SpotDrops vs Our Local Spotlight
Our Local Spotlight is a directory — it puts your name on a map. SpotDrops is a platform — it runs your entire drop business. Online advertiser checkout, Stripe payments, QR tracking, EDDM route planning, and automated renewals. $0/month. You only pay when spots sell.
Our Local Spotlight
Required Skool membership to apply. Lose your listing if membership lapses. No software included.
SpotDrops
No application. No membership required. Full platform included — checkout, tracking, EDDM, renewals, territory.
| Feature | Our Local Spotlight | SpotDrops |
|---|---|---|
| Online checkout for advertisers | ||
| QR code tracking & analytics | ||
| EDDM route planner | ||
| Advertiser accounts | ||
| Automated renewal prompts | ||
| Drop lifecycle management | ||
| Public drop page with live spot grid | ||
| City-level pages indexed by Google | ||
| Your brand, your pricing | Listed under OLS brand | Your brand, your territory |
| Territory | Requires Skool + $33/mo | Free — earned by mailing drops |
| Operator dashboard | No — email to make changes | Full self-service dashboard |
| Open to any operator | Requires 9x12 Method membership | Yes — no application |
$0/month · 7% only when spots sell
Our Local Spotlight (OLS) is a directory of community card operators created by Mitchell Tebo, who also runs the 9x12 Method training community on Skool. To even apply for a listing, you must be an active paying member of the 9x12 Method Skool group. If your membership lapses, you lose your listing. A free listing places a pin on the OLS map. A $33/month premium upgrade gives you a dedicated landing page with your territory and services.
OLS does one thing: it helps local businesses find a community card operator in their area. But it stops there. There's no operator dashboard — any changes to your listing require emailing OLS directly. And once a business finds you on the OLS map, the entire relationship moves offline. OLS has no checkout, no advertiser accounts, no tracking, and no ongoing role in the transaction. If that advertiser wants to buy again next quarter, it starts from zero — you have to call them again.
SpotDrops is also a directory — with a nationwide explore page, state and city-level listings, and individual drop pages all indexed by Google. But unlike OLS, discovery is just the beginning. Advertisers buy spots online, create accounts, see their engagement analytics, and get automatic renewal prompts for future drops. Operators get drop management, QR tracking, EDDM planning, and route-level performance data. Everything feeds into the same ecosystem — and the more drops you run, the more data and advertiser relationships compound.
The OLS site itself includes a disclaimer: “This is a directory: We are in no way shape or form affiliated with these 'Partners.'” Territory “protection” is soft and there's no guarantee of exclusivity or leads.
The 9x12 Method is a training community, also created by Mitchell Tebo, that teaches the shared mailer business model — selling ad spots on an oversized 9x12 postcard mailed to local homes via USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). The community includes sales scripts, design templates, a basic CRM for invoicing, and weekly coaching calls. It runs on Skool at around $44/month.
The 9x12 Method membership is also a prerequisite for applying to Our Local Spotlight. Without an active Skool membership, you cannot get or maintain a listing on the OLS map.
The shared mailer model works. But once you move past your first card, the operational side gets overwhelming. Every spot requires a phone call or in-person visit. Payments come in via manual invoices. Artwork gets collected over email and text. Running two or three drops at the same time means juggling dozens of businesses, proofs, and follow-ups — and there's no data to show advertisers the mailer actually drove results.
Operators end up spending more time on admin and chasing payments than on building relationships and growing their territory. A directory listing doesn't solve that. Training doesn't solve that. You need software that handles the operational side so you can focus on growth.
No application · No membership required
Advertisers visit your drop page, browse open spots, pick their category, and pay via Stripe — all without a single phone call from you. No invoicing, no chasing payments, no gatekeepers.
Every spot gets a unique QR code with a branded landing page. Track scans, page visits, and CTA clicks in real time. Give advertisers data that proves their ad worked — and a reason to renew.
Select USPS carrier routes on an interactive map with household counts, demographics, and ZIP boundary overlays. No spreadsheets, no third-party tools, no guessing.
Advertisers create accounts, manage multiple businesses, view engagement analytics, and respond to renewal prompts — without you being in the loop for every interaction.
Launch a new drop and previous advertisers get notified with a direct link to buy again. Re-selling spots becomes a one-click process instead of starting from scratch.
On SpotDrops, you earn exclusive drop zones by actually mailing drops in your area. No applications, no monthly fees, no gatekeepers. Your work earns your territory.
Each drop gets a public page with a live spot grid, photos of your printed cards, and delivery area info. Advertisers can find you and buy 24/7.
Every drop creates a city-level page indexed by Google with live pricing and a working checkout. SpotDrops runs a nationwide explore directory by state and city. Your drops build your online presence.
After a drop is mailed, SpotDrops tracks which carrier routes drive the most engagement. Over time, you build a data advantage for better routes and higher pricing.
Free tools to run your entire community card business — from the first spot sale to the last QR scan. No monthly fees, no application.
Get Started FreeNo credit card · No application · No monthly fees