Ratedpeople.com

[damo21184]

Hi guys,

just wondering if any of you have used sites like ratedpeople.com to get work, and have you got much work from it?

[Sir Ramic]

Dont waste your time is my advice.

[peteablard]

As above, complete waste of time. Never heard a good report yet!

[Stewart]

Waste of money....


Created on iPhone.....

[nybor62]

i have a pal who tried it, waste of time, auction jobs out, you end up working for nothing, and have to pay for the leads, no guarantee you will get the job, give it a wide birth

[Gazebo]

as above...I used to use mybuilder.com but now they not only charge a quarterly subscription but also want a fee for the lead.


waste of time...........and money.......

[andy allen]

waste of time, money and space...

[bennyp5938]

All above are definitely spot on. I've used rated people in the past (not for quite some time & never again). fees are high, lead fees are high and the only people who do well out of all lead companies/sites are those that own them! save your money and invest it in other worthwhile means of advertising.

[DN1986]

I registered on it at start of this month to see what it was all about.

£12 for first three months to register. Then you pay bout £40 a quarter.

You get your first lead free. It they're not cheap. On average £12 for a job under £500. It's full of customers wanting everything doing for nothing. A waste of time and money in my opinion. Certainly not paying for another quarter. Glad I only lost the £12 reg fee.

Stay clear would be my advice.

[judge]

I might try and get a job with ratedpeople.com.............they seem to be making good money by looks of it

[beano]

yeh or start your own judge lol, used them b4 they charged a quarter rate, got some decent work from them but not anymore, as above waste of time and money, much better working off reputation

[Dan]

They key thing is with these websites is whether they rank for your area. A customer will probably just head to Google and not any one of those types of websites, so if they're number one for "tiler in xxxxxx" (xxxxxx being your area) then clearly they will get some hits from customers in that area. But for a small fee you can get your own website sorted out and it will rank above any listing / directory type website so really you'd end up with all the traffic and need to pay nobody for it.

I also knew of a bunch of people that kept changing their skills from one category to another and were quoting for all sorts of jobs they couldn't do. So I think the reputation of the members of those websites can be tarnished by other members far too easily.

I would take all the free listings you can get, but never pay to be listed on somebody elses website. Get your own instead.

[DJS]

I've used it since I started out on my own last year. I have found it useful to an extent, but I am now coming to the same conclusions as everyone else. The lead costs have gone up considerably in the last 12 months as they have started to do more national advertising to promote the site. With that the number of leads have jumped up recently, however, most RP customers are domestic and have an expectation to find a bargain from a good tradesperson on a site like that, not a professional or company who charges the going rate.

Some customers I have called to chase up a quote have told me I was unsuccessful and what they are going to pay for the work. Sometimes 50% less than what I am asking!! Even when I know I should be pushing my day rate up a bit. So I have found myself up against cowboys, who are willing to dot and dab over chipboard and concrete floors that need levelling by 25mm.

I have got alot of repeat work and referal work from some of the customers I have bought leads from (all my jobs have got 5 star ratings) I use these as my references and upload photo's of jobs to my RP website gallery. Simple enough to email a link to my RP website to a potential customer I am preparing a quote for.

My tactic's are to be very picky about the leads I buy. Mainly going off the postcode and knowing the local area, also by what description the customer actually give's (some really are bad). However, I do find the occassional good customer. Is it worth it for the overall hassell - NO! You spend too much time and money chasing work you won't win.

I'm coming to the end of my 2nd yr self-employed and tiling, and I want to break free of my ties to RP this year. Good and bad experience with it, but it is not exactly a sustainable form of advertising for a business. And most of the time, a waste of time.

Now I have some decent jobs under my belt and the photo's, I will be looking into building my own website this year and finally getting my van signed up. Planned on having it done by end of 2011, but work got busy and the van required a few unplanned trips to the garage - almost bled me dry...lol

Like me now, I hope you manage to find another way.

[365drills]

Actually I had a look at this not from the perspective of leads and quotes but they offer an affiliate program to pay £6 for sending them a customer or a lead. So I get a vistior on 365drills.com and then if I send them over to Rtd Ple Dt Cm them they pay me.

But my concern is that there are a lot of these sites that come and go. Granted this one is spending a lot of money on PR and adverts (£5 million I think) so they are trying to grab the market share early and become like the ebay of the world.

