A little over two years ago, Austin Bohlig was looking for someone to go golfing with. He wasn’t necessarily looking for a date, just to connect with a like-minded person who wanted to go out and do the same kinds of things that he enjoyed. All of the dating apps he tried weren’t giving him the outcomes that he wanted, so he did what any other tech-focused, entrepreneurial-minded individual would do — he decided to create his own. “Let’s Go: Find New Experiences” launched in April of 2018 and is now available for both Android and iOS.
In the app, there are platforms for both those who are single in a relationship, though Bolig and his team are more focused on curating the side for those already in a relationship. The team wants Let’s Go to be a continuous go-to app for those who want a truly crafted date-night experience. There are promos available to all users, but you can also upgrade to a premium service which gives you curated experiences for about five dollars a month. “Those who are 18 to 35 [years old] want exclusivity,” Bohlig said. “They want to pay for experiences versus buying things. Our app is geared toward that mindset.”
The service area covered in the app (to date) includes the entire metro area, St. Cloud, and Duluth. Companies and organizations within these areas are able to market their services on the app at no charge, but they must offer some kind of exclusive experience for users of the app. Some examples are BOGO movie tickets, discounts on VR experiences at multiple venues throughout the Twin Cities, better rates at resorts along the north shore, and, once you decide that you and your partner are ready to tie the knot, a great deal on engagement rings.
Bohlig and his team are looking at ways to make the app helpful for the entire process of setting up and going on a date. You arrive in town, you use the app to order your ride, your dinner, your movie, and your place to stay the night — start-to-end service is the goal. Through an assortment of in-app purchases, for a standard transaction fee, your entire experience could be curated without ever having to switch apps.
The team is looking into having employers offer the app as an employee benefit. “According to DeLoitte research, 60 percent of employees want some kind of program for wellness to be provided by their employer,” Bohlig stated. With 1 in 5 people experiencing some kind of mental health disorder, even if it is only for a short period of time, things that help to build better relationships and relieve stress could be highly beneficial. The Let’s Go team is looking to pilot this type of offering in 2020.
In meantime, the team is focusing on an influencer marketing program. Let’s Go will pay for an app user’s date night, up to $25, in exchange for the user documenting and posting their experience on social media, encouraging others to download the app for themselves. This new version of word-of-mouth advertising is highly effective, according to Bohlig. “We’ve grown organically so far,” he said. “We’re up to about 15,000 monthly users.”
Let’s Go will be kicking off its seed fundraising this month and recently announced the Let’s Go Couple of the Year Award in partnership with Wedding Day Diamonds and Stillwater’s Lora.
“We set out to help people build better relationships,” Bohlig said.
