideshow of office staff. Clear text, clear benefit, clear call to action.
2. Obvious Social Proof
Show off your Google reviews, testimonials, case studies, before and afters, stats and facts. Make trust obvious.
3. A Simple Plan
People want to know how easy it will be to work with you.
Create a simple three step plan like:
Book your consultation
We create a custom plan
You get the result you want
Make it simple. Make it obvious.
Mistake 4: You Have No Lead Generator
Sean Garner (08:48.138)
Another huge mistake: there’s no lead generation tool on the site. Everything is “buy now, buy now, buy now.” Yes, you should have a clear call to action. But not everyone is ready to buy today.
You need something of value — a guide, a checklist, a discount, a mini training — that lets you collect their info even if they aren’t ready to move forward yet. Then you can follow up and stay top of mind.
A lead generator gives people more reasons to visit your website and gives you more opportunities to turn strangers into customers.
Mistake 5: No Follow Up System
Sean Garner (10:54.863)
Even if you collect leads, most businesses have zero follow up. No automated sequence. No sales follow up. No proposal follow up. Nothing.
Then people complain that “the leads aren’t working.”
No, the leads are fine. You’re just not following up.
People need reminders. They need questions answered. They need confidence.
You’ve heard the saying: fortune is in the follow up.
If you want to close more sales, you must follow up consistently.
Mistake 6: Ignoring Google Business Profile and Reviews
Sean Garner (11:10.799)
One of the biggest mistakes of all is ignoring your Google Business Profile and other directories. Your GBP is a goldmine. People often see that before they ever see your website.
If you're not automating reviews and actively managing that profile, you're losing visibility and losing customers.
And please, stop worrying about bad reviews. If someone is upset, trust me, they’ll find a way to leave one. But you will miss out on dozens of great reviews simply because you never made it easy for customers to leave feedback.
Automate it. Ask consistently. Get listed on Yelp, Trustpilot, and industry directories. Even 10 to 20 reviews on those platforms will instantly put you in the top of your category in most markets.
Wrap Up
Sean Garner (13:30.479)
So… time for some self reflection.
How many of these mistakes are you making?
Is your messaging clear?
Is your website actually working?
Do you have a lead generator?
Do you have a follow up system?
Are you automating your reviews and building up your Google profile?
If not, don’t stress. This is exactly what we do at Sean Garner Consulting. We help local service businesses build, fill, and optimize their marketing so they can finally grow and dominate their industry.
If you want help seeing your blind spots and getting a clear plan, book a call with me at SeanGarner dot co. I’d love to hear about your business, see what you’re struggling with, and show you how to get more leads and stand out online.
Looking forward to talking with you soon.
