How to Recruit Local Restaurants and Shops to Sell on Lumo

1. 01

   Step 1: Identify the Right Businesses to Approach

   

   Start with businesses that already have a product or menu but might not be maximizing their reach. Independent coffee shops, bakeries, delis, pizzerias, taco trucks, butcher shops, florists, gift shops, and home goods stores are ideal. Look for places that are busy during certain hours but quiet at others—they have capacity to fill more orders. Drive or walk through commercial districts, strip malls, and food truck parks. Make a list with business names, addresses, and contact info. Prioritize owner-operated businesses; they can make decisions on the spot. Skip large chains—they have corporate approval processes that take months.

2. 02

   Step 2: Prepare Your Pitch and Materials

   

   Your pitch needs to answer one question: 'What's in it for me?' Business owners are busy, so be direct. The key points: setting up a shop on Lumo is free, they only pay a 5% fee when they actually make a sale, and they can reach customers who want pickup or delivery without hiring drivers. Have your phone ready to show the Lumo app, particularly the Seller mode where they can add products and get order alerts. Write a simple one-page overview (or keep notes on your phone) covering: no upfront costs, 5% fee only on completed sales, they control their own menu and prices, and instant order notifications. Practice a 60-second version of this pitch until it sounds natural, not rehearsed.

3. 03

   Step 3: Make Your Approach During Slow Hours

   

   Timing matters. Never walk into a restaurant during lunch rush or a shop when there's a line. Visit mid-morning (10–11 a.m.) or mid-afternoon (2–4 p.m.) on weekdays. Ask to speak with the owner or manager. Introduce yourself by name, mention you live or work nearby, and say you're helping local businesses reach more customers through a platform called Lumo. Most owners will give you three to five minutes if you're respectful and concise. If the owner isn't available, ask when they'll be in and return then—don't leave materials with an employee who won't care. If you get a 'we're too busy' brush-off, acknowledge it and offer to come back: 'I understand—what's a better day this week?'

4. 04

   Step 4: Present the Benefits and Handle Objections

   

   Lead with the no-risk angle: 'It's free to set up, and you only pay 5% when someone actually orders.' Emphasize that they control everything—menu, prices, availability—and that customers can choose pickup (no delivery hassle) or delivery (which Lumo handles). Common objections and responses:

   • 'We already use DoorDash/Uber Eats.' Response: 'Those charge 15–30%. Lumo is 5%, and you can use both.'
   • 'We don't have time to manage another platform.' Response: 'Setup takes 15 minutes. After that, you just get order alerts on your phone.'
   • 'We're too small.' Response: 'That's exactly who this helps. You're not competing with chain budgets—you're reaching neighbors who want to support local.'

   Stay calm and helpful, not pushy.

5. 05

   Step 5: Help Them Set Up Their Shop

   

   If they're interested, offer to help set up the shop right then—it makes the difference between 'I'll think about it' and 'We're live today.' Have them download the Lumo app, select Seller mode on the welcome screen, and create an account using their business email or phone. Walk them through adding their shop name, address, business hours, and a profile photo (their logo or a shot of the storefront). Then add five to ten of their most popular items: name, price, description, photo. For restaurants, start with their top sellers and daily specials. For shops, start with best-selling products. Show them how to mark items out of stock and how order alerts work. Leave your contact info in case they have questions later.

6. 06

   Step 6: Share Your Invite Link and Track Results

   

   Before you leave or as you help them set up, make sure they sign up through your unique Lumo recruiter invite link. This ensures you get credit for every sale they make. You can find your link in the Recruiter Hub at golumo.app. If you helped them set up in person and they already created an account without your link, they'll need to delete the account (in Settings) and sign up again using your link—explain this matters because it connects their shop to you. After you've recruited a few businesses, check your Recruiter Hub regularly to see how many orders they're completing. The dashboard shows each recruit's earnings, and you can see monthly and all-time leaderboards by city. The top three recruiters each month win $100, $50, and $25.

7. 07

   Step 7: Follow Up and Expand Your Network

   

   Check in with your recruits a week after they go live. Text or stop by and ask how the first few orders went, if they need help adding more items, or if they have questions. This follow-up builds trust and increases the chance they'll tell other business owners about Lumo. Ask for referrals: 'Do you know other shop owners who might want to try this?' Word-of-mouth from one business owner to another is more powerful than any cold pitch. As you sign up more businesses, you create a flywheel—more sellers attract more customers, more customers attract more sellers, and your recurring income grows with every transaction. Focus on density: ten businesses in two neighborhoods is better than ten businesses scattered across the city.

Photos are illustrative. Service prices are typical ranges and vary by city. How we write our guides.