Module 3 · New Team Member Training
How to Select the Best Areas for Photos & Videos
Your goal is to visit as many local businesses as possible while using your time efficiently. Choosing the right locations makes a huge difference in your daily results.
Your goal
Choosing the right locations helps you:
- Visit more businesses in less time
- Spend less time driving between locations
- Capture more photos and videos each day
- Introduce more businesses to our FREE local business directory
- Find businesses that may be interested in upgrading for additional exposure
💡 Work smarter, not harder. Choosing the right area can make a huge difference in your daily results.
Start with large shopping centers
REQUIRED: Our #1 recommendation
✅ PARK ONCE, WALK A LOT
A shopping center with 20–30 businesses side by side. One parking spot, many visits.
❌ DRIVE EVERYWHERE
Visiting 20 businesses in 20 different spots wastes gas, time and energy.
Why these locations are best
- Save driving time and gas
- Complete more business visits
- Capture more photos and videos
- Meet more local business owners and managers
- Increase your opportunities for business upgrades
Best locations to target
- Outdoor shopping centers
- Strip malls
- Neighborhood shopping plazas
- Business parks
- Professional office complexes
- Mixed retail and office centers
💡 TRAINING TIP: Before heading out, look at Google Maps and identify shopping centers with the highest concentration of businesses.
Visit all types of businesses
REQUIRED: Don't limit yourself
Why all types?
Our goal is to feature as many local businesses as possible on our city websites. Every legitimate local business is a potential addition to our directory.
For sensitive locations such as banks and medical offices, obtain permission and follow all photography restrictions.
🍔 Food & Retail
- Restaurants and cafés
- Ice cream shops and bakeries
- Clothing stores
- Beauty salons and barbershops
- Specialty retail stores
💼 Professional Services
- Insurance agencies
- Real estate offices
- Attorney and law offices
- Accounting and tax offices
- Mortgage companies
- Financial service offices
🩺 Health & Wellness
- Medical clinics
- Dental offices
- Chiropractors
- Physical therapy offices
- Fitness centers
🏪 Other Local Businesses
- Banks and credit unions
- Gas stations
- Auto repair shops
- Cleaning companies
- Home service businesses
- Pet grooming businesses
Prioritize businesses with upgrade potential
REQUIRED: Give these extra attention
High-priority businesses
- 1Insurance agencies — they depend on finding new local customers and may benefit from additional online exposure.
- 2Real estate agents & mortgage companies — they compete for local customers and often invest in marketing.
- 3Attorneys & law offices — even a few new clients can make a difference to their business.
- 4Home service companies — plumbers, electricians, HVAC, cleaning companies and roofers often depend on local leads.
- 5Other independently owned businesses — local restaurants, salons, fitness studios and specialty shops may also want more customers.
IMPORTANT: The basic service is FREE
- We are offering a FREE business listing with photos and videos
- We are not requiring them to purchase anything
- Upgrades for additional exposure are completely optional
- Do not make businesses feel pressured or mislead them about what is free
Your main job is to introduce the local directory and capture quality content.
How to approach a business
REQUIRED: Flyer first, then photos
🚶 Walk in — flyer first, then photos
- 1Walk in and drop a flyer at the counter with the business — the flyer says what you are doing
- 2We recommend you just start taking your pictures and photos — don't ask for permission
- 3The flyer is very clear about what you are doing
- 4If they ask, calmly explain what we are doing
💬 If they ask what you are doing
“Hi! We're with LOCAL (your city) — the city shown on the flyer. We're taking photos and videos for an online directory of businesses, and it also goes digital on social media. It's like the phone books back in the day — this is the digital version.”
If they ask about cost
“The basic listing and photos are completely free. There are optional upgrades available for businesses that want additional exposure, but you don't need to purchase anything.”
Be friendly, professional, and respectful of their time.
What to do if security approaches you
REQUIRED: Stay calm, never argue
Do not argue or become defensive. Explain what you are doing calmly and professionally.
If security says you are soliciting
“Hi! We're with Local City Network. We're visiting local businesses to create a digital business directory for the community — like the old-fashioned phone books, except ours is online and includes photos and videos, and it goes digital on social media. We're offering free listings to help residents discover local businesses. Our goal is to help businesses attract more customers, encourage people to shop locally, and support the shopping centers they're located in. We're not asking anyone to purchase anything — we're simply introducing the free service, and the flyer explains exactly what we're doing.”
Important security rules
- Always remain calm and respectful
- Explain what you are doing
- Show your informational flyer if needed
- Never claim you have permission from management unless you actually do
- Property owners may have rules even when the service is free
- If told to stop or leave, comply immediately
- Politely ask for the officer's name or management contact for follow-up
- Report the situation to your supervisor
🚫 VERY IMPORTANT: If you are asked to leave, leave. We can always select another shopping center. Never argue, continue recording, or refuse to leave.
Save large indoor malls for later
REQUIRED: Lower priority
✅ START HERE
Outdoor shopping centers, neighborhood plazas, and independently owned businesses.
⏸️ SAVE FOR LATER
Large indoor malls — visit after you've covered most priority locations.
Why?
Many large indoor malls contain national chains and corporate-owned stores. These businesses may:
- Require corporate approval for photography
- Have limited authority to purchase local advertising
- Be less interested in upgrading their listing
- Have stricter mall management and security rules
Because optional upgrades are an important part of our business model, focus first on businesses where the owner or manager can make marketing decisions.
When should you visit indoor malls?
After you have covered most of the outdoor shopping centers, business plazas, and other priority businesses in your assigned city. Indoor malls can still provide valuable directory content, but they are generally a lower priority.
⚡ EXCEPTION: If an indoor mall has many independently owned businesses and management allows the activity, it may be worth visiting sooner.
Plan your route before starting
REQUIRED: Before leaving for the day
Your 7-point plan
- 1Open Google Maps
- 2Search for shopping centers and business plazas in your assigned city
- 3Look for locations with many businesses close together
- 4Prioritize centers with independently owned businesses and professional offices
- 5Group nearby centers together to reduce driving
- 6Start at the location with the best combination of business density and upgrade potential
- 7Move to the next shopping center after completing the first
Example
Instead of visiting 10 businesses scattered across the city, select a shopping center with 20 businesses, then move to another nearby center with 15 businesses. This approach can help you complete significantly more visits during the same workday.
Final location checklist
Before choosing your next location, ask yourself. Tap each item as you go.
Location
Approach
The 5 most important things to remember
Business-dense first
More businesses in one location means less driving and more opportunities.
All business types
Don't skip insurance companies, attorneys, banks, clinics or other professional services.
Independent businesses
They often have more flexibility to make their own marketing decisions.
Always lead with FREE
The basic service costs nothing. Upgrades are optional.
Respect security
Be professional, obtain permission, and leave immediately if instructed.
Our overall goal
We are building a local business directory that helps residents discover businesses in their own communities. The more quality businesses we feature, the more valuable our websites become — and we create opportunities for businesses that want additional exposure through our optional advertising packages.
Work efficiently, represent our company professionally, and help us build the most useful local business directory possible.