Ready to get better results on Thumbtack? If you’re new to the site, or need to boost business—model the success of Thumbtack photographer, Lauren Lindley. Her work grew by 67% since joining Thumbtack 3 years ago. Here she shares her insights on finding success on the site.
What’s the most critical element for success on Thumbtack?
Know that this is a business. Lindley stresses that even if you’re the world’s best photographer, you won’t be successful on Thumbtack if you ignore the business aspect. She encourages you to pay attention to where your dollars and cents are going. Document all your hours, track all your receipts, be careful with your invoices. If you’re not comfortable with the business aspect, Lindley suggests taking a small business class at a local community college. The end goal is to make sure you’re making money.
What do you wish you had known when you first started?
“I wish I had known that reviews are extremely important,” Lindley states. If you’re new to Thumbtack, you can showcase client reviews from other sources. She urges you to get reviews as soon as possible. Send former clients a link to your Thumbtack page to testify to your skill. Future clients rely heavily on reviews to decide—help them choose you.
What percentage of your work is from Thumbtack?
During 2013 and 2014, nearly half—40%—of Lindley’s business was generated through Thumbtack. As her reputation and online presence grew, more jobs came to her. In 2015, now that her business is more robust than ever, she has drawn 11.5% of her work from the site. The moral of the story? She bids less and has more work now that people know about her.
How did you get involved with Thumbtack?
Lindley was looking for ways to build her business. “When I started using Thumbtack 3 years ago, I was doing photography part-time. Thumbtack helped build my network and portfolio, and as of 2 years ago, I am a full-time, self-employed photographer.”
Here are what Lindley shares as her top five tips to expand your business on Thumbtack:
- Get reviews. Ask friends and family to review your work if you’re just starting out – and always ask your clients for reviews when you’ve finished a project.
- If a job doesn’t have all the information, don’t bid. For example, Lindley says if a wedding is quoted at $1,500 but the hours aren’t specified, do not bid and end up losing money because you’re earning under your minimum hourly wage.
- Have a portfolio that represents the jobs you bid. If you want to start winning bids for portraits, you need portraits in your portfolio—find friends willing to pose. Prove you have the chops.
- Make your communications and profile vibrant and engaging. Stand out from the crowd.
- Be quick to act. If the quote fits all your parameters, send in a one line bid, and then go back and immediately send a more fleshed out, personal message that speaks to the event.
Above all, Lindley encourages you to continually strive to reach new levels with your efforts. She is constantly looking for areas to improve in her own business and has found that to be key to her success.
Photo credits: Lauren Lindley Photography
Thumbtack is a service that connects customers who need something done with the right professionals. More than 200,000 professionals service over 5 million projects a year on Thumbtack, across over a thousand categories including photography, house remodeling, event planning, and music lessons.