Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I'm running a niche local business online search directory, and am having trouble reaching a critical mass of businesses - enough participation that the site has value to both local consumers and businesses.  It's tough to get local small business owners to take the time to sign up on my website. I'm willing to spend up to $10 per quality registration (where the business inputs accurate information), but I don't know how to best allocate this money.  When I tell businesses that registration is free, they object or say "I'll take a look" but never follow through with a sign-up.

How does one best go about getting local businesses to sign up for one's site, given a budget of $10 / business?

One option is giving the $10 directly to the business owner -- in the form of a gift card or just a crisp $10 bill.

Would you get more sign-ups if you input some of the basic information and then had the business owner confirm what you entered to make the listing live? (You could use the $10/business budget to pay for data entry and then contacting the business).

Best regards,

Molly Donaldson

I don't see why you couldn't just input the information yourself. Just put in as much information as possible and call up the business owner to confirm.

Let them know they have been listed in your directory. Give out the benefits of being listed: that there is no cost, it will reach their target market, etc. Then just confirm that the listing is of no charge.

This way you'll already have some data there, and there isn't much the business owner has to do. Once you start listing more and more businesses, you can start marketing to consumers who might need those services. Save your money for advertising to the primary users of your directory.

Perhaps you could add an incentive? A great free audio or video on how to promote a business online - maybe a compelling white paper?

I own several franchises in Canada and am always getting requests for online directories, I say no 99% of the time as it's not worth the 2 minutes to sign up for what your getting.  I'll give you two tips to grow your directory business.

1- Don't try ans start too big, most directories try to go too big and do not get enough listings in a single area to make it worth anything.  Start in a specific city and keep working it until you get a strong directory going.  Niche directories work better than general ones also.  Maybe have a Yelp type customer rating system and leave cards at local businesses that they can give to their customers to go to the site and give a review.

2- End users don't go to directories.  The real value of a directory is if it can listed on the first page of a major search engine.  Work on optimizing your site.

 It could be if you are e-mailing people directly,you are scaring people off because we all get this type stuff that says sign up free get your business listed local. We are not going to click on a link we have no idea is going to be a virus or a hacker.

 So as said if you can get to be seen on a search engine where we might know for sure if its a real deal.

Thanks to all who replied.  Everyone has provided valuable information.

Firebug: I couldn't agree more.

small-biz-talk - that's an excellent idea for priming the site.

I ended up using that $10/biz budget to pay for data entry.  Now the trick is ranking in the search engines!  I hope to report back in a couple months with a success story.

Good Luck, email if you have any questions.  If you want to track how your website is progessing, go to http://www.website.grader.com    (it's a free tool)

how is your directory doing now? is it ranking well in google? bing is coming in now, you might also want to get a good ranking there..

Hello,

I am new here and don't know how to send you a private message.  I am interested in hearing how you are doing and what your business is.  I am working on my own start up that seems to be similar.  I am not at the stage yet to contact businesses so I wasn't aware that they get overloaded with requests and that it is a hurdle to overcome.  My niche is in the wedding industry.  Thanks,

Anad