Well, your #1 obstacle is to saturate your "market" with things that your users want to rent.
So, start by focusing on a single location. Also, focus on a specific niche that is often borrowed. Tools, maybe?
Allow your users to list other things, but focus on that specific niche. Hopefully you'll grow organically from there. Once your organic growth starts, kick it into gear with some advertising (especially location-based, focused on markets where you're more saturated).
Great thank you, we really want to grow organically first.
I think you're absolutely right, no items, no users that can rent. Our main focus is to grow the database of items available, funny enough, our color is orange because we started as tools only, orange triggers a tool like feeling (thanks to home depot) ... We did think about broadening the categories to anything at your house, but focusing on a couple of local communities. Shouldn't make a difference if you're listing a chair or a hammer, the thing is we want to make you list something at your house.
At my startup incubator they are always reminding me to talk to customers.
Why not try to track down 25 individuals and get them to sign up and offer something?
Once you apply what you learn from that and have a decent product then you should think more of the advertising and marketing, everything from posters to ads on local cable tv. "Organic growth" is not enough because you have to get a large amount of participation to make something that is (i) self-sustaining and (ii) replicable in other areas
Note that it is fair to use "unfair" tactics here. If you can get one person to list 100 pieces of tools that they would want to lend out to get things working, do so. "Two sided" markets have a large hump to get over to sustainability, but boy do they give you a moat.
Great tip! We'll keep it in mind ... I've even considered buying a couple of things to list that would be perfect to 'heynay'. Yeah, we want it to catch up as a verb ;) ...
Thanks for your comments, I think so far we have been confirmed that we have to engage users in non-traditional manners.
Comments
Well, your #1 obstacle is to saturate your "market" with things that your users want to rent.
So, start by focusing on a single location. Also, focus on a specific niche that is often borrowed. Tools, maybe?
Allow your users to list other things, but focus on that specific niche. Hopefully you'll grow organically from there. Once your organic growth starts, kick it into gear with some advertising (especially location-based, focused on markets where you're more saturated).
Great thank you, we really want to grow organically first.
I think you're absolutely right, no items, no users that can rent. Our main focus is to grow the database of items available, funny enough, our color is orange because we started as tools only, orange triggers a tool like feeling (thanks to home depot) ... We did think about broadening the categories to anything at your house, but focusing on a couple of local communities. Shouldn't make a difference if you're listing a chair or a hammer, the thing is we want to make you list something at your house.
Thanks for the feedback!!
At my startup incubator they are always reminding me to talk to customers.
Why not try to track down 25 individuals and get them to sign up and offer something?
Once you apply what you learn from that and have a decent product then you should think more of the advertising and marketing, everything from posters to ads on local cable tv. "Organic growth" is not enough because you have to get a large amount of participation to make something that is (i) self-sustaining and (ii) replicable in other areas
Note that it is fair to use "unfair" tactics here. If you can get one person to list 100 pieces of tools that they would want to lend out to get things working, do so. "Two sided" markets have a large hump to get over to sustainability, but boy do they give you a moat.
Great tip! We'll keep it in mind ... I've even considered buying a couple of things to list that would be perfect to 'heynay'. Yeah, we want it to catch up as a verb ;) ...
Thanks for your comments, I think so far we have been confirmed that we have to engage users in non-traditional manners.