Business owners must always look out for new businesses or ventures opening up in the community. Knowing the competitors in your area is essential, especially if you run the same business. Consumers will choose other shops in the locality if your store doesn’t have the required products.
Hence, you must have the business lists in the city to find the product or service type they deal with. Moreover, new businesses can become your customers, or you can consider collaborating to earn more profits.
So, now the question is – where can you find the businesses listed in your area? Entrepreneurs can find this list from the local chamber of commerce, also known as the trade board. Additionally, the state secretary knows about the businesses listed in the city. Do you live in a small town? You can find the business lists on local media sources.
Go to the directory websites to get detailed information about the new businesses in the city. Local libraries also have business databases. Don’t have a library near your house or educational institution? Check the business lists online from mobile devices like computers or smartphones.
Here, we have mentioned how you can find the business lists from these sources:
1. Through the Local Chamber of Commerce
A local chamber of commerce is a local organisation, often made by business owners who deal with the same products or services. They share and protect the members’ interests. In the local chamber of commerce, a “lunch and learn” concept exists where members learn and develop new business skills.
Businesses, regardless of their size or type, must become a member of this local association. When a new business is in the city, its name is included in the chamber of commerce. This local organisation often shares news or posts about new businesses in the city on their website.
However, every local chamber of commerce keeps the businesses in the city private. Thus, you must email the local chamber of commerce to get the business list. However, becoming a local organisation member is essential to get these details.
Join the local chamber of commerce if you run a business for competitor analysis. Moreover, these local associations can be a great marketing source for your company. They also offer financial aid to business owners. Most local chambers of commerce host training programs for professional development.
2. From the State Secretary
Did you open a new retail company? Go to the State Secretary’s office to register your company. Many states have an online directory where they save the businesses list in the city. The state government mostly generates the list of all the registered companies by date and city.
Therefore, you can easily find all the businesses with the state secretary’s help. However, not all states provide this date or city-sorting function on the website. Finding a specific business name might be challenging in such instances. Contact the State Secretary in such situations and request them to send the business list and why you need it.
3. Local Media Sources
Local media like newspapers can be a great source to find the business lists in your town. Newspaper publishers cover the possible news about recently opened stores or restaurants. Thus, you must buy a newspaper to stay updated about the new businesses in your area.
Moreover, newspapers have a “Local Business” section containing relevant business information. This section has the new company’s address and contact number. So, you can also contact them if they need more details about the products or services they offer.
4. Using a Web Browser
Access a reliable browser to learn about the new businesses in your city. Go to the search bar, write “new business,” and add your city or town name. Let’s say you live in New York and want to find the business list in your area. Type “new business in New York” in the navigation panel.
Click the search icon, and the browser will show you the latest companies incorporated in your area. Additionally, you can add new terms to gather more information about the businesses. For instance, you can write “newly opened” or “just opened” before the term “business”.
5. Local Libraries
You might be surprised to know that local libraries, like your university libraries, have information about the new businesses in the city. Besides, public libraries provide free access to crucial business data like foundation data and product lists.
For instance, Reference USA, a leading library community, provides access to accurate and complete business data. Thus, look for the local library in your area with navigation apps. Go to the library and request the librarian to get you the details of the new companies in your area.
6. Via Directory Websites
Directory websites contain entries about the new and old companies in a city. These websites are organised into categories and subcategories, making it easier to find local businesses. Most directory websites let you find a company name using search terms like location or service.
Thus, you must provide the correct city name or service when searching for the business from the directory sites. These websites also contain customer reviews about specific companies. Collecting information about them seems easier from customer feedback.
Here are the directory websites that contain businesses listings:
- Yellow Pages
- Hotfrog
- Google Business Profile
- Manta
- eLocal
- Merchant Circle
- Better Business Bureau
- Foursquare
- Superpages
7. Social Media Pages
Social media pages are the best places to find business lists online. Millions of entrepreneurs list their businesses on this platform to gain visibility through organic search. So, you can find valuable information about the new companies in your city on this social media channel.
Like Facebook, Instagram is another platform where entrepreneurs list their businesses for visibility. When listing a business, it offers 1,500+ categories to choose from. Thus, you can find the new businesses list in your area on Instagram.
Go to the search bar and write your business type and city name. For instance, if you want to find new interior designing companies in your area, write “interior designer company in New York”.
Instagram will display the new and old interior companies’ videos on the Explore page. Click the video and tap on the profile link to find the services or products they offer or their exact location. You can also do the same on LinkedIn, Apple Maps or Yelp.
How Can You Find Your Business in Google Business Profile?
Have you listed your company in Google Business Profile, but it isn’t on the search results? Consider checking if you have signed to the Google Account associated with the business profile. If not, Google Business Profile won’t show your company name in the list.
Moreover, your business information should comply with the Google Business Profile’s guidelines. Unexpected information changes or removal can cause this problem. Have you recently added new business information? It might take at least 3 days to appear in the search results. So, you might have to wait a few days to see your company name in the business listings.
Best Tips to Optimise Your Business Listings
Entrepreneurs must use the registered business in every directory. Using the same space, punctuation, and capitalisation help people easily identify the business name. Consistency helps improve the search rankings.
So, don’t make changes after registering your business name in local chambers of commerce or social media pages. Moreover, you must add essential information like company name, address, phone number, business hours and industry category.
Include the company logo, foundation date, specialisations, products and amenities you offer. Use platforms like Google Business Profile or Facebook to add product descriptions. Remember, your goal should be driving customers to your business with this listing.