Angies List

wackman

Do any of you have an Angies list where you are and do you know anything about it?

From what I understand it's similar to craigslist but only for contractors. They rate you as a contractor and actually put down their experiences with you and give people a first hand review of you and your company.

I hear that you can't put yourself on it and you can't stop someone else from putting you on it. I don't really know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

One of my customers told me they looked for us on there and couldn't find us and asked why not. I told them I really don't know anything about it. They suggested I get on and that they would have a glowing review for us.

I'm all for more advertising especially if it doesn't cost much but I just wanted to see what you guys think of it.

Good or bad?

Teetorbilt

I know of ONE guy that made a big hoo-hah about getting on there. As far as I know, it didn't help him very much even though he swore it did. He must be banking all of his $$ in retirement. Same house, same truck, same old tools. Where is the fortune going?

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

RobertCDF

Sounds like another way for us to have to pay, just like the BBB. A fricking rip off... But if your not a memeber everyone thinks you are a con man. Stupid media BS.

I have an angieslist... CALL my refrences... If thats not enough for you I will move on. Phone keeps ringing, I dont need to win every job.

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

Tileworks

Visit www.angieslist.com and see. It is self-explanatory.

Homeowners pay a monthly fee to access the list. Homeowners put contractors on the list, with either an approved rating or a disapproved rating, along with comments. Once a homeowner puts you on the list, then you get an account so you can keep your company information up to date.

I was surprised a month or so back when I received a welcome letter. A customer who I did work for in the spring put me on the list with an excellent review. To date, I dont know if I have received any more work from being on the list, but it doesn't hurt to have one more place out there for people to see my name :-)

- Bob
www.classictileworks.com

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Classic Tileworks
http://www.classictileworks.com
Ohio Tile and Stone Installation Contractor in the Akron area serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, & Cuyahoga counties in Northeast Ohio

Tileworks

I joined the HBA, which allows me to use the BBB's mediation and arbitration services, and put such information in my contracts. Now the BBB wants me to join.

However, I get better benefits with HBA membership than I would with BBB membership. This equates BBB membership to a $350 annual fee to display their logo. Thus I have the following dilemma...

1. If I am making money, then why not spend the $350.
2. If I am making money, then why waste the $350.

Is the glass half empty or full? I cannot decide.

I firmly believe that any tradesman should first consider the HBA or NARI before the BBB. I figure someday, I'll likely be a member of all three. But one step at a time :-)

And to note: Angies List doesn't cost contractors a thing.

- Bob

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Classic Tileworks
http://www.classictileworks.com
Ohio Tile and Stone Installation Contractor in the Akron area serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, & Cuyahoga counties in Northeast Ohio

RobertCDF

Thats how I feel about the BBB. I am busy so why waste the money... But at the same time it is a marketing tool. I probably will join the BBB sometime this next year. Reason I will probably join is this: We have a local TV station that does these "Call for action" things ALL the time. They look into when people get ripped off and talk about how to avoid it... Personally with the way they push the BBB I think they are getting a kickback for doing them. They basicly say that if they are not BBB members then they are satan and con artists. So it makes it a little harder to sell jobs after these "shows". I think the next person that asks me if I am a member I will tell them "I sure can be, they call me every month asking me. Tell you what, I will add $350 to your bid and then I will join them ok?" See how well that goes over

As far as HBA, around here they do NOTHING excpet maybe for builders. I dont think any tradesperson around here is a member. I will have to look into them a little more then.

I looked into angieslist.com for the heck of it... Its free to join in my city (must be too small to charge for it) But I really dont see homeowners paying to join. I know I would not pay to see a list of contractors. And I would not pay to join to leave a comment about a contractor. I would call refrences.

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

Mike Finley

BBB I joined for the same reasons, marketing thing. But I get a call or two a month from people using their website and finding us. You may or may not get the same results but I'm sticking with them for that alone. Never got a single lead from the NKBA. Funny how the NKBA uses getting leads from them as a reason to join and I don't get any, the BBB doesn't even mention getting leads and I get them from them.

copusbuilder

Every lead I have ever gotten from the BBB has been a person that is so difficult and suspicous it has been a pain in the ass. In fact the BBB is nothing but a pain in the ass. They are never happy with their yearly fee and want you to advertise in their books and promos all the time.

I had better luck when one of my old lesbian painters put us in the Gay and Lesbian yellow pages....couldn't figure out why we were getting all these gays calling

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www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

Glasshousebltr

I was at the top of Angie's list for a long time...........but after she had the kid she became very unreasonable.

Bob

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Bob

Gordo

Same thing Copus said.

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Looks like some pros were here.

wackman

I talked to a buddy of mine, who's a new contractor focusing on small jobs, today and he mentioned Angies list as well so I questioned him. He says he's getting about 40% of his business from it. He's offering customers a discount in trade for them writing a comment about his company in Angies list, not instructing them in what to say, just to write about their experience with him. He seems sold on it, but he's also only seeking smaller jobs. I wonder if it'd work as well for larger jobs.

The job for the customers who were asking me about Angies list was a $33k kitchen that had a nice margin to it. If it'll feed more of those my way AND costs me nothing then I'm all for it.

Wack