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Bark.com primarily offers one main paid membership for service professionals, known as Elite Pro. While the core service allows you to create a free profile and view leads, Elite Pro is the premium subscription designed to help you gain a significant advantage.
Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects and what to expect:
1. Free Professional Account (Standard)
- Cost: Free to create.
- Benefits:
- Create a professional profile to showcase your services.
- Receive notifications for leads matching your criteria.
- View details of potential leads (location, service needed, budget, etc.).
- You pay with credits to respond to specific leads you’re interested in. The cost of credits varies and the number of credits required per lead depends on the service type, location and job details.
- No commission taken on jobs you secure.
- “Get Hired Guarantee”: Bark offers a guarantee where if you don’t get hired with your first pack of credits, they’ll often return them. This is designed to reduce the initial risk for new users.
2. Elite Pro Membership (Premium Subscription)
- Cost: This is a paid subscription, usually billed monthly or annually. The exact price isn’t publicly listed and often depends on your service category and potentially other factors. You would need to contact Bark directly or check your account’s upgrade options for specific pricing.
- Key Benefits (as of current information for the UK):
- Elite Pro Badge (Gold Badge): A prominent badge on your profile that signals to customers you are a top or verified professional, boosting trust and potentially hiring rates.
- Higher Ranking/Featured Placement: Elite Pros often appear higher in search results or in “seller suggestions” presented to customers, increasing your visibility and exposure.
- Exclusive Elite Pro Discounts on Credit Packs: You receive a percentage discount on the cost of purchasing credits which can lead to significant savings if you respond to a high volume of leads. (e.g., often a 20% discount).
- Free Responses to Aged Leads: Elite Pro typically includes a set number of free responses per month to leads that haven’t received replies after a certain period (e.g., 5 free responses per month to leads with no responses after 48 hours). This allows you to pursue less competitive leads without using your paid credits.
- Public Profile SEO Backlink and Published Contact Details: This is a major advantage. Your profile can include a direct link to your own business website (beneficial for SEO) and may also display your direct phone number and email allowing customers to contact you without you having to spend credits.
- Priority Customer Support: Faster assistance with queries, issues or credit return requests.
- Report Low Quality Leads in One Click: Streamlined process for requesting credit returns for leads that are clearly invalid or poor quality.
- Invoicing Tools: Access to integrated tools to help manage your billing.
- Bark Verified Badge: While not strictly Elite Pro, Elite Pro members are encouraged to complete the “Bark Verified” process (providing proof of identity, business registration, etc.), which further enhances credibility.
How to determine which is best for you:
- Start with the Free Account: If you’re new to Bark.com, it’s always recommended to start with the free professional account and purchase a small starter pack of credits. This allows you to test the waters, understand the lead quality in your area/service and see if the platform is a good fit for your business.
- Evaluate ROI: After using the free account for a while, calculate your return on investment. How many leads did you purchase? How many converted into paying clients? What was the profit from those clients?
- Consider Elite Pro if:
- You’re getting a consistent stream of good quality leads but want to increase your conversion rate and visibility.
- The cost savings on credits, combined with the potential for direct inquiries and increased exposure, outweigh the subscription fee.
- You’re in a competitive industry where standing out is crucial.
In essence, Bark.com offers a credit-based pay-per-lead system as its fundamental model and the Elite Pro subscription acts as an accelerator, providing premium features to enhance your chances of securing more business.
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