Once upon a time, when you wanted to make a purchase, you had to head out to an actual store (or call the Home Shopping Network), and when you wanted to hire a service professional, like a plumber, you had to hit up the phone book. When those businesses wanted to advertise to you, they had to do so by putting an ad in that phone book, or in the newspaper, or perhaps taking out a few radio spots and other types of local marketing pieces.

But now we have the Internet!

The Internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes. With the click of a mouse, a shopper in Seattle can buy some fancy cupcakes from a bakery in New York City, something that would have been unheard of once upon a time. But not all businesses are designed to serve a global market – an electrician in New York City can’t help a customer in Seattle, after all – so with phone books going the way of the dinosaur, what’s the alternative?

Online Local Marketing Business Directories

A local marketing business directory is an effective, efficient way for customers in your business’s area to find you. Some people still peruse the phone book, but the vast majority of your customers are online now, and using the Internet to not only find local businesses and services, but research them, check out reviews from other customers, and more. Local marketing business directories make it easy for them to do just that.

If your business is not yet listed for local marketing, today’s the day to start. What follows is a list of 10 of the best directories out there – all you need to do is sign up, fill out your profile according to each directory’s instructions, and soon, you’ll be visible online to anyone looking for you.