Operator Review

Our Local Spotlight:
What Operators Should Know

Our Local Spotlight is a paid directory listing behind a $44/mo Skool paywall. It can put a pin on a map — but it can't give you what actually wins advertisers: your own professional campaign website.

9x12tools builds that website in 60 seconds — free for 3 days, then $197/year.

What Our Local Spotlight Actually Is

Our Local Spotlight is a directory service — a map with pins showing where community card operators are located. That's it. It doesn't run your campaigns, capture your leads, or showcase your work. Their own FAQ says they “do not run marketing campaigns” and are “not affiliated with” their listed partners.

The pricing is the part most operators miss: the “free” pin requires a $44/month Skool membership just to get listed. Want a landing page? That's another $33/month on top — $77/month for a directory listing before you've sold a single spot. Over a year, that's $528-$924 paid to appear on someone else's website.

Compare that to owning your web presence outright: a 9x12tools campaign website is $197/year — your own domain, your own leads, your own brand — and you can build the whole thing during a free 3-day trial before paying anything.

Directory Listing vs Your Own Website

A side-by-side look at what each option gives a 9x12 operator.

Feature
9x12tools Website
Our Local Spotlight
What It Is
Your own campaign website
A pin on someone else's directory
True Cost
$197/yr after a 3-day free trial
$44/mo minimum ($528/yr)
Requires Skool Membership ($44/mo)
Landing Page
Included — it IS your landing page
$33/mo extra ($77/mo total)
Custom Domain (your brand, your URL)
Lead Capture to Your Dashboard
Live Postcard Preview for Advertisers
Photo Gallery of Past Campaigns
SEO — Google Can Rank You Locally
Server-rendered pages with schema markup
You're one pin among many
Customizable Sections
10+ (Hero, Pricing, Gallery, About, CTA…)
You Own the Asset

No charge today · $197/year after · Cancel anytime

What Your Own Campaign Website Gives You

A directory pin tells people you exist. Your own website convinces advertisers to buy a spot.

Your Own Domain

yourbrand.com — not a profile on someone else's platform. Advertisers Google you before they buy; what they find decides the sale.

Lead Capture

Interested businesses submit their info straight to your dashboard. Your pipeline fills while you sleep — and the leads are yours, not the directory's.

Live Card Preview

Show prospects the actual postcard — live spots, your gallery of past campaigns, and your pricing. Proof sells spots.

Local SEO

Server-rendered pages with schema markup that Google can crawl and rank for “postcard advertising in [your city]” searches.

Targeting Map

Interactive coverage map with real USPS route boundaries and demographics, so advertisers see exactly which homes get the card.

Built in 60 Seconds

Purpose-built 9x12 templates — Hero, Pricing, Gallery, Why Join, About, and more. No code, no designer, no setup project.

Common Questions

How much does Our Local Spotlight cost?

The “free” directory pin requires a $44/month Skool community membership. The landing page tier adds another $33/month, bringing the total to $77/month — $528 to $924 per year for a directory listing.

Does Our Local Spotlight run my campaigns?

No. Their own FAQ states they do not run marketing campaigns and are not affiliated with the operators they list. It is a directory — the campaign work, advertiser sales, and fulfillment are entirely on you.

What do I actually need to win advertisers?

A professional web presence you own. Local businesses look you up before buying a $500 ad spot — a real website with your card preview, coverage map, past campaigns, and a contact form is what turns that lookup into a yes.

How is 9x12tools different from a directory listing?

9x12tools builds you a standalone campaign website on your own domain — with lead capture, live postcard preview, a gallery, and 10+ customizable sections. It launches in 60 seconds, and you can build the entire site during the 3-day free trial before paying the $197/year.

Own Your Web Presence Instead

Skip the $44/mo directory paywall. Launch your own 9x12 campaign website in 60 seconds and keep every lead it captures.

Free for 3 days, then $197/year. No charge today. Cancel anytime.