Do you use Thumbtack or any other similar services for your business? I'v been using Thumbtack for a week and was wondering if there were any alternatives.
I started using Thumbtack a couple months ago and have gotten a handful of jobs from it. Here's a couple of personal reflections about using it:
1.) you have to be REALLY FAST on your response. I'm talking within minutes most times. The maximum responses a job can have is (5). I swear that I have seen jobs come in and within 5 minutes or less, it has received the maximum number of quotes.
(Usually the ones that are actually worth the $ and time). There must be companies that just monitor this daily and non stop to get fast replies...a lot of times I'm out working on another job (or driving) and by the time I finish and can actually respond...the job has been bid to max. So be prepared to respond immediately to the decent paying jobs.
2.) There are some people that have very unrealistic expectations for their job quotes.
(i.e "need full wedding and reception video recorded and edited with music and DVD copies...$500) You're gonna see a lot of those...or my favorite "need full production, multi cam and aerial music video shot on location and edited for music video. Budget: under $500"
3.) There are some companies out there really DEVALUING our industry and taking jobs for way under market value to get them. Especially in regards to real estate.
IMO, it's going to set a precedent that shooting a real estate property inside and out with edit etc is worth $200.
I have been able to secure a few very professional and lucrative jobs that I'm very proud of on Thumbtack...but you have to be prepared to shoot aerial and ground video and be able to edit, etc. (which I think is a good idea anyway)
I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to stoop to compete with the bottom feeders and try to keep us a higher end production company that's worth x amount to hire. I'd rather work smarter than be out there scraping by and running us ragged.
Again, these are just my personal takeaways. You are paying for credits to bid on these jobs and one decent one will pay you back tenfold.
Just be prepared to respond quickly and shake your head when you lose a few to a kid (most likely with no 107/insurance) who's willing to fly for beer money.
