Has anyone signed up with Service Magic?

[TraceyHill3]

I searched the forums, but I can't find any info on this. Has anyone used this to get leads for photography? Did it help?

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[bullychk04]

While I can't speak for it for photography, we did use it at my day job (Plumbing/HVAC Contracting) and it was horrible. They basically charge you for each lead they send to you via email or text. Each charge could differ based on the type of job. They send it out to 3-5 other contractors (photographers), and it's up to the customer to choose which one. You can choose how much you want to spend each month, and what types of services you want to provide. The more services you choose, the more leads you get.

HOWEVER....for us when we used it, we got a lot of dead leads. For example, I had text on my phone for a customer who wanted to replace their oil heater. That charged my account $50. I called the customer to follow up on the lead...."Oh, I don't want my heater replaced, I was looking for someone to deliver oil". Being a contractor, we don't supply oil. So I wasted $50. This is just an example, I've followed up on their leads, the customers don't call you back, they don't pan out, etc. I think after 3-4 months of doing this, we had one pan out. For our line of work, it didn't even cover the cost.

Like I said, it could be different for photographers, but me personally, I won't be using their services.

[TraceyHill3]

Thanks so much for your reply. I won't be using them. I don't think paying for every lead you get whether good or bad is going to work. I'll find leads another way.

[neil916]

I used them for my computer repair business. I had a similar experience as bullychk04 did and although we were charged a lot less than $50 for a lead, the leads we did get were often of very low quality, frequently with phones that were never answered. Since leads were also distributed to several competitors at the same time, on a few occasions I booked an appointment with a customer, only to have them call back a few minutes later to say (oh, this other company called me as well, and they're going to do it cheaper, so never mind). That's business, but what was the most infuriating to me is that service magic poisoned many of my internet search directory listings with one that replaced my phone number with THEIR phone number (that wasn't even in my area code). I'm still unable to get some of them sorted out six months after I've severed my relationship with that company.

Nope. Won't go back there...