I offically love Service Magic and here is why

29884 Views 178 Replies 55 Participants Last post by handyhands, Jul 15, 2010

Master Mechanic

Discussion Starter · Dec 24, 2009

I got the best lead ever ever ever, a lead where I didn't have to bid anything, no questions asked, and offered me over 100 accounts, which will total between 50-75k a year in gross business. I still can't believe it happened so easy. From this one lead that cost me 12 bucks I will grow my business.

Now, I've been with SM since 04' and only have a 150 buck a month cap and probably spent 5k with them over the past 5 years.

That 5k has given me way over 150k in work, not including this amazing lead I was given my SM.

To all the haters, lol on you, after 4-5 years SM finally paid off in spades.

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HomeElements

· #2 · Dec 24, 2009

I was actually contacted by them this week as a matter of fact. The voice mail was something to the effect as "we had been approved to be listed there" it sparked my curiosity so I called back. I had personally never heard of them, but found out it was not something that really applies to us since we are a supplier and not a contractor, made me wonder what criteria they used to 'approve' us, obviously the must not have visited our site as it is very obvious what we do.

Not going to say it's not legit though, because I just dont know, the guy I spoke to seemed knowledgable and friendly, I'll give him that, he did take the time to explain how it worked. Sounds good though, just not for us.

NormW

· #3 · Dec 24, 2009

You gambled and you won, congratulations! Everyone likes to hear a sucess story. I'm not sure that "hate" is the proper word to describe how all of us feel about SM.

"Angry" would be a better description. SM has alienated many people with their way of doing business. That aside, it's nice to hear that it works out for some. Maybe SM will change their policies some day, so that they get more positive comments, such as yours, in the future.

Master Mechanic

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 24, 2009

NormW said:
You gambled and you won, congratulations! Everyone likes to hear a sucess story. I'm not sure that "hate" is the proper word to describe how all of us feel about SM.

"Angry" would be a better description. SM has alienated many people with their way of doing business. That aside, it's nice to hear that it works out for some. Maybe SM will change their policies some day, so that they get more positive comments, such as yours, in the future.

Well, I've been creative with Servicemagic and how there lead system works. Since I'ma home improvement contractor and I like interior work, instead of wasting money on 50 buck dead end leads on bath/kitchens/basements, I go small, windows, interior doors/exterior doors, sheetrock repairs. Those small leads have given me monster baths and kitchens. Its all about how you "use" the system, Everytime I decide to turn on Baths or kitchens, there always dead end leads. I get so angry I shut them off in a month and I go back to my smaller leads that lead into bigger ones. I don't know how everyone else uses them but thats how I tackle the monster of SM.

Reactions: 1

smitty58

· #5 · Dec 25, 2009

I've been with SM for a year and they have made me way more than I've spent on them. One of my tricks is this, since you can only turn off your leads for a 2 week vacation when I want to turn them off I just change my work to something out of season. Example: when I had more work than I could handle in the summer I turned everything off except "snowplowing". Then a month ago I turned everything off except "lawncare". It keeps my leads "on" without having to remember to change it to vacation every 2 weeks. The interesting thing that just happened is this, I had everything turned off except lawncare. I got a lead for lawncare which I thought was strange ,but the lady wanted to give her mother in law a Christmas present of lawncare for next year. Called her up and got the job. So I agree they work great but you do have to learn how to use them.

BuildersII

· #6 · Dec 30, 2009

I've actually had some success with SM. The handyman leads are only like 12 bucks, and every job I do is an opportunity to meet someone and drop a few business cards. I also tell our customers that we offer a cash back bonus for any job they refer us to that we get, so it's a way to get the word out. The average handyman job we get is probably about $500 when you factor in the bigger ones, and we just factor the cost of the leads (including the bad ones) into our markup.

Ben of Hyde

· #7 · Jan 5, 2010

Sm doesn't seem to work for Commercial only contractors... I'd try them again (tried for a few months 8 years back) but I've read a ton of bad press since.

Good for you though, I figure they have to be working for somebody somewhere!

ARealplumber

· #8 · Jan 5, 2010

Master Mechanic said:
I got the best lead ever ever ever, a lead where I didn't have to bid anything, no questions asked, and offered me over 100 accounts, which will total between 50-75k a year in gross business. I still can't believe it happened so easy. From this one lead that cost me 12 bucks I will grow my business.

Now, I've been with SM since 04' and only have a 150 buck a month cap and probably spent 5k with them over the past 5 years.

That 5k has given me way over 150k in work, not including this amazing lead I was given my SM.

To all the haters, lol on you, after 4-5 years SM finally paid off in spades.

