How to convince a restaurant owner to use a free product?

[loopr]

Yet another post from Poucher (http://poucherapp.com) but this time we really hope to get a feedback, instead of gaining a couple of visits to our site.

We offer a FREE service to restaurant owners to increase their number of customers. As in terms of the business side, we've tried every possible way (cold calling, cold emailing, reaching out to food blogs, checking restaurant owner networks and many more sources) but we haven't received any results that we can say "good".

Our question is, how can we convince restaurant owners to use our product completely FREE for the first month and let them decide to continue. We target restaurants in New York and sincerely we don't believe the calls are helping and don't want to spend a fortune on advertising.

We really would love to have any feedback from the smart people here on HN and if you want to see what I'm talking about please refer (http://poucherapp.com/restaurant)

Thanks!

[kohanz]

We offer a FREE service to restaurant owners to increase their number of customers.

Is this a proven statement or a hypothesis? In other words, are you trying to get your first users or are you trying to get more users?

If you already have users who have succeeded with your product, I would suggest publishing detailed and attractive case studies with your earliest clients.

If you don't have users, then it's a tougher proposition. You need to get out there and get to know the restaurant owners who have early adopter personalities (willing to take a leap of faith). I don't have a lot of advice on how to do this, other than continuing to network. Perhaps offer some additional incentives?

[loopr]

Thanks a lot for the feedback! Yes, this is a hypothesis and we are trying to get our first users. We are willing to take that leap of faith definitely. So would you suggest us to search for specific restaurants and visit them in person or would there be any online source you could recommend that have better chances at reaching to restaurants?

[abynav]

Well, since you have tried every including cold calling, cold emailing, reaching out to food blogs, etc. etc.

I would advice you to create a free report explaining marketing tips which can help restaurant owners, managers and social media team to boost their business using different strategies and send it across to the key decision makers accompanying with a webinar (Which can be automated using tools available like WebinarJam, etc.) which should be a short 20-50 minutes depending on your plan.

This ways you can ask them to participate in a webinar which cost their business XXXX$ lose if they don't attend it. And its worth XX$ to attend generally but since you want to advice them and talk to them as an advisor or conselor point of standing can really help them out.

This ways you will be engaging your clients in from a different vantage point. And also talk about your system in this webinar on a personal level. Talk about how your product is already helping other clients by talking about case studies with clients who have already utilized your service and are reaping the benefits of using your product.

Just a thought...if you need more info about how to set it up. Let me know. Will become more description.

Advantage of using this kinda strategy will be many.

1. Set you apart. 2. Excite them 3. You help them before hand. Even before asking them to try your service. 4. They know you care, understand their pain, problems. 5. You basically create it like an event. Making them understand if they don't participate then your competitors will. And they will have a first movers advantage.

[loopr]

This is definitely amazing! Thanks a lot for your feedback, we'll definitely start working on your suggestion.

[abynav]

There are a lot of things that you need to make sure will bring in the maximum effect into the whole system. Feel free to ask me more questions if you have any. :)

[loopr]

We would love to ask more, as your advices are quite helpful. Thanks for being a part of our project :)

[bliti]

Have you ever worked or operated a restaurant? Does anybody in your team have experience in the industry?

[loopr]

Thanks a lot for the interest. Unfortunately, as a team we are completely new to the industry, thinking about building a network from scratch. We were trying to reach out to restaurants online. Do you think is that possible or meeting in real life is a must for this project?

[bliti]

Please don't take this wrong way.

1. Stop asking for advice on the internet. You can't solve a sales problem by posting on forums. Figure out your own sales funnel by talking with real live prospects.

2. You need experience in the industry. How can you tell a restaurant owner that your app will make them money when you don't know how a restaurant makes money?

3. Are you sure restaurant owners want to handout discounts to a lot of patrons? I understand handing out discounts to get patrons into the restaurant. Once they are there the focus is on increasing the average check size, not decrease it. Given how overhead in a restaurant is very large.

4. Percentages confuse people. They will always pick a dollar amount over a percentage when dealing with discounts. If something costs $20 and you give them a $5 discount they know how much they will pay without thinking too much. But those examples in your landing page have weird percentages. 18.53%? Few people can calculate that on their head.

[sixQuarks]

Tell them you're only offering the service to a coveted few restaurants and that their restaurant has been chosen - but they need to try it out within the next week or else a different restaurant will get to try it. Basically, create a sense of urgency and exclusivity.

[loopr]

We'll definitely try. Hoping it's not too much fake it until you make it. Thanks a lot!

[ShaneCurran]

If they're not interested in using a free product, why not charge for it? :)

[loopr]

This is literally the best comment/feedback/suggestion ever. Thanks a lot :)