Passive Marketing: How to Use Customer Feedback to Show Up in Local Searches

• April 29, 2025May 1, 2025
• Passive Marketing/Passive Income

To get your business found on Google by the right people at the right time, understanding your customers’ pain points is key. These are the problems they’re facing that your products or services can solve. In marketing, we call the products and services you offer “solutions.”

DIY small business marketing isn’t just about knowing people need what you sell—it’s about understanding how they think.

Once you get inside their heads, you’ll understand how they’re searching online for solutions and how to use passive marketing techniques to address their problems. This way, your business shows up in local searches.

So, how do you figure out the pain points of your prime customers?

Well, the answer is simple: Ask Your Customers!

4 Local DIY Passive Marketing Tips to Sink Your Teeth Into

These four quick, easy, and free ways let you address your customers’ pain points with passive marketing that practically runs itself—just set it and forget it.

Tip #1: Observe In-Store or Off-Site Behavior

This is the simplest, most passive DIY marketing tip on the list because you can do it during your daily operations—no extra steps required. Just pay attention as you go about your day, and you’ll uncover valuable insights without lifting a finger.

Understanding how customers interact with your business—or similar businesses—helps you identify what’s working, what’s not, and where you can improve. It’s a simple, passive way to uncover opportunities to serve your customers better or stand out from your competition.

This applies even if your customers don’t come to you. If you provide sales or services at customer locations, think of “in-store” as wherever you conduct business.

Observations

When observing your customers, pay attention to how they shop or engage with your services:

• What questions do they ask?
• What frustrations do they express?

Competitor “Analysis”

If you don’t have customers yet, visit competitors. Watch how they interact with their customers:

• Look for gaps you can fill or things they do well that you can build on.

And remember, this isn’t about criticizing or tearing them down. Think of it as a chance to network with like-minded locals in your industry. Stay relaxed, observe, and learn. With time, you’ll find your own niche or lane—and you won’t have to compete with them at all.

Tip #2: Use Google My Business Insights… Period!

This is one of the most important things you can do for your business to get found in local searches. Having a Google My Business (GMB) listing isn’t optional—it’s mandatory for any local business that wants to be found.

Even without any techy skills, everyone knows that Google is the #1 search engine. That means your locally-based business needs to show up when locals search for the solutions you sell. If you don’t do any other marketing whatsoever, you at least need to create an effective profile.

If you want to get found in local Google searches, this is the single most important thing you can do to market your brand online. It doesn’t take technical skills, but if you simply don’t have the time, outsource this simple task to your spouse, an employee, or even a savvy teen around you.

Already Have a GMB Profile?

If you’re already listed on Google, great! But creating a profile is just the first step—you need to make sure it’s doing the heavy lifting for your business. Review your Insights regularly to understand how customers are finding and interacting with your business online.

Your profile also helps you show up in local search results. So, make sure everything is accurate and that you update it at least monthly with new images, videos, posts, etc., so people know your business is still active.

Here’s what to do:

1. Log into Your Profile: Go to your GMB dashboard to access your account.
2. Review Search Terms: Look at the queries people use to find you. Do they match the products or services you offer? If not, update your keywords in your description or posts.
3. Check Engagement Features: See which actions customers take most often—like calling, requesting directions, or visiting your website.
4. Identify Areas for Improvement: Use the data to figure out what’s working and what’s not, then make adjustments to better align with your audience’s needs.
5. Update Your Profile: Ensure your information (hours, address, photos, etc.) is accurate and fresh. Add posts, new pictures, or customer FAQs to keep it active and relevant.

Don’t Have a Google My Business Account Yet?

Don’t have a Google listing yet? Get started today—it’s quick, free, and essential for being found locally.

You can’t attract customers if they can’t find you. Creating a business profile is free and takes just a few minutes—less than 30 if you fully optimize it with images, videos, descriptions, social links, and more.

