My experiance was not good.
I get charged to much even when someone just says Hi, and then never responds after that, I could spend hundreds just to find one person that is not willing to pay even $100 for a website.
@Smithkat1981 is there a price that you feel would be more fair for your specific categories? It sounds like your drawing the line at $10. Is that what you were used to paying under the old system that we had in place?
@Smithkat1981 $5 was likely the amount we charged before for your category with each quote you sent out, regardless if a customer ever responded. Now pros are only charged when a customer chooses to reach out to them specifically or responds to a quote sent to them, which is why the lead price is more. With that in mind do you feel like there's a price lower than $50 but more than $10 that you'd feel is fair? Also, keep in mind the size and details of the job will be a large factor in the price so if you had a specific job that you felt was priced too high feel free to send it to me in a direct message and let me know what price you think would be more accurate for it.
Only $50?
I'm a building contractor and every lead is $75. Suffice to say I pass on every one.
The Angieslist platform is the way to go. Over there the customer (the person looking for a tradesperson) pays a finder's fee in the form of a yearly subscription. That generates serious searchers.
The Thumbtack platform's customers are us (the actual tradesperson) meaning the people searching have nothing to lose even if they string you along.
$20 for a serious lead is a reasonable expense and would attract more contractors to the site. A steady volume of sales instead of occasional big sales is the formula for longevity in business. Thumbtack doesn't understand this with the current pricing structure and is losing sales.
I recently listened to a podcast the other day where the creators of TT said they want to be the Amazon of the job sourcing space... I hazard to guess that the current system will not make forward steps getting them there.
I too have a residential cleaning company. I've been on TT for 2 years and was initially ecstatic with the service.
I'll expand but I'll give the short answer first.
Currently $36.69 for a lead with an initial request 3 bed/2 bath bi-weekly cleaning 1500-2000 sq. With the average starting price from pros for that configuration being $124. The absolute highest for that lead is $22 and that is only if 1 in 4 leads book. If only 1 in 8 book that puts the lead price to $11 etc.
At $22 for that lead, I'm still looking to replace TT. At $17+ "need a new lead service" is in the back of my mind. At $12 I'm content and not considering replacing TT and recommending the service. I'm only still on TT because my lead to booking ratio is extraordinary from everything I can gather.
How I am coming up with the price. After 2 years on TT I have determined the average client who requests bi-weekly service books 9 (I rounded up from 8.93) cleaning in a year. And I am willing to spend 8% of revenue on a TT customer. I still have to "work" to land those clients there is still a time cost. 8% absolute max because at 10-20% of revenue are booking commission rates. Booking as in they do all the selling, communications, billing and collecting. Plus there is no risk that the projected retention time frame was too long, there is no risk of loss for last second cancellations. 8% is really high and only worth it because I can still target very specific circumstances. My math for Promote would be completely different.
In case you're wondering; The retention rate for TT is rather low:
20% of bookings change to a lower frequency. once every 3 weeks or once a month. They never intended to book a bi-weekly service.
10% of TT bookings are for temporary circumstances. E.g. while waiting for a place in a retirement home, because of a surgery, selling our home and want it neat for viewing. They never intended to book a bi-weekly service for a year.
30% have fired at least 2 other cleaning companies in the last 12 months. Our retention rate with this type of client is not zero but it is also not 100%.
10% have a change in circumstance during the first year.
5% have circumstances we are not able to accommodate. e.g. a loose dog that bites, untreated insect infestation etc. Not using promote is the only thing keeping this as low as it is 10%+ messages include an addition or restriction that causes me to not respond. Such as "remove bushes and tree limbs from lawn" or "many dead birds in attic"
5% excessively cancel reschedule/extensive work order changes.
5% It's just a bad fit.
I would also like to note I am seeing 6 of 10 requests with zero pros responding for days.