🌟 Episode SummaryIn this episode of Be Locally Loved, Laura Capes Terry sits down with Kaylee Harcrow, a marketing strategist who works with small businesses in Georgetown. With a background in marketing, sales, social media, content creation, analytics, and local business marketing, Kaylee brings a practical perspective on how customers actually decide which businesses they can trust. Her experience working closely with small businesses gives her a firsthand understanding of the challenges owners face when trying to get noticed and turn awareness into real relationships. The conversation explores the often-overlooked journey customers take before making a purchase. Even when someone discovers a business through a recommendation or word of mouth, they will often search for it online, check reviews, visit the website, look at social media, and encounter multiple other touchpoints before deciding to act. Kaylee and Laura discuss why businesses need to think beyond the final Google search or website visit and recognize the "messy middle" where trust is gradually built. From maintaining an accurate Google Business Profile and building a clear, useful website to using AI thoughtfully and creating social content that feels human, the conversation is filled with practical advice. They also explore why word of mouth alone isn't a marketing strategy, why brand awareness is difficult to measure, how marketing budgets should be approached, and why local businesses need to build relationships before the moment a customer urgently needs them. At its heart, this episode is about becoming a trusted local resource rather than simply another business competing for attention. That connects directly to the mission of Be Locally Loved: helping people discover businesses and resources that contribute to stronger, more connected communities. 💡 What You’ll LearnWhy customers rarely make decisions after a single interaction — the journey can involve multiple touchpoints across Google, websites, social media, recommendations, local events, and other channels before someone is ready to buy.Why your Google presence is part of your brand — businesses should keep their Google Business Profile, photos, information, website links, and social profiles accurate and up to date.How to use AI without losing your authentic voice — Kaylee recommends using AI as a brainstorming and idea-generation tool, then bringing your own expertise, personality, and voice into the final content.What makes a website effective — keep it clear, professional, easy to navigate, focused on what the customer needs, and make the desired next step—such as calling or booking—easy to find and complete.Why business owners need control of their website — if someone else builds it, owners should still have access to the backend and control over their website and information.Why social media shouldn't be about going viral — trends can create attention, but meaningful content should help demonstrate expertise, show the real people behind the business, and build relationships with the right audience.Why word of mouth is only one piece of the customer journey — recommendations can create initial trust, but customers still tend to research the business through other touchpoints before deciding.Why businesses should build their reputation before customers urgently need them — consistent brand awareness and community presence can help a local business become the trusted choice before a high-pressure buying moment arrives.🤝 Why This Conversation MattersFor local businesses, being visible isn't enough. Customers are surrounded by information, advertising, social content, AI-generated material, and competing businesses. What matters is whether a business can create a consistent, credible presence that makes people feel confident enough to take the next step. Kaylee and Laura's conversation gives business owners practical ways to examine that experience from the customer's perspective. The episode is especially useful for small business owners, marketers, local entrepreneurs, and anyone involved in helping a community's businesses grow. It also reinforces an important idea behind Be Locally Loved: strong communities depend on businesses that don't simply sell to people, but consistently show up, provide value, build relationships, and become trusted parts of the places they serve. The episode's final advice is simple: Google yourself, review your website and social channels as if you were the customer, and make sure your online first impression is accurate, consistent, and trustworthy. 🎧 Listen & ShareListen or watch the full episode to hear Kaylee Harcrow and Laura Capes Terry unpack the customer journey, trust, marketing, and what it takes to become a truly trusted local business. Share this episode with a business owner, marketer, or community leader who wants to help their local community thrive—and subscribe to Be Locally Loved for more conversations about the people, places, and ideas making communities stronger.