The sooner you do this, the sooner locals searching for what you sell will find you—online and in person. Make sure your listing is accurate, up-to-date, and includes everything customers need to take the next step, like your hours, address, photos, and a link to your reviews.

This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to show up in searches and get found by the people who are already looking for what you offer.

Tip #3: Ask for Online Feedback & Read Competitors’ Reviews

Reviews are powerful tools for building trust and understanding your customers’ needs. If you already have customers, ask them to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, or whichever platform drives the most referrals to your business. Not sure where that is? Use free tools like Google Analytics to figure it out.

Ways to Request Reviews & Feedback

Here are some easy ways to get reviews from your local Hemet and San Jacinto customers:

• Add a review request in your email newsletters.
• Post reminders on your social media pages.
• Use a banner on your website with a link to your review page.
• Directly ask for reviews in your content CTAs (calls to action).
• Include a QR code in your store or on printed receipts that links directly to your review page.

Tip for New Business Owners

If you don’t have customers yet, no problem. Focus on your competitors’ reviews instead. Look for recurring complaints or gaps in service. Assume your potential customers have similar needs and craft marketing messages that fill those gaps.

Over time, this approach helps you stand out and build a loyal following.

How to Use Reviews to Improve Customer Experiences

Reviews are more than just feedback—they’re a roadmap for growth. Use them to:

1. Spot patterns in feedback: Identify what people consistently praise or complain about.
2. Fix negative trends: Take criticisms seriously and use them as opportunities to improve.
3. Highlight positive reviews: Incorporate glowing feedback into your marketing to showcase what you’re doing right.

Make reviews a two-way street. Thank customers for their input, take action on their suggestions, and show them you care about their experience. The better your reviews, the stronger your relationship with your audience—and the more likely they’ll keep coming back.

Tip #4: Offer Incentives for Feedback or Freebies to Attract Attention

Giving something in return for feedback or to attract new customers is a smart way to engage your audience. It doesn’t have to cost much—sometimes, it can be nearly free.

Here are a few affordable ideas:

• Free Overstock Giveaways: Use surplus stock (not junk you can’t get rid of) for contests, giveaways, surveys, gift baskets, or upsell incentives during the holiday season.
• Discounts on Future Purchases: Offer small discounts on their next visit in exchange for a review or survey. This encourages repeat visits and helps build long-term customer relationships.
• Exclusive Access Promos: Let customers preview new products or services before the public. These “in-store only” offers bring in more foot traffic and increase opportunities for upsells.
• Local Collaborations: Partner with nearby businesses to offer freebies that don’t cost you directly. For example, a candle shop and a bakery can exchange coupons: buy a dozen donuts, get 50% off a candle, and vice versa.
• Free Digital Resources: Create downloadable guides, checklists, or tools that align with your niche. These are cost-effective and help you grow your email list for future marketing.

Why It Works

Incentives don’t need to be expensive to succeed. The key is offering something that feels valuable to your audience while building goodwill and loyalty. Be creative—overstock items, exclusive offers, or partnerships are all great ways to provide value without breaking the bank.

Make the Most of Incentives

• Use discounts to bring customers back more than once. For example, a discount on the third purchase encourages them to visit multiple times, giving you more chances to impress them.
• Collaborate locally in ways that benefit both businesses and customers, creating true synergy. For instance, a florist and a bakery could exchange coupons that promote each other’s products.
• Offer free digital resources to capture email leads. Once created, these resources work on autopilot, driving traffic to your website and nurturing potential customers over time.

Incentives build trust, loyalty, and goodwill—all while giving your business a boost in visibility and sales.

Master Passive DIY Marketing — Start Right Where You Are

You don’t have to hustle harder or spend thousands to market smarter. These passive DIY marketing techniques fit right into the daily work you’re already doing—no extra stress, no fancy tools required.

By simply observing, listening, and adjusting, you can start building stronger customer connections without adding more to your plate. Need help zeroing in on who your prime audience really is?

👉 Take our Target Market Course to identify your ideal customers and understand their pain points—so your passive marketing efforts hit the mark.

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