So there’s this service I’ve been using for about a year now… it’s called Thumbtack and out of all the other online advertising communities I’ve used, I get way more exposure and book more jobs with them! Looking at my profile right now, it says I’ve only booked one job through them but it’s a tad misleading because once I’ve made contact with interested clients we continue everything through direct email and they just never return to Thumbtack to complete the process and marked that they’ve booked with me. So far, I’ve booked three family sessions, one engagement session, two weddings this year AND have three weddings booked for next year… all from Thumbtack!
It’s a super simple process, both for small businesses and for those looking to hire a small business! Customers search by area and service and choose which small businesses they’d like their quote request to go to. The small businesses then receive an email from Thumbtack with the details of the customer’s request. I look over the request, which lists details like location, kind of shoot (family, wedding, etc), budget, and when they’d like their shoot to take place. I can choose to either send the customer a quote based off their request OR I can pass on the job. I don’t pass on many jobs, but when I do it’s almost always because they are outside my travel area. For example, I have my profile set up to send me jobs within a 90 mile radius because I’ll shoot weddings pretty much ANYWHERE (as long as travel expenses are covered) but I won’t travel 2 hours for a portrait session.
Once I’ve submitted my quote to the customer, they’ll receive an email with my quote and profile information. I write a short personal paragraph with my quote to tell them a little more about myself and services. If they are interested, we’ll start conversing, mostly through email, but sometimes through Thumbtack. I love that they give you that option! So whether you’re in the market for a wedding photographer or math tutor, you’ll find all the best pros on Thumbtack! Are you a small business? Then you’ll love the easy and fast process and the great exposure!
*this post was sponsored by Thumbtack.com written by yours truly*
