It’s important for small businesses and first time entrepreneurs to take extra steps to ensure the accuracy of their online business listings.

A recent Infogroup survey revealed that businesses have just one chance to get a new customer to try their product or service. Over 60 percent of consumers said if they arrived to find a restaurant closed, they’ll simply find a different one on their mobile device or navigation system. It’s simple. If customers can’t find you, they’ll go somewhere else. And small businesses can’t afford to have that happen during what is arguably the busiest shopping season of the year.

Make it easy for customers to find your business with the 3 tips below:

1. Claim Your Local Business Listings: We’ve said this time and time again, but now is the time to be absolutely sure your online listings are up to date. Investing in technology like Infogroup’s Express Update can help you gain control over all your listings on top search engines, navigation systems and online directories.
2. Be Mobile: Being a small business doesn’t mean you have to think small. Mobile technology is gaining in widespread popularity and you should take advantage of it. Customers are gravitating toward devices that provide the most timely and reliable information. Invest in a website that is optimal for mobile viewing and an email marketing campaign. You run the risk of losing customers if they have to scroll excessively or navigate through a confusing layout.
3. Be Social: In addition to claiming your local business listings, remember to regularly update the information on your social media accounts. Customers are likely to search your Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus accounts for location and contact information in addition to a web search.

What steps are you going to take this season to make sure your customers can find you?  For more information on our survey, download the full report for free: Real-Time in the Real-World: Local Search Driving Need for Faster Business Data.

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About the Author: Amit Khanna is the President of Small and Medium Business at Infogroup. Mr. Khanna came to Infogroup from Reachable, a leading provider of social CRM solutions, where he was the Chief Data Officer. Prior to joining Reachable, Khanna worked for over 10 years at Infogroup where he held several leadership roles, including President of Strategy and Planning and President of Database Licensing. In these roles, he was responsible for driving revenue for a large portion of the company and developed strong strategic licensing relationships that are still in place. He also led two of the company’s successful Software-as-a-Service products, InfoUSA and Salesgenie. Mr. Khanna has a Masters in Computer Science from Creighton University and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Chicago.