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Comment by JDcarlu | Hacker News Reader

Talk to your customer. Where do you live? You probably frequent the same restaurants and probably they recognized you in some of them. Ask to talk to them. Don't sell. Tell the story of why and listen. If you want to start with one (and you are in the Valley) hit me at @JDcarlu and I will go with you to a friends restaurant and introduce you. Don't be scared to ask.

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I am afraid to speak to them, I did try, but I do not think I am good storyteller. Maybe I need someone to help me to make a pitch story? I am actually in Chicago right now, but thank you for your helps. I am considering moving to the Bay Area lately.

May be you can hack your way into talking to customers. You don't have to think of restaurant workers as people you are trying to sell to understand their pain points. This is one thing I have tried myself. When you go to a restaurant next time try to have a casual conversation with one of the workers. Try to get them talk about their pain points without directly asking them. In most cases they'd be happy to talk to you because you have leverage over them because you being their customer. And once you have understood some point points and developed a solution for them try to generate some demand for your product. You can go to one restaurant and tell them such and such restaurant is using this product and is doing great with it. And then go to another restaurant and tell them there is another restaurant using your product and killing with it. Also, read "The Paypal Wars." This book has a wealth of sales tactics you can use.

You don't need to sell your product in the first meeting. Just talk to them about their business and understand their pain. Later, you can guide them to your product and they will give some suggestions that can make your product better.

Sales is not about selling stuff and moving on. But it is about helping your customers success in their own business.

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