TV-Mounting Lead Price is too high

robertkjr3d

So I've worked now with Thumbtack now for 2-months. When I first started out, I would offer to do the work at almost no margin to get the job… Well of course, as time went on, I began to raise the prices, because I could not sustain a business at those prices. Of course Customers then started saying… "That's too much"… I even had this ridiculous job where the guy sent a picture of this job where they wanted the Huge-Frame TV flush mounted way up above this fire place. … I told him your not going to get a quote below $300, or at least you shouldn't. Anyway, the point I'm getting to is:

After two months of doing this. My biggest expense is actually to Thumbtack itself, in Un-Won Leads. The minimum Lead-Price if its not discounted for a TV-Mount (for me) is $13.48… and normally I'm paying $26.95. And I'm still considered: "Less Competitive". So they are expecting me to bill big rates to make up the difference.

In two months I've tracked my progress: I've made after other expenses… On TV-Mounts
$823.55
But I've spent paying:
$474.92 (Thumbtack Paid) ←- They are taking a killing from us on this. I'm forced to consider, is it worth offering the service?

When they have the high-lead price, they expect I can bill high. But you can only bill high on a big job. Multiple TVs, Large purchases. You can't be competitive. Just track what Best Buy is offering or other people are offering for Professional TV Mount.

ArvinC

Hi @robertkjr3d , welcome to the Community! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and break down the numbers. I can definitely understand your concern, especially when you're still building your business and trying to find the right balance between competitive pricing and making a profit.

You bring up a great point about how much TV mounting jobs can vary. A standard installation is very different from mounting a large TV above a fireplace, and the time, equipment, and complexity involved can make a big difference in what you're able to charge.

One thing I'd recommend looking into is your maximum lead prices. You mentioned that you're currently marked as "Less Competitive," but that doesn't mean you need to increase your prices. You can adjust your maximum lead prices to an amount that makes sense for your business, although lowering them may affect how many leads you receive.

I'd also recommend reviewing your job preferences to see if there are certain project types or details you can adjust to better align with the jobs you want to take on.

Here are a couple of resources that might help.

• How to set your lead prices
• Targeting preferences

I also really appreciate you sharing the financial impact. When lead costs take up a significant portion of your earnings, it's understandable to question whether a particular service is sustainable. I'll make sure your feedback about TV mounting lead prices and the differences between smaller and more complex jobs is shared with our Product team.

I'd also love to hear from other TV mounting pros in the Community! Have you found any strategies that help you balance lead costs with the types of installations you're taking on?

Thanks again for sharing your experience. We appreciate having you here!