So, what does this even mean? Well, there are some businesses out there that are technically open, technically operating, technically ready for customers. But honestly, they may as well not exist. These are the invisible businesses. So, they’ve got a generic website buried under a hundred others, maybe even a shopfront that looks like it hasn’t been touched since the nineties (chances are you’re more than familiar with a few businesses in your hometown that are like that), or maybe even delivery vans that look like they were borrowed from the neighbour. And sure, sometimes, these might even be online-only businesses that only market online too.
It’s not that the product or service is bad. Honestly, no, because loads of invisible businesses are brilliant at what they do. Okay, then what’s even the problem here? Well, no one even realises they’re there. Customers aren’t psychic. Unless a business makes itself known in the real world, it’s almost guaranteed to be ignored.
Real World Marketing isn’t Dead
It’s obvious, right, like everyone’s obsessed with digital marketing. You’ve got ads, algorithms, SEO, hashtags, the lot. But step outside and look around, real-world marketing’s still everywhere. It’s the pub chalkboard with silly lines that make people stop and laugh. It’s the florist spilling colour all over the pavement. It’s branded uniforms, takeaway bags with logos, vehicle signage catching your eye at the traffic lights, and don’t forget billboards either (they’re a classic). Oh, and the radio ads are back, too.
These touches all whisper (or sometimes maybe even shout), “Hey, this business exists, it’s alive, and it’s worth checking out.” The internet’s important, sure, but for locals walking the same streets every day, it’s the real-world details that stick.
Remember Phone Books?
Well, not too long ago, finding a business meant flipping through a phone book. Everyone had one shoved in a kitchen drawer. For example, need a plumber? Straight to the Ps. How about a florist? Well, just look for the Fs. But yeah, every business had a guaranteed spot, and people could actually find them. It was a much simpler time back then, much, much more simpler.
But yeah, that’s gone. The phone book’s been recycled into cereal boxes, and people aren’t flicking through hundreds of pages anymore. Online search swooped in to replace it, and that worked. Well, it did at one point, until the internet got way too crowded. Now small businesses are shouting into an endless void, trying to compete with global chains, faceless online shops, and SEO experts who practically live in Google Analytics. You see the problem here?
Actually, the crazier thing is that more and more people are getting tired of their screen addiction and are actually using the internet less. They’re tired of being glued to screens. They want to touch grass, shop local, and spend time in the real world again. If a business exists only online, it’s standing on wobbly legs.
Try the Local Test
Alright, so just go ahead and picture this. The internet goes down for a week. Yep, a whole entire week, meaning there’s no phones, no Google, no social feeds. There’s absolutely nothing. So, would anyone in your area even know your business exists? Could people spot your shop without wondering if it’s shut for good? Would your van stand out as it drove past, or does it look like a plain white box on wheels? Would someone remember your business name because they’ve seen it printed on a bag or painted on a window? These questions are a little uncomfortable to ask, right?
Well, this is the local test, and yeah, it’s pretty brutal. And at the same time, so many businesses fail at it. So, if you’re failing it, you’re way too dependent on digital.
It’s Visibility Makes a Business Feel Real
Think about the places you actually shop at regularly. It’s not just because Google suggested them. It’s because they feel real, and being real means being visible. Well, people remember the café with the bright chairs outside, the dog groomer with paw prints up the door, or the corner shop blasting music you can hear from the pavement. These details remind people, again and again, that the business is alive and kicking. Simple enough, right?
There’s the Cost of Being Invisible
Yep, you read that right, so being invisible drains a business in ways you don’t always notice straight away. How? Well, walk-ins disappear. But on top of that, word-of-mouth fizzles out because no one’s got anything to point to. And maybe the harshest (but most realistic) one of them all would be the fact that locals forget the place exists, which means that people assume it’s shut down.
But yeah, it does get even sadder than this, because the invisibility makes even a brilliant business look like it’s struggling. It sends the message that the owner hasn’t invested or, worse, doesn’t care. Customers pick up on that way faster than you’d think.
But Practical Visibility is what Works
Well, you just really need to keep in mind that visibility doesn’t mean you need a massive billboard or some flashy stunt. Sure, you’re welcome to do that if you want to, but you don’t need to. Instead, it’s about the basics done right. It’s pretty simple too, like a shopfront that looks alive.
A delivery uniform that’s memorable. Even something like packaging that sticks the business name in someone’s head. But even something small like a van parked on the street with bold branding so anyone passing knows exactly what’s on offer. It’s just small everyday signals.
Don’t Forget About the Power of Repetition in the Real World
Alright, so there’s this thing called the mere-exposure effect. It’s basically, the more you see something, the more you like it. Yeah, it sounds weird, but chances are, you’ve actually “fallen” for this before. So, just think of that irritating jingle you found yourself humming, or the billboard you stopped noticing until the brand name stuck in your head anyway.
But you better believe that businesses thrive on this, too. Technically, it’s businesses that are the ones doing this, of course. But if people keep spotting the same logo, the same van, the same packaging, it becomes familiar. And familiarity breeds trust. But overall, offline repetition has that magic. It works in the background without anyone even realising it, and that’s seriously the beauty of all of this, too.
