How Wolverhampton Businesses Can Stop Being Invisible (and Why You Must Show Up)

Neil’s Autos and Wolfie A Lesson in Showing Up

In business, you can choose how you show up. But one thing’s certain: you must show up.

Here in Wolverhampton, Neil’s Autos have made “showing up” their trademark. Sometimes their mobile advert is a giant garden gnome. Sometimes it’s Elvis Presley. And sometimes,like in the photo above, it’s Wolfie, the Wolverhampton Wanderers mascot, strapped to the roof of a car covered in artificial grass.

It’s daft. It’s bold. But it works.
You can’t drive past it without noticing. And more than that - it connects. Everyone in Wolverhampton knows Wolfie.

That’s visibility. And if your business doesn’t, have it? You’re invisible.

And invisible businesses don’t grow.

Marketing Myths It’s Not All Mascots and TikTok

A lot of people think marketing is just strapping Wolfie to a car or dancing on TikTok.

It’s not.

Marketing isn’t about making a fool of yourself. It isn’t about being louder, sillier, or more desperate than the next bloke.

It’s about showing up in a way that suits you.
If you’re steady, show up steady.
If you’re creative, show up creative.
If you’re funny, show up funny.

You have my permission to turn up however you want.
But you must turn up.

How to Show Up Without the Gimmicks

Here are three simple, low-cost ways any Wolverhampton business can show up without mascots, glitter, or viral dance routines:

1️⃣ Be Findable Online

• Update your Google Business Profile with photos, hours, and reviews.

• Answer reviews — even the awkward ones.

• Don’t make customers dig for your info.

2️⃣ Be Present on Social Media

• One genuine post a week beats silence.

• Show your work, your team, your story.

• Remember: people connect with people, not stock images.

3️⃣ Be Visible in the Community

• Sponsor a kids’ team, network locally, partner up.

• Get your face in the places your customers already are.

• Visibility isn’t just digital — it’s physical too.

None of this is rocket science.
(And I should know — I taught Physics for 25 years.)

Visibility Beats Being a Best Kept Secret

Being the “best kept secret in Wolverhampton” might sound flattering.
But it doesn’t pay the bills.

Visibility is the difference between surviving and thriving. Between being picked and being overlooked. Between empty chairs and full order books.

Apply for the Wolverhampton Business Growth Scholarship

That’s why I set up the Wolverhampton Business Growth Scholarship — to help one local business stop being invisible and finally get seen.

✅ Free to apply
✅ Open to Wolverhampton businesses
✅ Closes Noon, 30th September 2025

👉 Apply here: Wolverhampton Business Growth Scholarship | Magnitude