Whether you're a huddle Hero member or one of our community huddlers - a small business owner, were excited to welcome you once again! Delve into discovering the latest offerings from your favorite local businesses or effortlessly manage your business listing. Your presence in our community is deeply appreciated.
Thank you for being a part of our "shop local" community!
For Directory Visitors (huddle Heroes):
For Small Business Owners & Community Organizations (huddlers):
Welcome to the hub of all things huddle wisdom! Got questions about our print and digital small business marketing solutions? You’re in the right spot. These FAQs are your shortcut to unraveling the mysteries and provide clarity on how our programs work, ensuring you’re equipped to navigate the exciting world of huddle marketing with confidence.
Dive in, and let’s make navigating our programs a breeze!
If you’re a small Canadian business looking to connect with your community and beyond, meet the small business definition criteria (< 100 employees) – you’re eligible! We welcome a variety of businesses, from retail to professional services as well as charities and non-profit organizations.
We love all small businesses, but we can’t embrace the following:
– Anything illegal, fundamentally unethical, or unsuitable for public viewing.
– Businesses with over 100 employees (that’s medium or large-sized).
– Multinational giants.
We’re all about the little guys and gals who make communities thrive. If we accidentally let a big fish slip through, our community will report it, and we’ll act.
Absolutely! Free to all Canadian small businesses that meet our eligibility criteria and charity and non-profit organizations.
Our uber affordable paid plans provide tools to create info-rich listings, create awareness, attract more customers, interact better with your audience, generate leads, and more. The free plan is a basic listing with fewer features and backlinks. Check out the “Plans, Pricing & Discounts” section for more info.
Listing your business on huddle boosts visibility, connects you with local customers, and provides you with a mix of affordable print and digital marketing opportunities tailored exclusively for small businesses like yours.
Adding your business to huddle is a breeze. For instructions, head to the “Add or Claim You Business FREE” page found in our Business Owners menu in our top navigation bar or in our footer under Small Businesses. If you encounter any hurdles, just give us a shout through our “Contact Us” page. We’re here to help.
Fill out as many details as possible. The more you share, the better more impactful your profile will be! Start with your business name, three eye-catching images, your address, contact info, and a short description. Don’t forget a snappy shorter description for your thumbnail profile. Keeping your info up to date is SEO magic and boosts trust with customers.
If you want customers to find you effortlessly, here are the must-haves:
– Your up-to-date address, phone number, and email.
– Tags and keywords relevant to your business.
– A crisp and clear description of what you do.
– Your website address.
Absolutely! The QR code is a powerful tool that enhances your marketing efforts, especially in our Promoter plan’s Direct Mail program. Here’s how it works:
Directory Listing QR Code: When you create a huddle directory listing, a unique QR code specific to your business is automatically generated and placed in your custom business dashboard. Download it and place it on your marketing materials, website, and social media profiles. When potential customers scan it, they’re instantly directed to your detailed directory listing on huddle.
Direct Mail Campaign (Promoter Plan): Your exclusive QR code is prominently featured in your huddle Dry-Erase Planner ad. When recipients of the planner scan your QR code, they’re directly linked to your huddle directory listing. It’s an incredibly effective way to ensure potential customers can swiftly and effortlessly engage with your business after seeing your ad in the planner.
Our site formats images to fit the space, but the better the image quality, the better the results. We suggest:
Logo: 50 x 50px
Main Profile Image: 240 x 135px
Gallery Images: 1080 x 650px
Found your business on huddle? Great! Claim it by hitting the “Own or manage this business? Claim Your Free Listing Now!” button on the right sidebar of the listing. Then fill out the claim form popup and send. It’s a piece of cake, it’s free, and it unleashes a world of possibilities. Once your claim is approved, you can update your info and unlock all the functionalities of your chosen plan. For more info, see our “Add or Claim Your Business” page in the Business Owners menu or in the footer under Small Businesses.
We’re all about empowerment, so you have control over your business info. Log in, go to your listing, click “Edit”, and correct any discrepancies. If you haven’t claimed your business yet, go ahead, and claim it for full control.
Go to your custom Business Dashboard, navigate to the listings tab, and select “change plan” from the triple dot button. Choose the plan that suits your needs and follow the prompts to make the change. You can choose to upgrade or downgrade your business listing at any time (remember there is always the FREE Connector plan!).
Your business page is your online canvas and should be continuously updated regardless of your plan type. Regular updates ensure potential customers can reach you, know when you’re open, and stay updated on your services and offerings. Sign in, go to your business listing page and click “Edit” in the bottom right corner. Or go to your dashboard, select Listings in the menu, click the three dots on the far right and select “Edit”. Both these options will open up your listing form where you can update your business profile.
Yes, there are! Now that your business is listed on huddle, you can boost your presence with a paid ad campaign (pay per click). Go to your Business Dashboard, navigate to the ad campaigns tab, and select “add new ad.” Fill in the details and watch your business shine on the homepage, in search results, and more. And if you need more tips, we’re just a message or quick call away!
Go to your Business Dashboard, navigate to the appointments tab, and follow the prompts to manage and accept bookings from customers. This is a feature of our paid plans.
