Summer Watering, Not Just for Plants

Three seeds to plant this week, since we are in planting season. Monday, I told you that your September is being decided right now. Today I'm going to show you what planting actually looks like, because "build relationships" is useless advice without specifics.

After fifteen years of referral marketing, I can tell you the best summer seeds aren't marketing activities at all, they're small human moments that most contractors, insurance agents, and real estate agents walk right past every single week.

Seed number one is the cookout conversation: you're going to be at a barbecue, a graduation party, or a kid's ball game this week. Somebody there is going to ask what you've been up to. Most business owners either dodge the question or turn into a walking commercial, but as a Live Local expert, you will do neither. Just tell one short story about a client you recently helped (Stories get remembered and repeated, and sales pitches get avoided at the steamed broccoli at the picnic table).

Seed number two is the no-agenda check-in (my favorite): Pick one past client and reach out with zero ask attached. Be sure it is something human, you saw something that reminded you of them, you remembered their daughter was graduating, you drove past the kitchen you remodeled. Sixty seconds of your day, and that client just moved you back to the top of their mind right before the busiest referral season of the year.

Seed number three is the introduction: think of two people in your world who should know each other and connect them. A past client who needs a good accountant, a fellow business owner who needs a photographer. You get zero immediate business from this one, and that's exactly the point; you just became the person in town who connects people. That reputation is worth more than any ad you could buy.

Notice what none of these require: zero budget, no software, no AI, no posting three times a day. Each one takes minutes, and each one grows quietly through August and shows up as a phone call in October.

Friday, I'm going to give you a challenge, and I'm going to hand you a free tool that makes this planting thing automatic every week instead of something you have to remember.

And if you want to stay on track with your summer planting, get the free marketing scheduler: https://www.livelocalwarmmarketing.com/gift-box

For now, tell me in the comments. Which seed are you planting first: the story, the check-in, or the introduction?