Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / How a Local Landscaper Uses Google Maps for Client Retention
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we talk a lot on this show about using Google Maps to get new customers. Lead generation. The front end of the funnel. But I've been looking at something a little different lately. Luna: Okay, I'm curious. What's the shift? Lucas: Retention. Using your Google Business Profile not just to bring people in the door, but to keep them coming back. And I found a great case study — a landscaping company in Portland, Oregon, called GreenScape PDX. Luna: Oh, I think I've seen their profile. They have those really polished before and after photos, right? Lucas: That's them. But what's interesting is what they do with those photos. Most landscapers post a few shots in spring, maybe again in summer, and then the profile goes dormant until next year. GreenScape does the opposite. Luna: So they're posting year-round? Even in winter when there's no landscaping work? Lucas: Exactly. And that's the key. They treat their Google profile like a seasonal portfolio. In fall, they post photos of leaf cleanup and winterization. In winter, they post about snow removal — but also about planning for spring, like a 'design your dream garden' post. In early spring, they post photos of the first blooms from their maintenance clients. Luna: So it's not just 'here's our work', it's 'here's what's happening right now in your neighborhood'. Lucas: Exactly. And it works because it keeps the business top of mind. When a customer sees a photo of a garden they recognize, or a seasonal tip that's relevant to their own yard, they're more likely to think of GreenScape when they need a service. The owner told me that 40 percent of their revenue last year came from repeat clients — and that's up from about 20 percent two years ago. Luna: Wow. So that's a direct lift from this strategy. But there's more to it than just photos, right? Lucas: Right. The second piece is how they handle reviews. Most businesses respond to reviews generically — 'thank you for your feedback'. GreenScape does something smarter. For repeat clients, they respond with specific references to the work they did. Like, 'Thanks, Susan! It was a pleasure to get your lawn ready for summer. Hope you're enjoying the new flower bed.' Luna: That's personal. And it signals to everyone reading that they have ongoing relationships, not just one-off transactions. Lucas: Exactly. It builds trust with potential customers too. But the real retention play is in the Q&A section of the profile. GreenScape monitors questions and answers them quickly — but they also seed their own questions. Luna: Wait, they ask themselves questions? Lucas: Yeah, it's totally allowed. You can ask a question on your own profile, and then you answer it. So they ask things like, 'Do you offer fall clean-up packages?' and answer with details and a link to their booking page. Or, 'What's the best time to aerate a lawn in Portland?' and answer with seasonal advice. It makes the profile more useful, and it keeps people coming back to check. Luna: That's smart because it also helps with SEO. Google loves fresh content on profiles. Lucas: Right. And the Q&A shows up in search results sometimes. But the main point is that these tactics are all about staying visible to existing customers. The average person doesn't go to Google Maps to find a landscaper every day. But if they see GreenScape in their feed with a new photo or a question that's relevant, they're more likely to remember them. Luna: So it's almost like a retargeting ad, but organic. Lucas: Exactly. And the cost is just time. The owner spends about 15 minutes a week on it. That's it. Compare that to the cost of paid ads to acquire new customers. It's a no-brainer for retention. Luna: I want to dig into the scheduling. How do they keep it consistent? Because I think that's where most small businesses fall off. Lucas: They use Google's own scheduling tool inside the Business Profile. You can write posts in advance and queue them up. So the owner sets aside an hour at the start of each month, writes four posts — one per week — and schedules them. He says it's actually easier than trying to remember to post each week. Luna: And does he mix up the types of content? Because just photos might get stale. Lucas: He does a mix. Photos, yes. But also 'what's new' posts — like a new service they're offering, or a seasonal tip. Sometimes he posts a special offer just for existing clients, like a 10 percent discount on spring clean-up if you book before March 1. That drives repeat business directly. Luna: That's a good hook. And it makes the profile feel alive. I think a lot of businesses treat their Google profile like a static billboard. But it's really a social channel. Lucas: Absolutely. And the other thing GreenScape does well is they use the 'products' section of the profile. Most landscaping companies don't use it at all. But GreenScape lists their services as products — lawn maintenance, garden design, irrigation installation — with prices. That helps customers know what to expect and makes booking easier. Luna: And that builds trust. Because if you're a repeat client, you know exactly what you're getting and what it costs. No surprises. Lucas: Right. And that's the core of retention: making it easy to say yes again. So I think the big takeaway is that Google Maps isn't just a lead generation tool. It's a relationship platform. Luna: I love that framing. And it's something any local business can apply, not just landscapers. Lucas: Exactly. So if you're listening and you're a local business owner, look at your Google profile. Are you posting year-round? Are you responding to reviews with specific details? Are you using Q&A and products? If not, that's a low-effort, high-impact change you can make this week. Luna: And if these kinds of marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your business, we'd love it if you'd consider supporting the show. It keeps these episodes ad-free and helps us keep digging into stories like GreenScape's. You can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, that really does make a difference. And we read every note people leave. So, back to the strategy — one more thing I want to mention is that GreenScape also uses the 'offer' feature. They run a seasonal offer, like 'Free consultation with any spring clean-up booking', and that drives both new and repeat customers. Luna: And that shows up with a badge on the profile, right? So it catches the eye. Lucas: Yeah, it has a little 'offer' tag. It's a small thing, but it can increase click-through rates significantly. They saw about a 15 percent increase in profile engagement when they ran their first offer. Luna: So it's all these small tactics together that create the retention flywheel. Lucas: Exactly. And the best part is, it's all free. Just time and consistency. So that's our challenge to listeners: pick one of these tactics — seasonal posts, personalized review responses, Q&A seeding, or offers — and commit to it for 90 days. See if your repeat business changes. Luna: I'm going to try the Q&A seeding myself. I have a friend who runs a pet grooming business, and I think that could work for her. Lucas: Let us know how it goes. And if you have your own retention story, we'd love to hear it. That's all for this episode of The Local Marketing Podcast. Thanks for listening.