Local Spotlight

“Hi, this is [Name] with ___________ — did I catch you at a bad time?”

(Pause. Let them answer.)

“We run a Local Business Spotlight where each week we feature local businesses that serve ___________________.

The feature includes a written article and a directory listing, and it’s completely free — there’s no obligation or sales pitch attached.

It’s a short, relaxed phone interview — about 15 minutes — where we talk about your story, what you do, and what makes your business valuable to the community.

Would it be a bad idea to schedule a short interview so we can feature your business?”

(Pause. Let them answer.)

Scheduling:

“Would any of these be a bad time for you?”d

“I have [Option 1] or [Option 2].”

Use Calendly link to schedule the interview.

Go to: https://www.myelginconnect.com/schedule and schedule the appointment.

Use this — do not send them to a page yet:

“It’s simply a way to help people in the community get to know local businesses better through real stories, not ads. 

We do the writing — you just have a conversation with us.”

“Of course — you can see how it works at https://www.myelginconnect.com/how-we-work.

There’s no rush. If it makes sense, we can schedule afterward.”

Subject: Your ___________ Feature Interview Is Scheduled

Hi {{invitee_full_name}},

You’re all set — thank you for scheduling your ______________ Feature Article interview.

Here are the details:

What: {{event_name}}

When: {{event_date}} {{event_time}}

Where: {{location}}

This is a relaxed, 15-minute phone conversation. There’s nothing you need to prepare and no pressure of any kind. We’ll guide the conversation and do all the writing afterward.

The purpose of the interview is simply to help people in the community understand who you are, what you value, and the role your business plays locally.

You’ll receive a brief reminder before our call with a little more context, but for now, you’re all set.

If anything changes or you need to reschedule, just let me know.

Looking forward to our conversation,

{{my_name}}

{{my_business_name}}

{{my_phone_number}}

{{my_website}}

Pro Tip (This Increases Show Rates)

Send the text:

2–4 hours before the call, not the night before

Keep it under 2 lines if possible

That timing + tone = fewer no-shows.

----------------------------------

Reminder: Your {{event_name}} with {{my_name}} is {{event_date}} at {{event_time}}.

Details and questions are in your email. See you then.

Subject: Looking forward to our ____________ interview tomorrow

Hi {{invitee_full_name}},

This is a friendly reminder that your {{event_name}} with {{my_name}} is scheduled for:

{{event_date}} at {{event_time}}

{{location}}

Before we talk, I wanted to share a little context so you know exactly what to expect.

What Our Interview With You Is All About

A good business isn’t enough in today’s crowded and fast-moving world. Businesses need to be seen enough to be discovered, trusted enough to be chosen, and remembered beyond the first impression. That’s exactly what this conversation is designed to support.

This isn’t a sales pitch — it’s a spotlight.

It’s a chance to share your story, your values, and what makes your business meaningful to the community. During our short, friendly call, I’ll ask a few thoughtful questions that help surface what makes your business stand out.

Afterward, we use your answers to craft a written Feature Article that helps people connect with your business in a real, human way — building familiarity, trust, and recognition over time.

To help you feel comfortable, here are the questions we’ll walk through together:

• What inspired you to start this business, and how did it all begin?
• What makes your business different from others in the area or industry?
• What are your most popular services or products, and why do you think people love them?
• What do you love most about being part of this community, and how does your business contribute to it?
• What are your growth goals for your business over the next 1–3 years?
• When you look ahead, what kind of legacy do you hope your business will leave — for your customers, your team, and the community?
• There’s nothing formal here — just a conversation. I’ll guide us through it.

Looking forward to speaking with you,

{{my_name}}

{{my_business_name}}

{{my_phone_number}}

{{my_website}}

{{first_name}}

Thanks again for taking the time today — I really enjoyed our conversation.

We’ll take it from here and be in touch once your Feature Article is ready and live online.

• Recording: Records incoming, outgoing, and conference calls on your mobile device.
• Transcription: Provides highly accurate (99%) transcriptions of your recorded calls.
• Storage & Sharing: Offers unlimited, secure cloud storage and easy sharing via email, text, and apps like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote.
• Audio Quality: Focuses on clear audio and processes recordings quickly, removing silence at the start.
• Organization: Allows labeling and organizing recordings.
  

1. Start Call: Begin your phone call as usual.
2. Activate Recording: Tap the "Record" button within the app (for outgoing calls) or merge calls (for incoming calls).
3. Access Recordings: Recordings appear in the app after hanging up, often within seconds, ready to be saved or shared.
   

• Available online: https://www.tapeacall.com
• Available Apps:  Apple's App Store and Google Play.
• Free to download, but a subscription (with trial options) is needed for full features like unlimited recording and transcription. 
  