Probably while they have a heavy marketing campaign it might be worth Tilers gambling £10+VAT for the three months trial (Say Feb-2012 Mar-2012 Apr-2012) because suddenly a whole bunch of Mr & Mrs Smith are sitting in front of their TV listing to Phil & Kirsty Bloke from Location Location Location telling them to go on that site and look for leads. They are clearly heavily advertising so it might be worth jumping on the curve of that??

As for the affiliate program I dont think I will bother with that.

Suppose that site shares the same problem as all lead generation services. They dont or cant control the quality of whats posted. Probably as mentioned above a lot of cheap jobs. One or two stars out there. Hopefully by doing the adverts more people will post better adverts or jobs?

Its a punt either way. But it does seem from reviews here that it did NOT work out for most who spent the cash

[andy8758]

Interesting range of views on Rated People. From long established professionals - waste of money. From tilers looking to establish reputation - give it a try. I gave it a try - and from jobs done I have had a lot of extra work from personal recommendations from my customers to their workmates, friends and family. One job alone from got me 5 other jobs last year!

In other words if you use it realistically - it can repay your costs many times over. I consider it an advertising/marketing cost. I am rarely the cheapest "estimate" but I win work for (a customer text giving me the job) "A thoroughly professional approach." Yes people want cheap work done - but many are realisitic enough to see that cowboys will quote as well as professional traders.

In the last 2 years I have tried a lot of marketing with varying results - Yell was very expensive and only customer was the employee entering my info online!! Leaflet drops - nothing. Local paper ads - expensive every week builds name recognition but only 2 referred customers (one got me 4 months work but other one was employee in ad dept of paper!). Homebase cards - expensive (nearly £300) 3 year contract and 1 customer in 3 months so far. Thomson Local - one builder with attitude and expensive annual fee. My own website - 4 customers in 12 months but helped win when other potential customers referred there. MyBuilder website - expensive membership and auction process did not work for me. EdFirst - expensive annual membership (£150) - promised leads never materialised from sales talk (we all get caught out sometimes). Google Adwords - 1 or 2 customers per month but really quite expensive (around £50-90 per month). And so I am still looking to find marketing that gives good reliable customer generation for little outlay.

I accepted when I started out in this business that nothing would happen quickly, and the truth is that your work "talks" and as my reputation improves so I may be able to rely less on dodgy "tradesmen" web sites.

Of all the websites and advertising/marketing that I have looked at Rated People worked best for me. Yes membership is expensive (annual membership available for £80 or £40 per qtr), you pay £16 for job leads worth £250 or more, some customers "fish" for quotes whilst you pay a fee, some customers "disappear" although Rated People credit your fee when you report this, and you are often competing against weekend tradesmen/chancers/pocketmoney retirees/here-today-gone-tomorrow cowboys.

But work is work - and whether I pay Rated People or Associated Newspapers makes little difference in the end - its about filling my books and making a profit whilst I work in a profession I enjoy.

As a final thought to those of you who have been working as a professional tiler for 20 or 30 years - you have built such a strong reputation for yourselves that advertising is probably now a minor consideration.

[365drills]

Good to read one where it has worked out. Yes agree with you Andy all advertising is about "Return on Investment" The work and jobs should reflect and pay back the cost of advertising.

I guess a positive point about using this style of marketing is that is it very easy to work out if its a success (or not). You can soon tell.

For those who spent money and it didnt work out then its a shame. But its great to read stories / testimonials from those who it did work for.

You are right for those who already have a reputation its less of an issue. For those without the network contacts its all about how much they are willing to pay and gamble. I think your post has at least show that with the right responses it can work.

[damo21184]

thanks for the messages guys

[ian158]

IT DOES WORK!!!!!!! dont use rated people, however im on mybuilder and myhammer, and I have got all my work from these since i started last year. However i don't just tile, some may consider it a waste of time but since i started last year I have had about £15k worth of work, but also customers then tell there friends and family and got work from word of mouth, so in my experience its been my lifeline, People can moan it cost money but how much does it cost to advertise, I don't, I pay for leads, some you win some you don't, but if your an established tiler etc then you dont need the leads i suppose. It takes time to get reviews but get lots of photos of your work and post in your profile , you may need to come down on your prices to get the work, get the reviews but its worth it in the end, worked for me, and i have 2 months work in front of me because of these sites, and repeat work from customers that I initially got from both sites, so I disagree with the negative comments that have been posted here !.

