The complete guide to Thumbtack for professional organizers
So, you want to get more organizing clients.
When you're starting your pro organizer side hustle, there's one thing on your mind: making those dollar bills (am I right?!). You're running your biz to be profitable, and getting leads is a top priority. I've been getting a lot of questions about a site called Thumbtack, so I've put together a complete guide to help you decide if the service is right for you. I'm going to walk you through what Thumbtack is, how to use it, and the pros and cons of using it to market your business.
What is Thumbtack?
Soooo... Before I dive into how to use Thumbtack, let's start with what the heck it even is. You could think of Thumbtack as the Yelp or Angie's List for the millennial generation. It's a website and app that helps customers find professionals to do jobs for them. It's free for customers, and has a super sleek design that makes it easy to use (there are currently about 10 million users signed up on the site). Instead of sifting through Google searches and Facebook reviews, customers log in to Thumbtack and describe the job they need done. Thumbtack then sends the customer up to 5 quotes from professionals in the area. They pick their favorite pro, and they're good to go. As far as customer convenience goes, this pretty much takes the cake. But what is it like for us pros?
How to use Thumbtack: 2 steps
1. Set up your accountSetting up your Thumbtack account is fairly simple. You'll start by telling them your industry, then follow prompts to fill out your profile, including the area you serve, business name, and bio. From hanging out in the Facebook group, I know a lot of you have other areas of expertise outside of professional organizing, like interior design and home staging. If you're that kind of multi-tasking boss babe, Thumbtack will let you offer services in multiple industries, which is nice.You're also required to give them your personal information, including your date of birth and address (use your type A tendencies to get this step right, because you can't go back and change it). 2. Bid on jobsNow that you've filled out your profile, it's time to pour some white wine and wait for leads... (but like, work on your biz while you wait, because it can take a while for leads to roll in). Thumbtack will send you requests from customers looking for home organizing in your area.If a job that sounds like a good fit hits your inbox, you'll have to bid on it. That means writing a message to the customer about why you're the right pro organizer for the job... and paying to send your bid. Yep, this is where Thumbtack makes their dollar bills.Every time you bid on a job, it will cost you "credits", which run about $1.67 each (ugh, nothing like complicated pricing... maybe someone should tell them about simple package pricing!). And each bid can cost 3-5 credits, so this isn't free marketing. And don't forget... you pay to bid regardless of whether you get the job.If the customer chooses you to be their professional organizer, they'll contact you to work out the details. If not, it's time to pour ANOTHER glass of white wine and wait to start the process again.So that was it - 2 easy baby steps. Ok, let's get real... It's one thing to know how to use Thumbtack. The way more important question is SHOULD you be using this site to grow your business? It can be super easy to get distracted doing a million things when you start out. I'm going to walk you through the pros and cons so you can make the best decision for your home organizing business.
The pros
of using Thumbtack for your professional organizing business
1. Leads roll in while you get your beauty sleepSure, you've got to put in the work to make a sparkly, inspiring profile, but after that? Thumbtack does the behind the scenes stuff for you. 2. Choose the jobs that sound good to youYou're your own boss for a reason, and that means you get to choose what clients you want to work with. If a job doesn't feel like a good fit, it's easy to pass (and you don't have to make any awkward phone calls to turn the client down). 3. Build your business with customer reviewsIf there's one thing I like about Thumbtack, it's that they automatically request reviews from your customers (you should be doing this from ALL of your customers anyway!). Testimonials are a HUGE factor in getting new clients to trust you. The fact that Thumbtack automates this process is great, and a good reminder for all of us to make sure we're getting testimonials.
The cons
of using Thumbtack for your professional organizing business
1. Bidding can be expensive (and competitive)All of those credits spent on bids can add up fast, with no guarantee that you'll get a return on your investment. And since the customer is interacting with you through Thumbtack, it can be hard to make your brand stand out (and you know I'm all about positioning your brand!). In my area, there are 55+ pro organizers bidding for jobs on Thumbtack. 2. Those leads? They aren't really yoursIf someone reaches out to you on your website, you've gained their contact info whether or not they decide to hire you right away. This is SO valuable, as it lets you continue nurturing the relationship, potentially turning them into a paying client down the line. If you use Thumbtack, you'll only get the contact info for jobs you land... not so awesome. 3. These aren't your high-end customersAnd this is probably the biggest con. Your services are in demand with high-end clientele. Yes, people willing to pay you $75 an hour AND UP to organize their homes. The thing is, those people aren't the primary users of Thumbtack. Most clients on the site are bargain hunters, who think pro organizers are more like housekeepers than interior designers (even Thumbtack suggests housekeeping as an additional service pro organizers can offer).
IN CONCLUSION... YOU'RE THE BOSS OF YOU.
Do you use Thumbtack? I'd love to hear more about your experience in the comments!
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