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Phase 2, Getting Attention

Your campaign is underway, it is simple, straightforward, focused, and genuinely making business connections. Now Phase 2 is where this thing goes from “sweet little community gesture” to actual marketing leverage.


You already did the Warm Marketing work in Phase 1:


  • Identified a local business

  • Captured a story

  • Created Heart Content

  • Logged them in your CRM

  • Set up a follow-up task


Now we shift gears. This is the Marketing Distribution Phase, and this is where most people completely blow it.


They post once… on one platform… at a weird time… and wonder why nobody sees it.


You're going to do it differently.


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PHASE 2: Where to Put the Content for Maximum Reach & New Warm Audience Growth


Below is the Live Local blueprint for real reach, real engagement, and real crossover audience growth.


We’re targeting three categories:

  1. Your existing platforms

  2. The local business owner’s platforms

  3. Shared community platforms


This is how you tap into THEIR audience without being weird or salesy.


1. Your Existing Platforms (Your Anchor Points)

These are the places you control. You post here first because you know this is where your people live.


A. Facebook (personal + business page)

Why? Because Facebook is STILL the place where local community connection lives. It’s where people want to celebrate small businesses.


What to do:

  • Post the Heart Post on your personal page, make the business owner the hero of the story

  • Share the same post to your LLMD business page

  • Tag the business owner directly (as well as a few members of your audience you think the content will appeal to)

  • Tag the business page

  • Use only 2–3 local hashtags


B. Instagram (feed + stories)

Instagram is perfect for storytelling when it looks human and warm.

Best move:

  • Put the Heart Post in your feed, especially as a reel

  • Tag the owner + location tag

  • Share the post to Stories with a “❤️ Local Spotlight” sticker

  • Additionally: Tag them again in Stories

Stories are where they usually repost you.

Reposts = immediate shared audience.


C. LinkedIn

Most people skip this, which is why it works so well.

Post something like: “A lesson I learned this year from a local business owner… (mini story)”

LinkedIn LOVES storytelling and leadership-style content (and there has been more attention given to video content)

You get:

  • Higher authority positioning

  • New business followers

  • Local professionals paying attention

Warm Marketing is also about influence, and LinkedIn is where your influence grows.


D. Your Email List

This is your secret weapon, and nobody uses it enough.

Add a two-sentence mini spotlight to your next Friday email: “This week’s local spotlight…”

This is how you reach people who don’t see your posts AND says: “He’s connected… he knows the good people… he’s the local expert.”


2. Their Platforms (The Amplifier)

This is how you access THEIR audience without sounding like a marketer trying to poach customers.


A. Send the content directly to the business owner

Something like: “Hey, here’s the spotlight I made from our conversation—feel free to share it however you’d like!”


Most small business owners are thrilled to post anything positive about themselves (especially when they did not have to make it)


If they share it: Their entire audience meets you. They see your name attached to kindness.


You become the person who helps small businesses, not the guy who tries to sell to them.


B. Ask permission to post on their Facebook reviews or community page

Bold move, but powerful: “Mind if I also leave a version of this as a review on your page?”

That boosts:

  • SEO

  • Visibility

  • Credibility

  • Trust

And again, your name sits right there as the one who highlighted them.


3. Community Platforms (The Multiplier)

You want to place your content where local eyeballs gather.


A. Local Facebook Groups

Examples (localized to where I live):

  • “Southern Maryland Eats & Drinks”

  • “Calvert County Locals”

  • “St. Mary’s Small Business Network”

  • “Buy Local Southern MD”

  • “Community Spotlight” groups

Warm Marketing trick: Instead of “check out my post,” use: “Wanted to spotlight a local business owner who inspired me this week…”


Groups love that. No selling, just shouting out a neighbor.


B. Google Business Profile (YOURS)

Most people never think to do this, let's be honest I NEVER think of this.

You can post a short version of the spotlight on your Google profile as an “Update.”

Why? Because:

  • It boosts your profile activity

  • It helps your SEO

  • It aligns your brand with community service

  • Anyone who Googles you sees you as local-first and service-driven

Quiet…but powerful.


C. Your Blog / Website

Turn the spotlight into a blog and put it on your site.

Why?

  • It becomes evergreen content

  • You can share the blog link instead of long text

  • Business owners will share it because it looks professional

  • Helps your long-term SEO

You’re building a library of local stories… which strengthens the Live Local brand and positions you as the local connector.


D. YouTube

This is the one that most entrepreneurs forget, but YOU won’t.

Here are two easy ways to use YouTube:

1. Upload a video version of the spotlight You talking on camera: “This week I met an amazing local business owner…” Short, warm, authentic. Include a solid hook in the description, hashtags, SEO strong words for local business and your area. Also, make a bright, eye catching YouTube Thumbnail, slap your logo somewhere in a corner as well.

2. Turn the post into a YouTube Shorts version Shorts get pushed to new audiences FAST. YouTube will automatically push your video to people who watch local content, business content, and community content.

Why YouTube matters:

  • Second-largest search engine

  • High discovery potential

  • Shorts push you to NON-followers

  • Your spotlight becomes evergreen, searchable content

  • Local business owners often search themselves… and they’ll find YOUR video


Plus it shows your audience that you don’t just post about local businesses, you celebrate them across platforms.


THE REAL MAGIC OF PHASE 2

By placing one piece of content in 7–10 places, you:

  • Multiply your visibility

  • Tap into the small business owner’s audience

  • Embed yourself deeper into community groups

  • Build a “local expert” identity

  • Feed your CRM with warm, human connections

  • And become the person businesses want to talk to next year


This is how you finish the year strong WITHOUT the sleazy marketing tactics everyone else is using.


And a few additional tips: don't get overwhelmed by posting to all of these places all at once, you can slowly, over time roll out the content for the audience to see over a time span; and put it in your calendar to post again in the future, because posting just once is not useful.


Finally, reminder that the 5 Day Challenge will be free until the end of the year, so give it a try while you plan for next year www.LiveLocalWarmMarketing.com 

 
 
 

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