Tips & Tricks for Earners

How to Place Your First CUUB Station (A Step-by-Step Guide for New Earners)

So you've decided to grow your route with CUUB. You've got your power bank sharing station, you understand the passive income model, and now comes the part that actually matters — getting that station placed in a location that earns. Here's exactly how to do it.

Step 1: Find the Right Kind of Location

Not every venue is a good CUUB location. Before you walk into anywhere, you're looking for a few things: high foot traffic, people who stay for extended periods, and ideally a venue where dead phones are already a problem.

Think bars, restaurants, gyms, coworking spaces, college buildings, malls, and hotels. The sweet spot is anywhere people are out for a few hours without easy access to an outlet — and where staff is already dealing with guests asking to charge behind the bar.

Before you approach anyone, take a quick look around. Is it busy? What kind of crowd does it attract? Is there already a competitor station in there? Is there a natural spot where a compact station would fit without getting in the way? Do your homework before you open your mouth.

Step 2: Figure Out Who Makes the Decision

This is where a lot of first-timers waste time. Walking in and pitching the wrong person doesn't just fail — it can close the door on the right person later.

There are two types of venues you'll run into. Independently owned spots usually have the owner or manager on-site and you can often get to them directly. Larger, corporate-owned or multi-location venues will have a GM structure — you're unlikely to reach the decision maker on your first visit.

For independent spots, ask to speak with the owner or manager directly. If they're not in, find out when they usually are and come back then. For corporate venues, your goal on the first visit isn't to close — it's to get the on-site manager excited enough to advocate for you internally. Get them to pass your information up the chain.

One line worth memorizing for those situations: "Is it possible that I can also send you a proposal to forward to upper management? It answers all the questions they'll inevitably have."

Step 3: Read the Room Before You Pitch

This is the most underrated part of placing your first station. The way you approach matters as much as what you say.

If the bar is slammed and the bartender is pouring six drinks at once, now is not the time for a conversation. Keep it brief, acknowledge they're busy, and get to the point fast. If the place is slow and the manager is hanging around with nothing pressing going on, that's your window — warm up the conversation, make a genuine observation about the venue, and ease into it.

You're not reading from a script. You're having a conversation.

Step 4: Deliver the Pitch

Start simple. Introduce yourself, be respectful of their time, and open with something like: "I don't want to take up too much of your time — I was just stopping by to see if you might be interested in a free service we offer." Show them a picture or flyer. Let them ask what it is.

From there, the key points you need to land — in whatever natural order the conversation allows — are:

This is a portable charging station. Users can rent a power bank, keep it with them while they're at the venue, and return it here or at any station in the CUUB network. Venues like it because it removes the charging liability that usually falls on staff — no more phones charging behind the bar. And CUUB pays the venue a commission just for hosting it. No contract required.

That's it. Those are the points. The way you deliver them depends on who you're talking to. A bartender cares about the liability angle — no more being responsible for a guest's iPhone. A manager or owner cares about longer stays, bigger tabs, and a revenue share that costs them nothing.

Step 5: Always Leave With a Next Step

This is non-negotiable. Before you walk out, you need at least one of the following: the manager or owner's schedule so you know when to come back, an employee's name who can advocate for you internally, an email address to send a proposal, or a clear follow-up plan.

Handing someone a flyer and leaving is not a placement. It's a flyer drop. The placement happens when someone says yes — and that usually takes more than one touchpoint.

If you get an email, follow up with a short proposal, an info sheet, and a link to the CUUB demo video. Keep it clean and professional. You're not chasing anyone — you're making it easy for them to say yes.

Step 6: Follow Up Until You Have an Answer

Most locations won't close on the first visit. That's normal. What separates earners who build a real route from those who give up after three visits is consistent, respectful follow-up.

If a manager said they were interested, that doesn't mean you stop. You know when they're in. You come back. You send the email. You check in a week later. You stay polite and professional — but you stay present. The door is open until someone explicitly closes it.

You Don't Have to Do This Alone

One of the advantages of being a CUUB earner is that you're not figuring this out from scratch. CUUB provides placement support, resources to help you close locations, and the credibility of an existing Chicago network behind you. You're not walking in cold — you're representing a Chicago-built, community-driven brand that already has a track record in this city.

Your first placement is the hardest one. The second one is easier. By the time you've got five stations placed and earning, you'll have a system and a route that runs itself.

That's passive income. That's the CUUB model. Now go grow your route.