Dont count your chickens until they hatch. Goodluck with the lead:thumbsup:

srwcontracting

· #9 · Jan 8, 2010

Master Mechanic, Thats a great idea with choosing the more inexpensive leads to get the larger jobs! One of the most frustrating things about SM is the exact matches.....I spend $75 per exact match for a bathroom, and I can't think of a single time that I've won a job from that.

festerized

· #10 · Jan 8, 2010

I tried the smaller job approach; the numbers didn’t work for me.
I was being charged $30 for a 50 to 100 repair, not worth it
Exact matches from SM are a waste.
Turn off your direct matches, not only is SM stealing your business name; they are making you pay for it thru direct matches,
I got a total of 20 “Exact Matches” at $75.00 each: total $1500.00
So if you break it down in a nut shell I was paying SM to steal my business and then reseal it back to me
I never landed any of those leads, all where dead end leads; either didn’t answer the phone, didn’t ask for the service or was just tire kicking
All exact matches should be prescreened and limited to two contractors
I would suggest to Service Magic to change their policy on exact matches
Otherwise Service magic will just push the exact matches to create more revenue
Without some kind of quality control I expect more contractors backing out of exact matches

Reactions: 1

srwcontracting

· #11 · Jan 8, 2010

How do you option out of exact match?? It states that you have to have at least $100 a month. The same goes for market match. I would definitely prefer to put the extra $100 towards the market matches...

brushmonkey

· #12 · Jan 8, 2010

SM was calling me so much they were like a crazy ex girlfriend. They were relentless in their campaign, constantly calling trying to sign up my company because I almost fell for it early on until I googled "service magic reviews" and read the horror stories about their so called screening process & how they are impossible to get ahold of & if you cancel they keep on charging your card. There we're alot more cons than pros. Do your own marketing...JMHO.

Reactions: 1

festerized

· #13 · Jan 8, 2010

To have exact matches removed you have to call SM and have it removed.
If you have Google local, SM will remove your reviews. I would do a keyword search on your company and save each page in word, before doing anything. SM uses your business. Name and profile to promote their own business
You have to tell SM that you want your name removed from these advertising links
SM uses these company’s and a few others to steal your business name:
City Search
National City Search
Super pages/Yellow pages
Switch Board
Insider pages
Penny Savers USA

HASupport

· #14 · Jan 8, 2010

Exact Match

SRW - Exact Match advertising is an option and if you choose that option then the $100 spend target is a required minimum. I left a message for you with my direct contact info and can help with this if you're interested.

Thanks for your time,

Shawn
[email protected]

srwcontracting

· #15 · Jan 8, 2010

Wow! A SM rep just called and helped out with removing my exact matches.....And as I told him I've been winning about 1 out of every 5 bids. So $250-$300 for a $6-$12,000 job really isn't that bad.... :shifty:

HASupport

· #16 · Jan 8, 2010

Exact Match

Festerized – Thank you for looking out for the other pros’ best interests. I’d like to point out that our XM advertising isn’t intended to steal your business name or to drive consumers to SM, by using your business name. The intent is to market your company online and drive consumers directly to you, advertising your business name and profile. Of one of the advantages of participating in Exact Match, we do filter out consumers not looking for your advertised line of work or coverage area (Tasks, Zip Codes). In this case, or when you’re not accepting leads, we advise the consumer that you aren’t available and offer to redirect to matched Service Professionals that are available.

Shawn
[email protected]

festerized

· #17 · Jan 8, 2010

Say no to Service Magic Exact Match

I’d like to point out that our XM advertising isn’t intended to steal your business name or to drive consumers to SM
BS, I was in a Google adwards bidding war with SM for 2 weeks.
Every time I increased my CPC SM would go higher. When I did a keyword search on my business name SM promoted sites mentioned above would come up before my own web site. That’s not only stealing my business, but SM is making me pay for it, GRR
I just got off the phone with a SM manager, She was very help full in explaining the hole XM process, would have been nice if SM would have clarified their policy when I canceled XM 2 months ago

handyhands

· #18 · Jan 8, 2010

Bullshiat.

I've been calling the people at service magic for 5 months straight in regards to my concern that when you do a google search with MY COMPANY NAME, that on the right side of the results page there's a link for the name of my company, but when you click on it, it drives the consumer to service magic's website.

-Each time, they pass the buck and no one wants to take responsibility for this.

Besides dealing with a select couple of online lead generating companies, we spend alot of dollars in our own website and seo in hopes of obtaining our own "exclusive" leads that we aren't competing with every contractor in the area on.

I've been off of the "exact match" program for months and this is still happening.

ADDRESS THAT, SHAWN.

--Also, you say that you're simply using the contractors name to advertise for them in an effort to of drive traffic directly to him? Again, Bullshiat.--That would defeat SM'S purpose of getting the lead (which should have ORGANICALLY gone to the contractors' website itself, but instead "HIJACKING" the lead, and then not only selling it back to the contractor you HIJACKED it from, but then reselling it several other times to the guy's own competition.:no:

You know what's going on, Shawn- admit it. Please don't continue to blow smoke up the mASSES of contractors that rely on legit services in hopes of generating business.

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Reactions: 4

HASupport

· #19 · Jan 8, 2010

Exact Match

Handyhands – without knowing the exact name of your company, it’s difficult to give you a direct answer (I would like to take a look and see if there’s anything we can do). You mentioned the “right side of the page”, being a sponsored link, we bid on keywords that are at times within a business name (e.g. ABC Carpentry). If you notice that business name within the sponsored results, the keyword bid should be in bold. The sponsored results you’re seeing, on the side of the google results page, are not about Exact Match advertising.

If the consumer selects your company’s website from the organic search results, SM has nothing to do with the process. It’s up to the consumers that select a company, from the SM’s exact match advertising, to select additional service professionals if they choose.

handyhands

· #20 · Jan 8, 2010

You mean, there's something YOU can do, that the last 6 people I spoke to in regards to this CAN'T?

Imagine my dismay.:no:

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