I built a local marketplace, but getting people to actually use it is much harder than building it
I’ve spent a long time building a local marketplace that helps people discover nearby businesses and services.
The product is live, and I’ve already tested it in one city. I learned a lot from that process and got some encouraging results.
The problem I’m facing now is distribution.
Building the product was something I could control. Getting enough people to actually discover and use it is a completely different challenge.
I’ve tried small marketing experiments and got some results, but I haven’t had enough budget to scale what was working.
For founders who have taken a product from “built” → “people actually use it”:
What marketing or distribution strategy actually made a difference for you?
I’m not looking for generic “run ads” advice. I’m trying to figure out how to get the first real wave of users without burning through my remaining budget.
I’d also really appreciate honest feedback on whether I’m approaching this stage the right way.
If anyone here has a strong network in local businesses, marketing, growth, or distribution, or knows someone who could genuinely help with what I’m building, I’d really appreciate an introduction.
I’m mainly here to learn from people who have already gone through this stage.