I've recently launched a website and I need to sign up as many local businesses as I can on it. The website is currently only available for local businesses in Ontario, Canada only. There are a few issues with signing up local businesses on my website (even if it's free to signup):
The website focuses around local businesses (mainly restaurants and shops) and without local businesses, customers don't see any value to sign up on it. Similarly, without any customers, local businesses don't see any value of signing up either. How can I solve this chicken & egg problem?
Offer to charge appropriate sum to those who would be potentialy interested (who you convince about benefits of your service) but are not good enough with computers (or to busy/lazy) and send someone overthere to sort out the registration for them.
You make sales calls to as many local businesses as possible. You tell them why they should sign up (what do they get out of it?). If they won't take the time, then ask them to let you fill out their entry.