Each Local Listing site requests similar but slightly different information. The following form is a compilation of all of the data required when listing your business or Web site on the Local Listing sites listed. You can use this form to gather your own information. Feel free to print this out and share it with others.
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Fill out the information below as completely as possible. Additional information can be provided on a separate piece of paper. Skip anything you don’t understand or do not have immediately available and we will contact you to obtain it later.
FIRST NAME: _______________________ LAST NAME: ________________________________
STREET ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________
CITY: __________________________ STATE: ______ ZIP: _____________
COUNTY: ______________________________
Cross streets on either side of your business: _____________________ and _____________________
Right or left side of the street (used to accurately map your location): ____________________
Primary phone number (the one customers use): Area code: ______ Number: __________________
Toll free number (if any): ______________
Additional phone numbers – specify what they are (Cell? Office? Other?): ______________________
Fax number: _______________________
Domain name (current or desired, if none one can be provided): ______________________________
email address (to be displayed online): __________________________________________________
Contact name: FIRST: ______________________ LAST: _________________________________
Additional email addresses (if any): _____________________________________________________
Do you want to display what hours you are open? YES / NO If yes, indicate hours for all seven days of the week and circle any of these that apply: By appointment only, call to schedule, Saturday and Sunday appointment only, Closed Sundays, No Sunday Sales. Write in any other phrase (allowed on some sites but not all). MON: __________ TUES: ________ WED: ________ THUR: ________ FRI: ________
SAT: ________ SUN: ________ Other phrase, if any: ______________________________________
Payment methods accepted: (Circle those that apply; cross out any that do not): Cash, Check, Visa, Master Card, Debit Card, American Express, Discover, Diner’s Club, Cashier’s Check, Money Order, Invoice, Financing, Google Checkout, PayPal, on site ATM, other.
Year established or in business since (what year): ________________
Public transportation available in your area (if any): ______________________________________
Languages spoken: __________________________________________________________________
PRODUCTS / SERVICES OFFERED (use additional pages as needed): ______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
BRAND NAMES SOLD: ____________________________________________________________ PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS (Use additional separate paper if necessary):
Affiliations: __________________________________________________________________
Certifications: ________________________________________________________________
Licenses: ____________________________________________________________________
Contractor’s License Number: ____________________________________________________
Other: _______________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL OFFERS: (Some Local Directories allow you to offer free coupons and this may be included in the text in others): _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
CATEGORIES: ___________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: Proper category selection is critical to your success. It can be simple for some businesses (such as florists) and extremely complex for others (any horse related business or those who sell many products). If your business does not easily fall into one or two obvious categories allow us to assist you with this. Do make suggestions and ensure we have complete information on all the products/services you offer. Use additional pages as needed.
KEYWORDS: _____________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: Keyword selection is even more critical than category selection. If you do not have tools to do keyword research, allow us to research this for you. Do offer suggestions.
Multiple Business Descriptions of various lengths are needed. Assistance in creating these is included. On a separate piece of paper provide as much information about what your business does as possible. Ideally this will include your slogan and USP (Unique Selling Proposition – something that sets you apart from others in your industry). These are both very important. If you have not already developed them and added them to your Web site header assistance will be provided.
NOTE: The ideal wording of your descriptions requires skills at keyword research, copywriting, understanding the difference between benefits and features, knowing what a call to action is, being aware of search engines’ duplicate content policies and many other advanced skills. If someone else is assisting you ensure they have this expertise.
Best results are obtained when you take advantage of our expertise AND provide abundant input.
No one knows your business better than you. The words in your descriptions determine whether your listing appears for any given search AND whether the reader clicks through to your site! Give this step the importance it deserves.
OTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED: Google requires that submitting or editing listings be verified by phone (almost instantly) or postcard (not recommended). The phone verification computerized process calls the phone number in your Google listing and there is no provision to use any other phone number. Someone has to sign into your Google account and request a verification pin at the same time that specific phone can be answered.
QUESTIONS? Call (469) 735-2108 if you have any questions while completing this information. Assistance will be provided in writing descriptions and selecting categories and keywords.
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On request we can email a copy in Word or Open Office format. The document fits on two pages. We print them on front and back to make one two-sided document. If anyone knows how to place a downloadable version within this blog we can make them available in that format.
If you wish to publish this information online please include a link back to this page. Feel free to make and distribute print copies to anyone interested. If you wish to provide this service for others, permission is expressly granted for you to edit the Word or Open Office document. Be sure to use your own phone number and email address.
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TIPS FOR NEW COMPUTER USERS:
How to copy and paste the above information into an email:
- First you must highlight the area you wish to copy. Do this by pointing at the beginning of the area, then holding down the left mouse button and dragging all the way to the bottom of the area you wish to copy. When you do this the area will be highlighted (similar to using a highlighting pen offline).
- Next point at the word “Edit” at the top of your computer screen and left click once
- Point at the word “Copy” that appears under Edit and left click on it once
- Switch to your email program
- Open a new email, usually by clicking on “compose”
- Put your cursor inside the new email where you want the copied information to appear
- Point again at the word “Edit” and left click once
- Point at the word “Paste” and left click once
- The information you “copied” from the page above should appear in the email.
- Now you can fill in the information directly in the email and send it.
How to print this page:
- Click on Print Screen OR if you prefer or that doesn’t work
- Point at “File” and left click once
- Point at “Print” and left click on it
- A box will open showing your printer options
- Click on “Print” in the printer prompt box
If you need assistance with the above call (469) 735-2108
Gail Gardner
That is a good form you put together! Very well-planned. I also seen your list of telephone directories for manual submission. Again, a good list but it looks like a lot of work so I would rather pay for your service and know that it was done correctly the first time around.
I clicked on your banner for the Thesis theme, and I’m currently researching whether it is worth it to buy it and am wondering if there are any Thesis users out there that would like to let me know what they think about it? Just lost quite a bit of money at Semiologic Pro when it went down the tube recently and need to get something else.
Thank you.
Jeff Minner would love you to read ..Carl Wiegand – Missing Lockhart Texas Man Last Seen In Mexico
Hi Jeff,
I never do manual submissions because it takes what seems like forever. I use UBL and then optimize the more important directories.
I started to answer your question about Thesis here and the answer would have been so long that I went ahead and wrote a review of Thesis I’ve been meaning to write. Click on the post in CommentLuv in this reply to see it.
growmap would love you to read ..Thesis WordPress Theme Review – Why We Use It
If you have OpenOffice, you can create a PDF instantly: File / Export as PDF…
I should have said this in my previous comment: Forms that will be filled out with a computer should not have underlines, as in Name ________________. It’s best to have only one item per line, and having two columns in the layout can help use the space more efficiently.
@Eric Lee Thank you for visiting. I do hope you’ve been back. If there is anything specific you would like to know do not hesitate to ask.
@Craigslist PVA I do all I can to assist small businesses and bloggers. I hope you’ll come back to visit and see all the new content.
@John Dilbeck I originally created this document so I could get all the information required and not have to contact people again. Then I decided to share it here.
There should be a HUGE demand for this as a service. As you can tell I know how well it is done makes an enormous difference so any business that CAN afford expert assistance would be well advised to pay for it.
I’m not a big fan of PDF myself; however, I know many people do prefer it. Adding a PDF version has been a low priority but I am willing to add it. I don’t know if I have the capability of converting it here or not.
If you run across any information required somewhere that I did not include do let me know. If I recall correctly I managed to get it to print on two pages and tried to simplify it as much as possible.
InternetStrategist’s last blog post..Promote Your Business Without Cash
I just stopped by your blog and thought I would say hello. I like your site design. Looking forward to reading more down the road.