Google Places has been around for a long time now but unfortunately not every small business owner has claimed their listing.

If you had a high street shop, our guess is that you wouldn't put your "closed" sign up when a customer approaches.

You really could be hurting your own business by not claiming your Google Places listing.

Firstly You Could Be Missing Out On Sales

You could be missing out on hundreds of online visits and even potential sales by not having a Google Places presence.

Can you think of any other ways to advertise your company to thousands of people a year?

Secondly By Not Having A Google Places Presence Your Directing Traffic To Your Rivals…

Your lack of presence on Google Places will not just harm your business; it will also drive more traffic to your rivals. Depending on your business and location, there may only be one or two other businesses on Google Places, so don’t let them grab all the traffic; get a share of it for your company and make sure you compete online.

Thirdly Google Places Can Be Useful For Making Customers Aware Of Promotions

You can add vouchers to your Google Places listing which can be very useful if for example, you’re running an end of season sale or introductory offer for new clients.

You have complete control over your promotions so can run them for any period of time you choose. If an offer proves too successful, you can simply remove it from your Google Places listing.