TalkLocal is a local services marketplace and learning algorithm that matches consumers to businesses and then connects the consumer to the best local pro available by phone and in about 90 seconds. Free to consumers, businesses pay each time they speak to a qualified customer following a free lead preview.
To learn more, we caught up with Raj Karyampudi, head of business development and growth at TalkLocal:
What local problem(s) does TalkLocal solve? How?
For consumers, finding a reputable local service professional (think plumber/lawyer/roofer) can be quite the process. It usually involves talking to a friend, searching for the company on your favorite engine, reading reviews on your favorite review site and if it passes the sniff test, a call is made. Amazingly, about half the time the vendor doesn’t answer. Incredible, but a very common occurrence.
TalkLocal’s perspective is: why spend the time researching vendors that aren’t available to help you or don’t want to help you? TalkLocal collects job details, calls reputable vendors for them and then bridges the call to a pro that can help in as little as 90 seconds. All while keeping the consumer’s contact information private. After a match is made, company review data is provided so credibility can be verified by the consumer. That’s the seamless and stress free consumer experience we strive for.
Businesses need to reach online customers, but many don’t have the time, money, or tech-knowledge to market themselves effectively online. TalkLocal helps businesses by letting them connect to the online and mobile searching consumers they want using the method that works best for them, by picking up the phone.
What makes TalkLocal innovative?
TalkLocal essentially converts online searches by consumers to offline inbound calls to local business- thereby bridging the disconnect that leaves so many businesses out as consumers increasingly go digital and mobile. Just about every business has a phone, so any business can get discovered by a qualified online or mobile consumer using TalkLocal.
Our algorithm aggregates local business information from across the web and adds in TalkLocal conversation analytics and the pro’s own preferences into the equation so that businesses can get discovered by the right customer, even if they have a weak online presence.
How does TalkLocal make the local space better for advertisers and/or consumers?
TalkLocal takes the hassles out of trying to connect with a local pro who matches the consumer’s schedule and service needs.
Rather than read countless reviews, leave several voice or e-mails, or get turned away by booked or distant companies, consumers simply submit a service request with job, schedule, zip-code, and contact information and stand by. TalkLocal’s algorithm aggregates business information from across the web, learns which business is most likely to do the job well and on the consumer’s schedule, and sends the best available pro a free lead preview with the option to connect directly with the consumer through our secure line.
For the local service professionals on the platform, they never have to worry about paying for leads to customers they never speak to, that aren’t real, or don’t match their service area/schedule. They only pay for conversations.
TalkLocal also includes non-member companies in its matching algorithm so we can get consumers connected to a top rated company no matter where the consumer is in the country. We happily give nonmember companies free leads whenever member companies are unavailable to give our users the help they need.
All this makes the web a more reliable and efficient resource for consumers nationwide.
What is next in local?
The local search space is painted into a corner because it caters to the tech-savvy minority of small businesses and abandons the large portion who aren’t keen on adopting new tech and totally transforming the way they do business.
Even the most successful may have nationally recognized brands, yet consistently fail to deliver in certain small or rural communities. This profoundly hinders their growth potential.
So, to better saturate the markets, the biggest home services companies will begin adopting an all of the above approach to connection methods: automated bookings, messaging, and click-to-call, all from a single platform.
To learn more, check out the video below, visit www.talklocal.com or download the TalkLocal Apps. Regarding business development opportunities, Raj can be contacted at his email, raj@talklocal.com.
