Service Magic....

 
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Old 03-16-2007, 06:41 PM   #1
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Service Magic....


Okay, I had to do something because the work here is so slow I am going backwards. Anyway... I sign up for the leads and the next morning I get a lead from an out of state phone number. I look at the number and am thinking ...What the hell zip code did they put me in?? Thinking it's some sort of scam just beginning I make the call. Turns out it is an out of state company that does hotel work around the country. They did a job here that got major red tagged and need smeone to fix it. Anyway, they overnighted me the print blah blah blah I got the job even though I marked it up a bit AND was bidding against someone else.
I believe what actually landed me the job was the fact that I did my homework on it. The blueprint was not clear (looked like a bad fax) and the g.c. never even stepped foot on the job. The chief engineer of the hotel said they had a "bunch of mexicans workin on it". Well it was done like crap and way off base for what is code. So I thank you O mexican crew for the work. I took a trip to the local building department and learned more about the job than the g.c. even knew. So when I turned in my extremely detailed bid, he immediately asked "How soon can you start?" I told him that I was having HIM buy all the materials since I did not know his company and he was out of state. He said, no problem he will get me a card # for anything I need.

So I guess Servicemagic can work.

Got another good lead today too. I'll keep you all updated as to my opinion on service magic.

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Old 03-16-2007, 07:23 PM   #2
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Re: Service Magic....


Oh, it always starts off good........
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Old 03-16-2007, 07:46 PM   #3
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Re: Service Magic....


I suggest that you search 'ServiceMagic' here. Not too popular.
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Old 03-16-2007, 08:18 PM   #4
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Re: Service Magic....


yeah, i did the search before, but i tried anyway. The way I see it is that there are a lot of variables as to why it would or would not work for each person. Plus...what do I have to lose ? I can shut it off anytime I want and it's a lil like gambling. Right now I have less than $200 in and got 1 job out of it and a strong possible second. I figure they are feeding me the better leads right now cause I am new, but hey, I'll eat it up.
Alot better than the blue book meeting I had the other day with a salesperson. $300 a month for WHAT ????
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Old 03-16-2007, 10:46 PM   #5
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Re: Service Magic....


I've been with them for about 4 years now. I've had my issues with them and still do, but for the most part I'm happy with them.
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Old 03-16-2007, 11:56 PM   #6
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Re: Service Magic....


Yea, another service magic victim HERE. Glad its working for others though.
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Old 03-17-2007, 11:03 AM   #7
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Re: Service Magic....


You pay so much for leads there
if you took the money you paid for 2 leads from ServiceMagic
and applied it towards a PPC campaign youd at least triple your weekly results.

Let alone the hundreds of dollars you are going to spend on people that "changed their mind"
The internet is a information tool. You're going to get a lot of researchers who are only looking for a price to budget a project they plan on doing down the road.

We did it. And I remember liking the leads at first.
You'll learn to hate it.
Good luck
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Old 03-17-2007, 11:22 AM   #8
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Re: Service Magic....


I liked Improvenet a lot. Good quality leads that had a great close rate. But they were bought by sevicemagic and now they suck.

I really liked how Improvenet would let you read the description before you bought a lead. Servemagic makes you buy them before you know anything about it. I hate reading a lead I just paid $50 for that is clearly not a project I am interested in. I've now cut my preferences back to a very, very limited scope that I will accept leads for.
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Old 03-19-2007, 09:20 AM   #9
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Re: Service Magic....


You can turn YOUR website into a lead generation tool like ServiceMagic.

So you aren't paying for leads, but rather your website is paying you.

Takes some time and thought.
You can minus the time by outsourcing the SEO process to a company.

But it's 100% possible.
I wish we had learned about SEO before we dumped thousands in online lead generation.
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Old 03-19-2007, 09:52 AM   #10
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Re: Service Magic....


That's on my list as is a google PPC program. I have a final meeting tomorrow morning for my new website. When it's up and running I'll be going ahead with an SEO and PPC program.
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Old 03-19-2007, 05:07 PM   #11
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Re: Service Magic....


