--- title: "Local-business playbook: build a local list with the Maps Scraper and get replies | FirstSales" description: "Source a local ICP from Google Maps by trade and city, enrich and verify the contacts, run a simple campaign, and work the replies — the practical path for local and brick-and-mortar outreach." canonical: "https://firstsales.io/tutorial/playbook-local-business-leadgen/" --- [Home](/)/[Tutorials](/tutorial/)/Local-business playbook: build a local list with the Maps Scraper and get replies Getting Started # Local-business playbook: build a local list with the Maps Scraper and get replies Source a local ICP from Google Maps by trade and city, enrich and verify the contacts, run a simple campaign, and work the replies — the practical path for local and brick-and-mortar outreach. 12 min read·Intermediate·8 steps 1. 1 ## Know when Maps is the right source Local prospects — plumbers, clinics, restaurants, shops — don't live in a job-title database; they live on **Google Maps**. When your ICP is defined by trade and city rather than by role, the **Maps Scraper** is the right harvester. One catch: harvesting only runs inside an **Autopilot** campaign, so that's where you start. See _Create a Maps-Scraper-Based Campaign_. 2. 2 ## Create an Autopilot campaign Open **Campaigns → Create Campaign**. Set **Campaign Type** to **Outreach** and **Campaign Mode** to **Autopilot**. Pick a goal that matches local intent — **Meeting** if you want a call or visit booked, **Get Reply** if you just want the conversation started. ![Create an Autopilot campaign](/tutorials/autopilot-meeting-01-mode-goal.webp) 3. 3 ## Open the Contact Harvester and pick Maps Scraper In the builder's **Workflow**, open the **Contact Harvester** node. It lists four sources — AI Leads, **Maps Scraper**, File Upload, Signal. Click Maps Scraper and toggle it **ON** to reveal its config. ![Open the Contact Harvester and pick Maps Scraper](/tutorials/maps-scraper-01-harvester-tools.webp) 4. 4 ## Configure search terms and locations Fill two fields, one entry per line: **Search terms** (the trade — `plumber`, `hvac`) and **Locations** (the place — `Austin, TX`). Every term runs against every location, so two terms across three cities is six searches. Set **Max results**, **Language/Country**, and **Frequency** alongside them. ![Configure search terms and locations](/tutorials/maps-scraper-02-config.webp) 5. 5 ## Turn on Find emails deliberately, save to a list Google Maps gives you name, phone, and website by default — not always an email. Turn on **Find emails** (paid, roughly **5 credits per place**) when you specifically need addresses to send to. Businesses with no discoverable email stay in the list as **phone-only** records; email steps simply skip them. Point the harvest at a **contact list** — this is required and feeds the rest of the pipeline. 6. 6 ## Verify the contacts before sending Maps data is scraped and uneven, so turn on **Contact cleaning** (or re-clean an existing list) before your first send. Dirty or unverifiable addresses are auto-excluded, which protects a young sending domain from bounces. See _Clean a Contact List_. 7. 7 ## Let the standard pipeline run From here it's the normal Autopilot flow — **Segmentation → Email Scheduler → Email Drafter → Content Approval → Email Sender**. Keep **Content Approval** on for the first batch so you can sanity-check that the local tone reads right before trusting it to run unattended. ![Let the standard pipeline run](/tutorials/autopilot-meeting-04-workflow-steps.webp) 8. 8 ## Work the replies Triage replies in the **Inbox** and book the visit or call. If a city comes back thin, **widen the search term or add nearby cities** rather than raising Max results — relevance beats volume for local outreach. ## Pro tips Hard-won shortcuts that keep warm-up on track. 1 ### Relevance beats volume locally A thin city means broaden the search term or add nearby cities — don't just crank Max results. Term × location multiplies fast, so start narrow. 2 ### Find emails is paid — flip it with intent Roughly 5 credits per place plus per-email cost. Leave it off for a phone-first list; turn it on when you specifically need to email. 3 ### Always clean a Maps list Maps emails are scraped and uneven. Run cleaning so bounces don't torch a young sending domain's reputation. 4 ### Phone-only isn't wasted Businesses with no discoverable email stay as phone records — useful if you also call, but your emailable count will be lower than your scraped count. ## Frequently asked questions Why use Maps instead of AI Leads? Local businesses live on **Google Maps** by trade and city, not in a job-title database. AI Leads is built for role-based ICPs; Maps Scraper is built for local/brick-and-mortar ones. Do I need Autopilot? Yes — harvesting, including Maps Scraper, only runs in **Autopilot** mode via the Contact Harvester node. A Template campaign has no harvester. How do terms and locations combine? Every **search term** runs against every **location** — two terms across three cities produces six searches. Start narrow and expand once you see result quality. Does it get email addresses? Only if you turn on **Find emails**, a paid enrichment option (roughly 5 credits per place plus more per email found). It's off by default. What about businesses with no email? They're saved as **phone-only** records in your list. Email steps in the campaign skip them, so your emailable count is lower than your total scraped count. Should I verify the list? Yes — run **Contact cleaning** before sending. Maps data is uneven, and cleaning auto-excludes dead or unverifiable addresses. Can I target exact places? Yes — the tool accepts specific **Place IDs** or Google Maps **Start URLs** if you already know exactly which businesses you want, instead of relying on term-and-location search. A city returned few results — what now? Widen the search term or add nearby cities rather than raising Max results — that's usually a relevance problem, not a volume one. ## Ready to put this into practice? Start your FirstSales trial and launch a warmed, authenticated mailbox in minutes. [Start for $1](https://app.firstsales.io) [All tutorials](/tutorial/)