r/growmybusiness

I've been looking into how small businesses handle reviews and I'm curious what everyone actually does.

Do you have a proper system for asking customers for reviews, or is it more of a:

"Ah, I should have asked them for a review..." situation?

A few things I'm interested in:

• Do you ask every happy customer?
• Do you send them a message afterwards?
• Do you use any tools/software for it?
• What stops you from getting more reviews?
• Do you think customers would leave more reviews if the process was easier?

I'm especially interested in hearing from barbers, tradespeople, gyms, salons, restaurants, and other local businesses.

What works for you and what doesn't?

Acquiring users gets most of the attention, but retention is what really compounds over time.

Was there one feature, onboarding improvement, email sequence, or pricing change that made users stick around longer?

Curious to learn from real experiences.

These are discussion-driven, tend to attract experienced founders, and don't come across as self-promotional.

I am trying to understand the difference between outreach that people ignore and outreach that starts a real conversation.

For founders or small-business operators who tested a SaaS or service idea before building too much:

- What was the first message or offer that got useful replies?

- Did you lead with the problem, a rough mockup, a manual service, or a specific ask?

- Where did those first conversations happen?

- What made the replies feel like real demand instead of polite feedback?

Would love examples of what changed after your first few conversations.

I've been looking at pricing platforms lately, and after a while they all start sounding the same.

Every website says they use AI, every demo promises better margins, and everyone claims they can automate pricing. It's honestly hard to tell what's actually important.

For those of you who've been through the process, what made you pick the platform you went with? Was there one thing that really stood out, or was it more about the overall fit? And if you could do it again, is there anything you'd ask or pay more attention to before signing?

I’ve built a small MVP and want real users to try it, give feedback, and tell me what sucks. What’s the best way to reach the first 50–100 users?

I’m a software developer who builds custom internal tools for businesses, and I’ve noticed the same pattern over and over.

Many companies end up using 5–10 different tools for CRM, project management, spreadsheets, approvals, reporting, communication, and more. The problem isn’t just the subscription costs, it’s that everything is disconnected.

Teams spend hours every week copying data between systems, updating spreadsheets, chasing information, and trying to figure out which source is actually correct.

Instead of adding another SaaS tool, my approach is usually to consolidate those workflows into one platform that’s built around how the business actually operates.

The part I’m struggling with is the offer itself.

If you were a business owner dealing with these problems, what would actually get your attention?
- A free workflow audit?
- A personalized dashboard mockup?
- A short Loom video showing how your current workflow could be simplified?
- Something else entirely?

I’m not trying to sell anyone here, I genuinely want to understand what would provide the most value before I reach out to businesses.

I’d appreciate any honest feedback, especially from people managing teams of 10+ employees.

I’ve built a small MVP and want real users to try it, give feedback, and tell me what sucks. What’s the best way to reach the first 50–100 users?

Ok so small business owner here and I need to know if this is just me or if it's happening to everyone.

Up until last year I was doing pretty good...llike 30-40% of the people who messaged me actually turned into paying customers. Now it's dropped to like 2-4%. Nothing on my end has changed. I haven't touched my prices, I still reply fast.. product's the same.

But the way people message me now is so different. Out of every 100 messages, about 50 just ask "how much?" and then disappear. The other half almost always try to negotiate, and when I tell them I can't discount because I think my prices are already fair.. they just leave me on read. Not even a "no thanks"

So out of 100 inquiries I'm lucky if 2-3 actually buy. It's honestly draining.. I spend time replying, sometimes putting together custom quotes.. and then just get ghosted the moment I don't lower the price.

Is this happening to other small business owners too right now? Are people just way more price-sensitive/negotiate-happy than before? Or could this be something I'm doing wrong? Genuinely want to know how others are dealing with this.

Hi,

I built a tool that quantifies brand marketing effort, and lets you compare your brand metrics to the industry benchmark. I am now having trouble to get anyone to try it out. What would be the best way to connect with D2C operators/founders/VCs to get them to try my tool and share their feedback.

Thanks.

I've built a task management platform that replaces WhatsApp for field teams — mandatory photo proof on completion, auto-escalation for overdue tasks, supervisor review workflow. Targeting hotels, facility management, and aged care in Singapore.

Product is fully built. Price point: $3-5/user/month. Currently at $0 revenue.

I've had conversations with 20+ operations managers who all agree the problem is real. But "yes I have this problem" isn't converting to "yes I'll pay for your solution."

What's worked for others selling B2B ops tools to get the first 5 customers? Cold email? LinkedIn? Free pilots? Walking into hotels?

Hi everyone!

I've been building a multiplayer quiz app called Mario Pepper, and now I'm at the stage where I need to figure out the best way to market it.

For those of you who have launched apps before, where have you seen the best results?

I'm considering:

• Reddit
• Meta (Facebook & Instagram Ads)
• TikTok
• SEO / content marketing
• Influencer marketing

The app is social—you challenge your friends, answer trivia questions, climb the leaderboard, and collect peppers 🌶️.

If you were starting from scratch with a limited budget, where would you focus your time and money first? Any lessons learned or mistakes to avoid?

I'd really appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Not linking any site because that’s against the rules.

I’m trying to market and gain audience visibility, but am having hard time gaining market traction and think that offering my product in a limited but still usable form will drive traffic and growth. Has anyone tried this and was successful with it?

A few local wellness brands and activewear pages have started to reach out to me for instagram collabs. Practically it seems useful in a way that it would get me more visibility online and help me get more students, but the moment they start to discuss on the deliverables and negotiations, the payoff they offer does not feel worth my time and energy.

Are such collabs worth saying yes to when you have just started out as a startup?

I am building something simple for you.

Instead of spending on ads or marketing.

Pay only when business happens, free listing and no upfront cost.

Would this work for your business?

I run a one person business analyzing manhwa/webfiction IP for licensing and adaptation potential. Think due diligence reports for companies looking to option or adapt titles. I came at this from years as a reader/fan in the space, not a formal industry background, so my edge is deep genre knowledge plus analytical writing.

My business is a lot more defined than it was even a few months ago. I’ve locked my brand identity, built a landing page, and put together a portfolio including a full sample report on a specific title to show quality of work. I tried a cold email to one industry contact and it fell through with no response.

I want to make sure I’m not missing something obvious before I try more outreach. For people who’ve gotten a B2B service like this off the ground, what are the things you needed to have in place before your first real client conversation actually landed? Testimonials, case studies, a specific niche pitch, warm intros instead of cold email, what actually moved the needle for you?

A proven business gives you a track record, predictable demand, and usually less guesswork. On the other hand, getting in early on a new trend could mean bigger rewards—but it also comes with a lot more uncertainty.

Personally, I think it comes down to your risk tolerance and long-term goals. Some people value stability, while others enjoy building something before everyone else catches on.

What about you?

If you had the money to invest today, would you choose a business with a proven system or take a chance on the next big trend? I'd love to hear what influenced your choice.