Ask HN: I made a website that helps tradesmen and I'm in need of advice.
The best way to describe what I’ve built is a mix between Squarespace, and a more detailed/groomed version of CheckaTrader (UK advertising website for traders—basically just a listing with a phone number and company information).
The site’s been live a few weeks and I’m finalizing around a dozen contracts but they were incredibly hard to get as I’m not the best at sales, and most potential clients are hard to get in touch with as they’re always working and don’t really want to be troubled.
They say the first sales are always the hardest but from my market research most of my closest competitors have quiet a large advertising budget—advertising on the radio (research shows this is the best way for this market), TV and other forms such as TV programs related to tradesman.
Simply put: I’m struggling to get sales…not because the product isn’t needed, but because I’m not the best at sales (and I know this).
I ask you, Hacker News: Do I go out and find a sales co-founder; try raise some money to get started properly; try my best to put together some money to employee a staff member who’s good at sales, or do I just keep cold-calling, sending out emails/flyers/letters and business cards?