For some functions, especially recording incoming calls on iPhone, your mobile carrier must support 3-way calling. 

Goal: Set agenda, remove surprise, protect trust.

“Before we jump into the questions, I want to quickly set expectations so everything feels straightforward.

This Feature Article and directory listing are completely free. There’s no obligation tied to this conversation.

The purpose of this interview is to tell your story — how you started, what you care about, and what you want the community to understand about your business.

In the interest of transparency, after the interview I may ask whether it would make sense to schedule a short Community Connection Walkthrough. That’s simply to introduce you to some of the other ways we help businesses stay visible and present in the community.

There may or may not be a fit — and either outcome is perfectly okay.

Is there anything about that you’d want to change before we move forward?

”Transition

“Alright — let’s start at the beginning.”

Role: Journalist, not marketer.

• Ask the questions
• Listen deeply
• Reflect briefly (“That makes sense…”)
• Do not preview services
• Do not sell

This is where you earn the right to offer more.

The 6 Owner / Manager Interview Questions

1. Origin / Founding Story
   “What inspired you to start this business, and how did it all begin?”
   Sets emotional context and gives you a strong opening narrative.
   
   
2. Differentiation / Why You’re Different
   “What makes your business different from others in the area or industry?”
   Positions the business clearly in the local market.
   
   
3. Core Offerings / What People Love
   “What are your most popular services or products, and why do you think people love them?”
   Supports review highlights and service descriptions.
   
   
4. Community Connection
   “What do you love most about being part of this community, and how does your business contribute to it?”
   Reinforces local trust, loyalty, and authenticity.
   
   
5. Growth & Vision
   “What are your growth goals for your business over the next 1–3 years?”
   Looks forward and signals stability and momentum.
   
   
6. Legacy
   “When you look ahead, what kind of legacy do you hope your business will leave—for your customers, your team, and the community?”
   Perfect closing question that ties heart, purpose, and longevity together.
   

Scheduling the Community Connection Walkthrough

Goal: Permission-based exploration, not a close.

“Thank you for sharing all of that — I really appreciate how clearly you described your business and where you’re headed.

Based on what you shared, visibility and connection in the community seem important to you.

Would it be a bad idea to schedule a short Community Connection Walkthrough?

That’s just a relaxed conversation where I show you how we help businesses build connection, visibility, and trust locally — and we see if any of it aligns with your goals.

There’s no commitment either way. If it’s useful, great. If not, we’ll leave it there.

How does that sound?”

(Stop talking.)

Scheduling:

“Would any of these be a bad time for you?”

“I have [Option 1] or [Option 2].”

Referral Question:

“One last question before we wrap up — and there’s no pressure here.

We’re always looking to feature good, trustworthy local businesses.

When you think about businesses you personally trust — a plumber, electrician, landscaper, or anyone like that — is there anyone who comes to mind that you’d feel good about us reaching out to?”

(Pause. Let them think.)

“Would it be unreasonable to ask if there’s anyone you trust locally who might benefit from being featured?”

Who do you call when you need a plumber?

An electrician?

Yard work?

Or even a restaurant or service you trust?”

(Pause after each category.)

This jogs memory without steering.

If They Offer a Name

Follow with permission-based clarity:

“Would you be comfortable if I mentioned your name when I reach out — or would you prefer I just say we found them through the community?”

(This protects relationships.)

“It’s a short walkthrough of how we help businesses build connection, visibility, and trust in the community.

The Feature Article and directory help tell your story and give people context for who you are.

The advertising and impressions side helps reinforce your presence — so people recognize you, feel familiar with you, and remember you over time.

The walkthrough is simply to see what, if anything, supports where you want your business to go.”

• After you have recorded the phone call.  Have TapeACall make a transcript.
• Paste the transcript into the Custom Local Business Feature Writer in ChatGPT.
  
• Here’s access to our custom Local Business Feature Writer.
  👉https://chatgpt.com/g/g-69372be853048191a843811bcd9a3fd6-local-business-feature-writer
  
• When it opens, click on "What is the name of the business and what city and state.
• After you answer that question, paste the transcript from your phone conversation that answers the 6 questions. This will generate a full featured blog post about your business. 

• You will be given your own website with a domain name of your choice. 
  Included with the website: Domain Name, About Me, Calendar, Contact Form (emails directly to you), Feature Article system and more.
• You will be given a login for the Featured Articles.  These articles will automatically populate on your website.
• Login to your blog account:
  Go to: https://blog.bigwowbiz.com
  For the first time, click on "Forgot Password."  Then enter your email address assigned to this account. The system will send you the password reset to your email.
  

Instructions coming soon...