LocalOn (YC S13) Gives Small Businesses a One-Stop Shop for Online Marketing

techcrunch.com

63 points·shahbano··4 comments

The place I used to work at had a similar idea, just an incredibly poor execution. LocalOn has the right idea - local businesses are very skeptical of non-local companies especially startups. They're typically much more emotionally invested in their business than salespeople account for, and don't want to associate their business with a perceived loser [0].

If you're a startup trying to edge your way in to the long tail of local sales, focus on getting a sales partner with local cred. The local break/fix or MSP shop will be an excellent bet - they already resell plenty of tech products.

[0] Anything other than a winner, e.g. most startups.

The advice on your last paragraph does not only apply to the local sales market but to almost any services that focus on the long tail market. Being recommemded is always a safe bet.

I'd recommend them collecting some testimonials from exsisting customers, and pairing them with their location so they can display local testimonials to local businesses that may have come across their site. Knowing that Carl 2 blocks away is using it could very well make the difference between a signup and no signup.

Keep going guys!

Sounds like they've come a long way since they started. Whoever had to go door-to-door pitching a web startup to local shop owners in the Bay Area should get some kind of medal.

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