Three tips for entrepreneurs to gain better visibility

“I need more customers for my company so I could at least pay myself some kind of salary and always have enough money in the company account to cover the bills. If things continue like this, I might have to lay off one of my employees and move my business to cheaper premises. I wonder if someone could help me improve my social media visibility?” 

At Business Espoo’s business advisory service, many entrepreneurs are thinking about how to gain more visibility and attract more customers. The reason is obvious: more customers usually mean more sales and better profitability. I’ve put together three cost-effective tips that might also be helpful for you and your business. 

1. Search for your own company and your competitors in a search engine 

When there’s a potential customer that’s interested in your product or service, they usually start by searching for information online. Search engines are therefore very useful when considering your own company’s visibility and findability. If you have a hard time finding your own company via a search engine, it’s highly likely that your potential customers will struggle too. Not good! 

It’s crucial to appear among the first search results. If your business only shows up on the third page of Google results for a search term like “Espoo hair salon”, it’s very unlikely that any new customers will be encouraged to reach out. Using a search engine might also reveal surprising information. For example, it’s not uncommon for a company’s location information to be outdated on Google Maps after a change of address. As an entrepreneur, wouldn’t you want to notice such errors before your customers do? 

2. Get your website and social media in order 

Websites are the most important channel for consumers to find information about businesses. Nowadays, it’s almost impossible for a company to gain customers and succeed without a website. It’s usually recommended that your company has both a website and at least one active social media channel. Take a moment to consider: are your customers online, on social media, or in both places? It’s your customers who determine which channels you should use to inform them about your products and services. 

Why not be present where your customers already are? 

3. Utilize artificial intelligence 

Artificial intelligence and its possibilities have been a hot topic for a couple of years now. AI can make it much easier to create texts and social media posts. The fear of staring at a blank page disappears when you can generate ready-made texts or at least excellent drafts with the help of generative AI. It's wise to embrace AI no later than spring 2025. 

How do you plan to develop your AI skills? 

To sum up: you should make your company visible to new and potential customers. You can also get valuable marketing tips by participating in the free KLOV pilot program by Suomen Yrittäjät, which is aimed at developing creative industry companies in the Helsinki metropolitan area. 

I also recommend checking out the “guide to starting a business” by the Finnish Enterprise Agencies and Business Espoo’s website. If you are currently or planning to become an entrepreneur in Espoo or Kauniainen, you can also book a free business advisory appointment with Business Espoo. Good luck on your journey towards greater visibility! 

Download the “guide to starting a business” here for free: Guide to starting a business 2025(external link, opens in a new window) 

VIsit the KLOV pilot project page (in Finnish): Luovan alan pilotti(external link, opens in a new window) 

Book an appointment with a business advisor at Business Espoo: Book an appointment with a business advisor | Business Espoo - Helping companies thrive | City of Espoo 

This article was written by Ville Tolvanen, MSc (Econ.), MA, a business advisor at Business Espoo. Ville mentors current and future entrepreneurs in launching and developing vibrant businesses. His customers include creators from the creative industries as well as anyone considering starting or growing a company.