Local offers for your business: how to plan one and promote it online
By Martin Soliman,
A local offer is a simple way to give nearby customers a reason to choose you this week rather than next month. It might be a free coffee with a breakfast order at a cafe, a fixed price review from an accountant ahead of tax time, a trial class at a gym, or a seasonal bundle from a florist. The offer itself matters less than how clearly it is presented and how easily a customer can act on it.
Start with one clear offer
Pick a single offer and describe it in one sentence. If a customer needs to read a paragraph to understand it, most will move on. Name what they get, who it is for, and when it ends. A boutique might say "Free alterations on any dress bought this month." A clinic might say "New patient first visit with a written care plan, available until the end of the month."
Decide in advance what the offer costs you, and make sure you are comfortable if it is very popular. An offer you cannot deliver well does more harm than no offer at all.
Give it one home on your website
Create a single page that holds every detail of the offer: what is included, any conditions, the dates, and exactly how to claim it. Every other mention of the offer should point to this page. That way the wording stays consistent, and when the offer ends you only have one page to update or remove.
Keep the conditions short and honest. State the offer accurately and keep your promise. If you are unsure about the rules for advertising offers, check the ACCC website.
Show it where local customers already look
Once the page exists, mention the offer in the places people meet your business:
- A banner or short message near the top of your home page.
- Your Google Business Profile, where nearby customers can find your hours and contact details.
- Your social media pages, with one link back to the offer page.
- Your email signature and any newsletter.
- Your shopfront, counter or reception, with a short link or QR code.
Use the same wording everywhere. A customer who sees two slightly different versions will wonder which one is right.
Make it easy to act
The next step should take seconds. For a cafe, that could be a simple note to show at the counter. For a studio or clinic, it might be a booking link that already mentions the offer. For a consultant or accountant, it could be an enquiry form with the offer name filled in. Every extra step between interest and action is a place where customers drop away.
Also decide how quickly you will reply to enquiries that come from the offer, and who is responsible. A customer who asks about a time limited offer expects a prompt answer.
Set an end date and say what happens next
A clear end date gives people a reason to act now. When the date passes, update the page and your other channels promptly. Leaving an expired offer online is confusing for customers and creates awkward conversations for your team.
You can also say what customers can expect afterwards, such as a follow up message, a reminder for their next visit, or an invitation to leave a review.
Keep a simple record
Before you start, decide how you will know whether the offer worked. Ask new customers how they heard about you, use a dedicated code or a named enquiry option, and note how many people claimed the offer. Even a basic tally in a notebook or spreadsheet will tell you whether to repeat the offer, change it or retire it.
After each offer, write down what you offered, where you promoted it, and what you noticed. Over a year, these notes become a useful guide for planning around quiet periods, school terms, holidays and local events.
How Conciergia handles it
Conciergia is a done for you online system run by one provider. Your website is custom built with unlimited pages and revisions, so an offer page can be added, changed or removed whenever you need. Hosting, maintenance, professional email, your Google Business Profile and a logo are included. Front Desk, the on site assistant, captures and qualifies enquiries and supports bookings, and the enquiries your site collects belong to you. Social content is planned, made, scheduled and published, and Facebook and Instagram ads are available as an add on. Pricing is a one off setup fee plus a weekly plan, with no lock in, and you can cancel anytime. See the pricing page and send us an enquiry to talk about your business.