You wouldn’t know it by watching him, but barber and business owner, Don Kight of Don Kight’s Barber Shop, is 84 years old. Don has operated barber shops in the Daytona Beach, Florida, area for over 50 years, and apparently he has no intentions of slowing down. In addition to haircuts that delight his customers’ wives (because that’s what counts) and good old-fashioned shaves, he offers a free cold beer to all of his waiting patrons (21 years old and over, of course).
Don noticed a significant pick-up in inquiries and new customers after his daughter, Dagny, helped hook him up with a Google+ page and map listing. Now, most of his new customers say, “I found you on my phone.” In fact, he almost always has customers stacked up and waiting, and just recently he even had to bring in another barber to help with the increased business.
After he had gained just 7 reviews on his Google+ page, Don found his little one-chair shop on the first page of Google for local searches. He now has 16 excellent reviews, which customers often cite as one of the reasons they decided to drop in. Don’s shop is in a high-density area where it’s easy to go unnoticed, so having a good listing on Google helps new customers find him when they are searching for a nearby barber. Even part-time resident “snowbirds” have been finding his shop more regularly since his Google listing.
Don’s story is a great illustration of how small businesses that draw clients and customers from a certain geographic area can increase their visibility using a Google+ page. The listing is free and takes a bit of time to fill out and verify, but we have found it to be well worth it for our clients.
If you would like to find out how you can use Google+ to your business’s advantage, contact us. We would love to help.