You sure can and we highly encourage that you do! Go to your Business Dashboard, and you’ll find the option to respond to reviews. Keep in mind, while you can’t remove reviews (standard stuff), if a review is unfair, inappropriate, or damaging, give us a shout, and we’ll take a looksy.
huddle elevates your marketing game! It’s more targeted, durable, visible, and cost-efficient than traditional door-to-door flyers. Reach the right audience, outshine your competitors, and achieve measurable results with a mix of print and digital marketing. Plus, we reliably deliver to homes, condos, apartments, farms, and businesses through our Canada Post partnership!
huddle is your secret sauce if you’re a small, local business from any industry. Whether you’re a café, boutique, retailer, salon, charity, non-profit, association, community organization or offer professional services, we’re all about boosting your marketing and connecting you with your ideal customers within the communities you serve.
We have a trio of options for you, each crafted to cater to your unique small business needs, including our “always free” Connector plan!
1. Connector plan: FREE directory listing for all small businesses, charities, and non-profits.
2. Promoter plan (PAID): An affordable directory listing plan with exclusive features for promoting your business; post deals & promotions, events, jobs and more.
3. Promoter plan (Premium PAID plan): This plan includes everything from the Promoter plan plus participation in your community’s direct-mail campaign (huddle Dry-Erase Planner), distributed to thousands of homes, condos, apartments, and businesses every four months.
Great question! Simply put:
Market: The city or town where your business is located (e.g., Waterloo, Oakville, St. Catherines).
Community: Defined territories within a Market with pre-defined direct mail distribution coverage.
Typically, a Market is divided into 3-8 Communities depending on its size and the number of homes, condos, apartments, farms, and businesses. You can advertise on as many huddle Community planners as you wish, subject to availability!
Absolutely! The QR code is a powerful tool that enhances your marketing efforts, especially in our Promoter plan’s Direct Mail program. Here’s how it works:
Directory Listing QR Code: When you create a huddle directory listing, a unique QR code specific to your business is automatically generated and placed in your custom business dashboard. Download it and place it on your marketing materials, website, and social media profiles. When potential customers scan it, they’re instantly directed to your detailed directory listing on huddle.
Direct Mail Campaign (Promoter Plan): Your exclusive QR code is prominently featured in your huddle Dry-Erase Planner ad. When recipients of the planner scan your QR code, they’re directly linked to your huddle directory listing. It’s an incredibly effective way to ensure potential customers can swiftly and effortlessly engage with your business after seeing your ad in the planner.
To keep things exclusive… and who doesn’t love a little exclusivity? By limiting your Community dry-erase planner to 32 non-competing businesses, we provide personalized attention and ensure your marketing efforts shine. We want to give you that edge that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Exclusivity means you’re the star of the show – the one and only in your business category on the community dry-erase planner. No one’s stealing your spotlight; it’s all yours.
Given the plan’s business exclusivity, applying ensures a spot is available for your business type within the Market and Community(s) you choose.
First, you MUST already be a Promoter plan subscriber. Then, applying is a breeze! Sign in to your account, go to your custom business dashboard, and look for the “Promoter Application” in the left side menu. Fill out the easy-to-complete application form with the essential details we need to determine availability in the Community(s) you want to advertise in. Our trusty team will review your application and, if all is good, get back to you within 24-48 hours with a nod of approval.
Yes! The Promoter plan focuses on a specific Community, but if your business operates in multiple areas, you can market in various Markets/Communities if a spot is available for your business type. Plus, you’ll receive a Multi Community discount of 10%!
Absolutely, we offer flexibility:
Connector plan: This FREE plan is ongoing with no expiry unless you request removal of your listing.
Promoter plan: This plan is a monthly subscription. You can cancel anytime, but you’ll be charged for the full month.
Promoter plan: The direct mail component of the plan requires a 4-month commitment since it’s based on our unique printed dry-erase planners, distributed three times a year. After that period, you can cancel with just a month’s notice before your renewal date.
So, you have options – short sprint or a marathon, you decide!
It’s an 11” x 12” double-sided, convenient high-quality organizer perfect for homes (fridges!), dorms, or offices.
We’re on a mission to keep your community organized and informed. We print and deliver our FREE huddle planners every four months like clockwork – the first week of February, June, and October to match the seasons. EVERY home, condo, apartment, farm, and business will receive a huddle planner each year.
Thanks to our trusty partnership with Canada Post, we’ve got laser precision. We target our mailings to homes, condos, apartments, and businesses within defined territory boundaries.
The number of planners depends on the size of your community: either 5,000, 10,000, or 20,000 planners 3X a year, with minimal duplication to reach every home and business over 12 months.
Applying early is essential because the Promoter plan has limited availability. With only 32 spots, it’s like a hot ticket to an exclusive event. With only 32 spots for each community, applying early gives you a better chance at the front row. Grab it and enjoy that spotlight.
Yes, you can apply for the next release if your business misses the current one, provided you are a current Promoter plan subscriber. If you have already applied but there wasn’t availability, if you opted in to be on the waiting list we will automatically reach out to you when a spot opens up for your business type. No obligation but you will be required to quickly act should we offer you a spot and you want to secure it.
You’re thinking ahead – nice! Agree to and join our “annual” plan, prepay for the 3 mailings, and enjoy an extra discount of 10%. You’ll secure that exclusive spot for the long run – it will be yours to give up!
We currently bill for the full four months upfront and do not offer monthly installments.
We accept major credit cards and E-transfers for your convenience and security. Cheques or cash are not accepted as all payments are made online, electronically.
Stumped and can’t find the answer you’re looking for? No worries! Head over to our Contact Us page and reach out to us in whatever way suits you best (sorry,smoke signals excluded). We’re here to help!