Thumbtack is a platform designed to help match consumers with local professionals for a variety of different services.
This fast-growing platform currently boasts around 10 million active users, with 20,000 professionals offering services across over 1,000 different categories.
Whether you’re a handyman, a caterer, a personal fitness expert—or anything in between—using Thumbtack the right way will help you generate more leads and ultimately, grow your business. And, we’re going to show you how, right now.
Let’s get started.
What is Thumbtack & why is it good for business?
In a sense, Thumbtack is a mix between some of the popular online business directories as well Fiverr, Upwork and eBay. It’s more varied and professional than Fiver, perhaps, and in terms of the platform’s ‘bidding’ aspect, customers place service requests and professionals like you can bid on them.
If your profile is compelling and you have a solid Thumbtack track record, your chances of securing a regular stream of lucrative work will increase, significantly.
Once you’re signed up as a Thumbtack Pro, you can access a host of guides and how-to resources while tapping into community forums to help boost your success.
But, first things first. To lay the foundations for real Thumbtack success, it’s important to get everything set up just right.
How to use Thumbtack: a practical guide
Before we move onto our Thumbtack success tips, we’re going to quickly walk you through how to get set up on the platform and create a successful professional profile.
Getting set up
Setting up a Thumbtack professionals account is simple—here’s how:
- Head to the Thumbtack Pro sign up page.
- When prompted, fill information about where you work and the type of service you provide.
- Click on Get Leads.
- Follow the rest of the prompts to complete the signup process.
- Answer some additional questions about your pricing and services. Set your Targeting Preferences by turning them on (this will help you connect with the right customers while appearing in the right searches to gain more leads). Once you’ve completed the process, now you’re ready to optimize your profile and get to work!
Note:
On Thumbtack, generating leads works in two ways:
1. Paid: You can edit your Targeting Preferences and set a weekly budget to request that Thumbtack pairs you up with the right customers, increasing the amount of leads you secure on a regular basis. Paid leads also come with additional benefits including a discounted fee based on how much competition you have for a specific job and a refund option in the event the customer in question doesn’t contact you.
2. Organic: Based on your profile, pricing, and the customer reviews you receive, customers will find you when they make a relevant search on the platform—and if they feel you’re the right match, will contact you. After a short conversation or exchange (working out the finer details), the job could well be yours.
Optimize your Thumbtack business profile
To gain more leads from Thumbtack, focusing on your profile is essential. The better your profile is, the more the chance you have of earning quality jobs on a regular basis.
As Thumbtack says, your profile is your storefront. As such, you need to make it as informational, easy to navigate, and visually pleasing as possible.
Here’s an example of a high-performing Thumbtack profile for your reference:
When you search for ‘Personal Trainers’ in the 10001 Zip Code area, this profile comes up at the top of the pack. Here’s why:
- Profile picture: The profile picture is well cropped, high resolution, professional, and it’s relevant. From this image, coupled with the profile title, it’s clear that you’re looking at a fitness professional.
- Page title: The title is concise but informational. The relevant keyword ‘women personal trainer’ is included to increase the chances of appearing for the right customer searches—and the professional’s name has personality while sticking in the mind. The key ingredients of a solid Thumbtack profile.
- Bio: You bio is your chance to shine—it’s not only your personal statement but your chance to sell your unique skill set and personality to potential leads. This particular bio is effective because it has a clearcut beginning, middle, and end. Also, it’s personable, conversational, and covers every relevant piece of key information including availability, services, credentials, experience, and essentially, why this person is the perfect fit for the job. Follow this format and you will attract more leads with your bio.
- Pricing: The estimated pricing here is clear and looking at other profiles from the same search result, the pricing here is competitive without being so low that the person is undercutting themselves. By undervaluing yourself, not only will you make less money but you’re also likely to put potential leads off as they may feel you’re inexperienced. PRO TIP: Explore the platform to get an insight into what rates your competitors are offering and set your pricing accordingly. Remember, as you get more reviews and build a better reputation, you will be able to revise your pricing.
- Photos: Another reason this profile is successful is because the professional has populated the ‘Photo’ section of their profile with quality photos that reflect the services on offer—this is very important if you’d like to generate more business leads.
Thumbtack success tips
In addition to focusing on the elements above, here are four additional tips to improve your success as a Thumbtack professional and get more business.
Don’t overlook your FAQs
When building your profile, there is an option to include an FAQ section—don’t ignore it. FAQ content will help improve your search visibility on the platform while giving potential leads more information about the services.
Create an FAQ section and you will land more jobs. Research your competitors’ FAQ sections for inspiration. Consider how you can create FAQ answers that are more informational than those of your competitors, and most important of all, mirror the style and tone of your bio to keep things conversational as well as consistent.
Use reviews & testimonials
As you get more business (and do a great job, no doubt!), you will get more public customer reviews. The more reviews you get, the more successful you will become. If you get a good review on Thumbtack, don’t be afraid to show it on your profile and if someone leaves some great feedback, feel free to add it to your bio as a testimonial.
Reviews equal trust which equates to more business—use them to your advantage as much as possible.
Be responsive
Thumbtack has a maximum number of quotes allowed per request, so often it’s first come first serve.
To increase your chances of landing more jobs, you should check in with the platform frequently, responding to any messages or requests as soon as they come your way.
Making this a common practice will showcase your commitment to service, build trust, and ensure you connect with valuable leads before your competitors do.
PRO TIP: Use the mobile Pro App!
Make your pricing compelling (show your value!)
We’ve covered the importance and dynamics of pricing on Thumbtack. But, here’s a little something that many Thumbtack professionals overlook—a little something that will give you a competitive edge:
Once you’ve set your pricing, make sure that you use your profile (primarily your bio section), to showcase your exact value. Let potential customers know what they will get for your fee, down to the very last detail. Not only will this build an immediate sense of trust (which is essential for getting more business), but you’re also likely to secure more jobs because people will understand just how much they’re getting from you, and your expertise. Give it a try.
If you get it right, Thumbtack is a platform that will help accelerate your online business growth. Follow the advice above and success will be yours for the taking.
For more professional pearls of wisdom, explore our complete guide to getting your business online. And, for tools to help you maximize your digital business success, check out our full rundown of essential resources.