Quote:
Originally Posted by MattCoops View Post
You're going to get a lot of researchers who are only looking for a price to budget a project they plan on doing down the road.
What's wrong with that? Are you in business for the long run or short run?
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Old 03-19-2007, 08:19 PM   #12
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Re: Service Magic....


Quote:
Originally Posted by MattCoops View Post
You pay so much for leads there
if you took the money you paid for 2 leads from ServiceMagic
and applied it towards a PPC campaign youd at least triple your weekly results.

Let alone the hundreds of dollars you are going to spend on people that "changed their mind"
The internet is a information tool. You're going to get a lot of researchers who are only looking for a price to budget a project they plan on doing down the road.

We did it. And I remember liking the leads at first.
You'll learn to hate it.
Good luck

Matt show me some stats because I spent 300 bucks on adwords and got nothing in return. I am still going to try to make it work since my site may have been having technical difficulties. I only got two inquiries and no estimates.
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Old 03-19-2007, 08:25 PM   #13
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Re: Service Magic....


Grumpy have you heard anything new about service magic? I remember you posted something about them changing the way they do things. I am going to sign up with them, I got them to let me view the leads before I buy them. They had to clear it with their supervisors.
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Old 03-19-2007, 08:37 PM   #14
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Re: Service Magic....


service magic is crap. I just responded to 4 leads 3 people said o i was just getting some information. I wanted to tell those a**holes send me $20 for wasting my damn time. I hate service magic. Definetly not worth the money u spend in it. im cutting the leads off tomorrow.
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Old 03-19-2007, 08:38 PM   #15
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Re: Service Magic....


Quote:
Originally Posted by ultimatetouch View Post
Grumpy have you heard anything new about service magic? I remember you posted something about them changing the way they do things. I am going to sign up with them, I got them to let me view the leads before I buy them. They had to clear it with their supervisors.
Damn, I wish I woulda thought about asking for that. All I got was $50 knocked off the initial fee.
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Old 03-19-2007, 08:39 PM   #16
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Re: Service Magic....


Quote:
Originally Posted by 4theroc View Post
service magic is crap. I just responded to 4 leads 3 people said o i was just getting some information. I wanted to tell those a**holes send me $20 for wasting my damn time. I hate service magic. Definetly not worth the money u spend in it. im cutting the leads off tomorrow.
I wonder if it's luck, location, or trade...cause I haven't gotten ANY of those yet. YET.
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Old 03-19-2007, 08:43 PM   #17
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Re: Service Magic....


They have been sending me stuff that seems pretty good just for review. I have to take some of these leads just to see what happens.
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Old 03-19-2007, 08:53 PM   #18
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Re: Service Magic....


They sent me one to review before I signed up. It was a guy needing a 3500 sq. ft. home framed immediately in Elyria Ohio. I went to the building dept. the next day and got a list of all new home construction permits open. There were only about 10 permits and none were 3500 sq. ft. SO either someone is building a house with no permit in the city, the lead was an old one, OR someone screwed up on the location.
Since this lead was not an option to buy (because it was already sent out) I am assuming that they dug it out of archives just to lure me in.

I spoke with the rep about my concerns with their company and how I had heard some bad things, but was willing to try them out for myself. He said that most people who have complaints do not respond back soon enough or don't "sell" the job well enough. I am just checkin it all out myself.
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Old 03-19-2007, 09:17 PM   #19
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Re: Service Magic....


yea thats all bull crap though, they tell you that to sell you the service. i narrowed my leads soley down to sod installs. i figure for every $500 i spend i might get one job. So its not worth it to me. last job i did from service magic was in september.the rest of them just B.S around
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Old 03-19-2007, 11:16 PM   #20
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Re: Service Magic....


I've been using them for about 6 weeks now and out of the 6 leads I've received I've only been able to contact 2 of them to set up appointments. One of those appointments canceled so really for the $250 I've spent I got to give one estimate...

Luckily for me that one estimate turned into a kitchen remodel contract so it paid for other leads, but I've suspended my leads and plan on canceling my account this week.

ServiceMagic would only refund one of the 4 dead leads they gave me so that's why I've decided it's not worth the money. I can generate leads for a fraction of their cost, and they contact me rather than me having to chase them down.
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