Menus N Coupons Site - Any feedback?

[shelley]

Hello, we just started a local site to list restaurant reviews, menus & coupons. I'm trying to think of ways to monitize the site while at the same time keeping it really full of content so it's user-friendly. I would not charge to list a restaurant, in fact many might not be willing to be subjected to reviews & ratings.

Any experience with this type of site and money-making possibilities?

http://www.menusncoupons.com/

[Bruceper]

Contacting restaurants and asking if they would like to offer your visitors a printable coupon that would be on your site would be good.

You could also require registration for viewing the coupon section and as part of your privacy statement state that you WILL share email data with restaurants that offer coupons. Then once every 6 months or year you can send all the restaurants a list of people that they can email.

So that's not making money, but it's generating coupons which will generate visits which will generate more coupons because businesses want to email customers which will generate more coupons and so on. It's a viscious circle

As for money I would suggest paid restaurant reviews. Offer to list their site for free, but state that you will gladly visit their establishment and review their menu, food, restroom favilities, staff, location, parking etc for a fee. Make it a standardized review so it's the same for all places you might visit.

Now that might not sound appealing to some restaurants, but to others it will sound great. Yes restaurants do get this service for free, but that is usually reserved for the more expensive places.

In order for that to work you MUST have the traffic to your site first. You need to have thousands of people visiting your site monthly so that you can sell your service to the restaurant.

Other ways to make money of course are local business ads that everyone would be interested in. Automotive repair, insurance, real estate, car/truck sales etc

Remember that it's not just a website that you're running, it's a business. You will get out of the site exactly what you put into it. If you pour your blood and guts into it and you're smart then you will end up making something out of it.

[HostV]

I agree with Bruceper. That very specific audience must be...
I have to say that web site itself looks great - everything collors, layout etc... good job

[shelley]

Thanks for the feedback! I am busy refining the site and starting to list the initial restaurants. I agree that first the site has to be very very useful, filled with listings (free) and reviews. I may first ask neighborhood email groups to add reviews and ratings. Then I will approach restaurants for both premium, sponsored, and advertising.

Thanks for the design compliments, we may start to offer custom design & integration if anyone wants to hire us for services.

Thanks!
Shelley

[TLDnetworks]

That is a beautiful site design!

[esm]

...while at the same time keeping it really full of content so it's user-friendly.[/url]

this has to be one of the nicest looking sites I've ever seen.

If you would like a free copy of my AddLinks, just let me know. Might help populating your website. Maybe you could help me with my website.


.

[gspinney]

That's a Million Dollar Baby there...

Great looking site, clean. I am sure it will be a winner.