I started my business in 1993 working with computers. I've built systems, instructed computer courses at Fanshawe Collage for 9 years, do bookkeeping, web design and computer service.
I've always liked dealing with the small business owner, I get to know them and they get to know me. I'm not saying I don't ever buy anything over the Internet because I do, but 90% of my business is done with a local London business.
I'm pretty computer literate, search engines can be a great thing at times for finding what we want. I find at other times the results leave me in frustration. The nice part about the phonebook was it was local and made it fairly easy to find the business, tradesmen or service you were looking for. I heard recently that the paper version of the Yellow Pages was very seldom used. I can understand why, it is very limited in comparison to what is available on the Internet. When talking with other business owners, many had also cut back their yellow pages ads as well because of cost. The problem of course left them with nothing more than their company name, address and phone number. That doesn't provide much information for you or I to go on.
I wonder why advertising is so expensive?
I'm not against a business making money, that's why we are in business. I do like to give and receive value. That was when I got to thinking, why not take my skills and put them to use to help customers, myself and any other local London businesses that wanted to take advantage of very effective and very inexpensive or free advertising. That lead to the birth of the London Area Business Directory over the Christmas of 2010.
Looking for a business, tradesmen or professional service?
Browse the categories or use the search function. Review their information and where they are located on the map. Give them a call, send them an email or visit their website.Own a business?
Will listing your business here get you more customers? It might. Will it get you more exposure for your business? Of course it will, the more times someone sees your business name the better.More than 70% of households and other businesses use the Internet to find the product and service they are looking for. If they come here to look and your business isn't listed both or you might miss out on an opportunity. You can sign up in a few minutes and you can update your listing at any time. You can list your products and services with complete descriptions, post pictures, specials, coupons, a link to your website and even a You Tube video plus more.
What does it cost?
A FREE Membership is just that, it doesn't cost you anything now or in the future. There will always be a FREE Membership. There is also a very inexpensive annual membership that offers some additional benefits if you so choose. You can compare the two memberships hereI received an email from a business owner that they were skeptical about it being free. Which I can understand and I can explain why I'm able to offer it for free.
- 1. You do the work posting your listing.
- 2. I'm one guy working out of my home. Low overhead and no employees to pay.
- 3. A large server etc isn't needed because I'm not trying to provide a directory for the entire province or country.
- 4. No online payment processing. It costs money to offer online payment processing, even through PayPal for merchants, plus security to process payments. Anyone can have a FREE membership and listing so there isn't any payment to process.
Anything you order such as having me setup your listing or a paid membership with higher limits (currently the first 500 to list get a free 5 year paid membership) I email you an invoice (remember I'm right here in London) and you mail in a cheque.
Cost of delaying.
I should point out, some people might think it's to their advantage to wait until the directory is close to getting 500 listings and then list to get the free 5 year paid membership. Say you're a real estate agent as an example. While you're waiting 7 or 8 other real estate agents add their listing. Anyone who comes here looking for a real estate agent will find their listing. They can't find what's not here. If you register and add your listing today it might get seen today.There is even a more important reason why you shouldn't delay in registering and posting your listing now. When you browse a category the listings are in the order they are created with the oldest (earliest) entries first. Just like being first in line get's you into the movie first.
What's the worst that can happen?
What do you want? The same thing I or any business owner wants, more exposure and more customers. When you register and place your listing it cost you nothing aside from a few minutes of your time. The worst that can happen is you spent some time in advertising your business.Get started now, register here.
Sincerely;
Dan Westlake