Dwindling Lead Theory

[JSGDS]

@Lar  

Where we rank?- #1 for our service and industry (we don't use promote), we have 206 reviews and a 4.9 star rating.  We are just a 3 man company (just hired extra help a couple months ago).  I wouldn't know where to begin explaining all the steps and strategy's we needed to take in order to get to this point.  Now that we put in the work we are now finally seeing the benefit's, when a customer submits a request we generally get them on the phone or a msg back, this is most likely because we have over double the amount of reviews to our next closest competitor.  You can do the same thing Lar but its not going to happen overnight and you really need to grind in order to get to this point.  

As far as our insights- we had 291 views (32 profile views) we sent/payed for 13 leads and landed 7 jobs from those. 

[MR]

What I find interesting about TT these days is how "feast or famine" the system is. There are few pros reporting that they are getting a pretty steady stream of leads who do reply back. Then there are so many who state that they get virtually 0 leads, and no response back from the lead if they get one.

There is nothing in between.

The people who are starving usually have great profiles, respond back quickly, are personable, and do all of the things that TT recommends.

Is the issue regional? Is it related to type of service? Is it realted to complexity of job? or is it a bug in the system? 

To me it is perplexing just how different experiences are from one pro to the next when in reality the pros are doing the same thing. There has to be something causing this... but I have the feeling it is in the Thumbtack software - something is just not working as designed.

[DJStevie]

@MR 

I agree, it's either feast or famine. But from what I've seen in this Community, it's mostly famine as of late. I just don't understand how some don't use Promote and are ranked number 1 and finding success?

I finally hit that 16% in leads, came in the other day..Now for 4 weeks, I've received 6 leads, 1 hire..batting .167 during that span. With the updated statistic, I have now dropped to number 3 in my area, as compared to number 1 last week.

I don't know if it's regional, by job category, or anything else? But I know it's more than frustrating, yet I'm told to be patient and have faith. If all Pros are doing the same thing, then I'm with you, what's the problem of not receiving leads via Promote? My brother ran his own computer software business til he retired couple of years ago, and he told me last night that it's more likely a software issue. But who knows if we will ever know what is going on?

Just praying for some changes soon.

[MR]

@djstevje
I agree. I worked in IT and worked on an ecommerce site at one of the world's largest airlines where the mobile app and website serves millions of customers a day. This has all the making of a software issue or an issue with to two sides miscommunicating between Google and Amazon services. I do know that TTs code base is almost 10 years old now and the new system is layered on the original code so there is much room for issues here

[BeDeCluttered]

I was a top pro for years since last oct. Nothing. Few and far between. Have moved on from tt.

[Lar]

Hi @JSGDS, thanks for the advice and congratulations on your success.

You suggested, When a customer submits a request we generally get them on the phone or a msg back...

Well yeah. I used to be able to respond super quickly WHEN a customer submitted a request. I can't do that now because there is no WHEN anymore. I'm a TopPro and #1 for my category Orlando/Tampa which are my busiest areas.In the last 4 weeks I've received, 389 Listing Views, 72 Profile Views, 0 Leads. 

For Thumbtack, as "Tom Jones" would say, ... "It's not unusual".

We are often told the new system was put in place because only 20% of customers ever saw a Pro. In the last 4 weeks with 389 customers visiting Thumbtack that would have translated into about 77 leads in my Inbox with the old system who I could have reached out to. The new system generated 0 leads in 4 weeks = 0 hires. Brilliant!

I'm open to suggestions for how I (as a soon to be ex TopPro) should be using Thumbtack to get hired when I'm not receiving any leads.

Regards,
Laurence.

[MR]

How does he get back to them on the phone unless customer provides phone in their request ? We don't get the phone numbers for leads

[JSGDS]

@Lar I don't understand how you have zero leads? Are you saying you see the request and pay for the request but don't get any response back?

[Lar]

@JSGDS, to clarify, I'm receiving ANY requests/leads, period. None. There is no-one for me to reply to.

Regards,
Laurence.

[DrRevJenine]

@Lar  Is this still happening to you? I often get direct leads (meaning they specifically requested me) and after the intial question asking me if I am available on their date and time, they don't EVER get back to me no matter what I do. It has happened quite a few times and I find it very frustrating. Since I am a wedding officiant its pretty cut and dry. Everything is on my profile, so if they connect with me its usually because they are interested, or should be. Then I see other pros have responded but I can never see if they have hired someone else or not. They won't even answer me and tell me if they booked someone else! Very frustrating.