Has anyone tried this yet- https://www.bark.com/

This screams Craigslist, Gigsalad, Gigmasters,Thumbtrap - I mean thumbtack. No haven't tried it but because all the red flags I listed came up the instant the page loaded.

I decided to add a listing, but haven't paid for their featured membership.

I think Bark have contacted me. I am a mobile Dj they want me to sign up. I think they ask you to pay per lead. I haven't used it I would guess this type of site is used by people looking to get a great deal. In most cases that will mean the cheapest.

They emailed me 2 last night. The first one they offered me was for free. They gave me the information and I called the prospect and got a booking. I tried for the second gig they offered me. Now it is telling me to pay a fee to get credits to receive the prospects information. I did not go for it. In the morning time I received another gig offering from them. This time I did pay for the credits totaling $7.20 with my credit card. I found out it leads to a different magician. I guess he was putting in information to see how it works. I am not worried about the $7.20 I lost. I am making a lot of money from the first one they offered to me with free credits.

Bark reminds me of a different company we discussed earlier. I forgot the name of it. It has a logo of a man with a goofy face. I never tried for it. They might have changed their name.

Was it by any chance "Thumbtack"?

I wouldn't pay for anything from them.

Just ran their site through SEMRush.com and they look like the ONLY traffic they get is from service providers looking to market themselves.
Meaning it doesn't look like CLIENTS are on the site at all.

https://www.screencast.com/t/KHnA9tf9WXyp

the best phrase they rank for is "local professional services"
and if I was looking for a magician, a balloon guy, handyman, plumber, or any other service provider I would look for the service and not a generic term.

I've never understood why someone would want to advertise or be part of a general services site when there are specific ones for entertainment. People interested in performers would much more likely go to these than a site that also has handyman services, landscapers, pool guys, housewives who offer sewing services, etc. Why not be on Angie's List? Same reason.

Just google "[your city] magician"
Find the bark advertisement (see attached screenshot).

This is what a prospect sees:

Cheap Chicago Magician |Save up to $200
Find cheap local Magicians with Bark for Free!
Kids Party Magicians Event Magicians Wedding Magicians
Wedding Magicians - from $200.00 - Impress Your Guests

--

RUN.

The first word in the ad is "Cheap."
The word "cheap" occurs again, then the word "save," then the word "free."
Then it says "from $200."

I don't want anyone who is attracted to that ad,
and I don't want my face shown once they do click it.

--

P.S. I've seen Gigsalad run the same kind of ad--leaning on "affordable/cheaper-than-sewage" type of words.
Bark is really running with the idea, trying to sell magicians as if we were tupperware.

Click here to view attached image.

How about this: Bark features a "guarantee." They claim that if I buy 50 credits, and do not land an event with those credits, I will get my credits back.

The guarantee does not say I will get my money back. It says I will get my credits back.

Your still better off just doing some good marketing.

It doesn't take much to beat these types of sites.
Get your basic business listings (audit what you have here https://knowem.com/ )

It would take less than 15hrs of work to bury most of these sites in a local market.

Brainbuster: I did Search as you suggested and Bark came up.

and one of the things it said was Children's Birthdays from $75.

Yikes

Wife's been getting spammed by them for the past couple days.

Me as well.

By Bark.com?

Yes. They sent her a "freebie" offer, which she ignored other than showing me. They then proceeded to send her basically the same offer several times a day for a few days. Seems kind of desperate.

Haha, add me to the list too. I just received an inquiry to my office about an hour ago I'm told.

FYI

GigMasters is no more effective 7/29/19.


Enter the Dragon:


THE BASH


So we have Bark and Bash..........perhaps a merger in the works in 2021....heard it here first

The name change from Gigmasters to The Bash is WELCOME by me.

"Gigmasters" sucks as a name. It appeals to performers looking for a gig...not to an event host looking for entertainment.
I'm glad they finally changed it.

The company that really needs a name change is Gigsalid.