Some of my first jobs were fitting loft ladders and cat flaps for heavens sake, this has progressed to bathrooms, countless in the last 6 months, 3 kitchens and total house decortation. What clients do is read the reviews given, it works and continues to work for me.

Ian

[ian158]

I have found most people don't go on the cheapest price, except some ethnic minorities, they first see if they like you !, then reviews and pictures of your work. I live in Huntingdon but I have travelled up to 40 miles for work, but its work I would not have normally had starting out. id rather earn x amount, build up a portfolio and reviews which in turn could potentially get you more work, than sit at home moaning !

Also what I will add is due to these sites, I have got more work, which in turn has required extra labour, using painters, plumbers and tilers to cover some of the work needed, so not has it given me work, its given others I have used because of my work load. every ones a winner

[Dan]

I'd concentrate on getting your own web presence sorted out with a website of your own and whatnot. Get it ranking for the areas you cover. And then if you're getting no work from it, then consider other avenues.

A website is a one-off payment and you can have all your own review systems integrated with it. If you are always giving a % of the job or a lead price or whatever to these other types of websites and never investing in your own I think you're missing a trick.

[AliGage]

You can get setup with your own website cheap enough nowadays. Never used any of the websites people are mentioning in here. I always used to just advertise in the local rag. Have to ensure you are in it every week though and can be expensive.
I also find that most of my suppliers will put your cards about to retail customers. Some even have areas in store dedicated for displaying cards.Get your portfolio on your websites and your website name on the card and you soon get your name about.

Ian158 - did you say you only started trading a year ago? Is that £15k net? If so for a start up business in it's first year thats a pretty good net profit.

[ian158]

You can get setup with your own website cheap enough nowadays. Never used any of the websites people are mentioning in here. I always used to just advertise in the local rag. Have to ensure you are in it every week though and can be expensive.
I also find that most of my suppliers will put your cards about to retail customers. Some even have areas in store dedicated for displaying cards.Get your portfolio on your websites and your website name on the card and you soon get your name about.

Ian158 - did you say you only started trading a year ago? Is that £15k net? If so for a start up business in it's first year thats a pretty good net profit.

no thats gross, but I reckon if it keeps going as it is it will double this year, I have advertised in the local shops, suppliers and papers, and got no work, i got more work from my van sign written than local advertising.

[AliGage]

Still pretty good figures for your first year.

[ian158]

well proof that mybuilder and myhammer works then, Most of that is labour to, I reckon £1500 for materials overall as I get client to get materials

[mhtiler]

Stay well clear of any companies like these,all they want is to make money,after all they are a business,i have used this method of trying to get work,but all i found out that you pay and pay and pay oh and also pay to them monthly and for the text messages,plus all the fuel you`ll need to run all over to do the quoting,but never get the jobs,all a big CON,stay well clear or you will lose out.

[ian158]

Stay well clear of any companies like these,all they want is to make money,after all they are a business,i have used this method of trying to get work,but all i found out that you pay and pay and pay oh and also pay to them monthly and for the text messages,plus all the fuel you`ll need to run all over to do the quoting,but never get the jobs,all a big CON,stay well clear or you will lose out.

im sorry but i disagree, yes you do pay a fee, but I make it back somewhere along the line, and until ive got a few years behind me were ive been established I really cannot complain.

[Dave]

im sorry but i disagree, yes you do pay a fee, but I make it back somewhere along the line, and until ive got a few years behind me were ive been established I really cannot complain.

We are all entitled to our opinions, what works for one might not another... so simply state that and leave others to sate their opinions..

I see above you have been trading just over a year, it states 20 yrs + on your web page...

[ian158]

We are all entitled to our opinions, what works for one might not another... so simply state that and leave others to sate their opinions..

I see above you have been trading just over a year, it states 20 yrs + on your web page...

ive been doing up my own houses , and learning the trades needed for over 20 years, self taught, inbetween the times of coming in and out of the industry I have work in the film and tv industry building sets, having had enough of travelling to london for the last 8 years, i decided to channel my work back into the building game, so trading as image services for 1 year yes ? is that a problem ?

[Dave]

Not a problem at all, just asking a simple question... is that ok

[ian158]

it was the way you said it, but you can never tell when its in a text you never know, i assumed you thought i was a liar, anyway we are clearer now