As I try to make the move to an early-stage startup, one of the areas I am loving diving into is the Food Tech space. This is part of an ongoing series where I’ll explore marketing ideas and web usability improvements and/or trends. My full Food Tech Landscape deck is posted on Google Drive if you are interested.

Zesty is a company I’ve gotten to know a little more lately – awesome, down-to-earth people, and seems like they are really emphasizing culture as they grow. Here are 5 (mostly) quick wins that I think could help them grow.

1. Test a shorter form asking for less information
2. Build a Slack app to engage people where they work
3. Feature top CTA in top nav and remove clutter
4. Update main page text with How it Works copy/cues
5. Give people outside of SF a way to get notified

Let’s dive in a bit more on each of these.

#1 Test a shorter form asking for less information

Ten fields (and having to scroll down to complete the form) may ensure you only get serious leads, but may also cause many to abandon the form (and it’s a missed opportunity to build pipeline and nurture companies that are somewhat-interested). Trim it back to just what you really need to get the conversation started.

[Update: Looks like they have done this since I originally put this together in January. Much better with only six fields!]

#2 Build a Slack app to engage people where they work

As Slack continues to grow (especially among the startup community), it becomes a natural place to engage people where they work. But it doesn’t look like any competitors are there yet, my searches for “food” and “lunch” came up empty. I would need to know more about your operating model and order cutoff times to think more about how this slack bot would actually be used, but happy to brainstorm with you! It could also be used as feedback mechanism, or be connected with other healthy eating services/trackers in the digital health space.

 

#3 Feature top CTA in top nav and remove clutter

What’s the most important thing people are here to do? Let’s make it easier for them to do it.

#4 Update main page text with How it Works copy/cues

You lead with the benefits, which is great, but the details of how it works may be getting lost. Many food tech websites feature content like this as a How it Works blade, almost all the How it Works examples I’ve found (some below, more analysis to come on that later) include “1, 2, 3” visual cues to convey simplicity.

#5 Give people outside of SF a way to get notified

Your form makes it clear you are only in SF, but doesn’t invite people to be notified as you grow (maybe if they fill it out they are added to a list, but it’s not clear). It’s a missed opportunity to build email list, and could also act as an indicator of where to expand to next. Below is a nice example from Sprig of simple prompt for email address if outside of their service area.

That’s all for now, let me know what you think!