John Oberlin-Harris – Page 3

5 essential household jobs to tackle this Autumn

It’s October. The days are getting shorter, the leaves are turning brown and the weather’s already starting to take a turn for the worse.

That means it’s time to start fixing up your home to keep out the wind and rain, and to make sure your garden is looking its best for when you entertain guests for Halloween or Bonfire Night.

To help you get your home ready for the changing of the seasons, here are our five essential household jobs to tackle this Autumn.

Get your garden ready for winter

As Autumn progresses and temperatures start to fall, many of your plants will either prepare for dormancy or die outright. So putting the garden to bed for the winter is mostly a matter of clearing up and covering up.

But, let’s face it, digging up the icy ground and shovelling mulch in the sleet and rain is nasty work. So why not draft in a professional to do it for you?

Place your Bark now and we’ll begin contacting recommended local gardeners on your behalf right away.

Book your boiler in for a service

It’s already getting cold enough outside to justify firing up your boiler in the evenings – and that means it’s time to book it in for its annual checkup.

The extra strain that’s put on your boiler during the colder months can cause it to leak or break. So it’s important to make sure yours is in top working order before it gets too nasty outside.

It’s also a great way to make sure your central heating is running efficiently, and could save you up to 25% on your heating bills.

Clear your guttering of leaves and debris

Gutters have one job – to guide rainwater off your roof and straight down the drain. But, despite their importance, it can be all too easy to forget about them until something goes badly wrong.

Allowing your gutters to become clogged can cause serious structural damage to your house, and lead to health issues for you and your family from the damp.

That’s why it’s important to hire someone to check your guttering thoroughly at least once a year to keep everything working properly.

Protect your home against winter pests

When the weather starts to turn, mice and rats often make their way inside seeking refuge against the elements – and unless you want to end up sharing your space with them later in the year, now is the time to act.

It takes a trained eye to find and block the gaps small rodents may use to enter your home, as mice can completely flatten their skeletons to fit through even the tiniest gaps.

So place a pest control Bark today to get quotes from pest control experts in your area fast and free.

Keep your home looking spotless through ‘party season’

Whether you’re having your friends over for Guy Fawkes Night, throwing an epic Halloween party or just having your family round for Christmas – there’s nothing like a good party to brighten up the winter months.

Unfortunately, these big social events can really take their toll on your garden, kitchen and living room. But with thousands of registered housekeepers on our site, keeping your home spotless through party season is easy with Bark.

Place your house cleaning request today and we’ll do all the legwork to get you quotes from recommended local pros fast and free.

Ask the Expert: How to protect your home from mice and other winter pests

Unfortunately, we aren’t the only mammals who like to cosy up warm indoors during the winter months.

When the weather starts to turn, pests of all shapes and sizes venture inside to seek refuge from the elements – and unless you want to end up sharing your home with them later in the year, now is the time to act.

So we spoke to one of our top pest control experts – Josh Simpson from King Pest Control – to discover what you can do today to keep your home free from pests this winter.

Watch out for mice and rats this winter

“Rodents are the main issue in colder months, as insect activity reduces at a rapid rate,” says Josh. “Mice are pushed in due to the harsh weather conditions outside, but they will be found all year round once present.”

It’s not just the cold that drives animals indoors in winter, either. Josh says that snow and heavy downpours can also cause flooding and force even the largest rodents to abandon their usual homes.

“Rat infestations, nine times out of 10, tend to come from drainage faults,” he explains. “We see a surge of rat jobs after heavy rain due to the rats being pushed out of drains for safe harbourage.”

Block entry points to keep the rodents at bay

The key to keeping your house rodent-free is to find and block all holes they might use to enter your home – such as cracks in doors and windows, and any openings caused by recent plumbing or electrical works.

But, because many rodents can flatten their out skeletons to fit through even the tiniest gaps, it takes an experienced eye to survey a property and identify all possible access points.

“Mice are capable of gaining access through holes as little as 5mm,” Josh explains. “So we advise you to always get a professional to step in and block the holes.”

What to do if you spot an “unwanted visitor”

If you do discover signs of unwanted guests, it can be tempting to try and deal with them using ‘over the counter’ traps. But, Josh warns that attempting to resolve the problem by yourself can have unintended consequences.

“Contact professionals immediately,” he advises. “Mice and rats are dangerous animals and a risk to health due to the diseases they carry.”

“Dealing with infestations can be dangerous to non-target species if poison or traps are not laid in a correct way,” he adds. “Poisoning or trapping certain species of mammal can land you in prison, so it’s always best to leave it to someone who knows what they are doing.”

The easy way to keep your home pest-free this winter

With thousands of registered pest control experts throughout the UK, protecting your home against pests like mice and rats is easy with Bark.

“The most rewarding thing about my job is our ability to help people when they are in desperate need of help,” says Josh. “Also, being able to solve problems which other pest controllers can’t fix is very rewarding.”

Place your Bark today and we’ll do all the legwork to get you quotes from recommended local pest controllers like King Pest Control fast and free.

Ask the Expert: How to get more customers and grow your business with Bark

Thousands of people throughout the UK use Bark every single day to find new customers and grow their businesses.

Some use our service here and there to fill the gaps in their diaries. Others use us to generate thousands of pounds a month, often using Bark as their sole source of qualified leads for their business.

But, in our experience, there’s one thing that all our best pros have in common, no matter how frequently they use Bark. They know how to make their businesses stand out by presenting clients with a great sales pitch.

To help you get the most out of our service, we spoke to some of our most successful professionals to discover their biggest pitching secrets.

“We’ve made some great contacts and
generated £10,000 in business”

“I made a 30x Return On Investment on my second Bark response,” says Very Clever Marketing’s Dom Murphy. “We’ve made some great contacts and several loyal customers, and generated approximately £10,000 in business.”

Dom initially joined Bark because, unlike other lead generation services, it doesn’t cost a penny to open an account – and you can hear about customers in your area completely free of charge.

Since then, he’s generated roughly £10,000 using our service, and says the key to his success is his ability to quickly form relationships with customers.

“Focus on building relationships,” he says. “Offer the customer something for free – tell them about a special offer you have on. Encourage them to call you or perhaps even call them yourself and say you’re calling in response to their Bark listing.”

“Explain to the customer that you’d like to meet with them or talk on the phone,” he adds. “This will allow you to build a relationship with them, instead of just throwing the book at them and quoting.”

“Realise that there are several others responding too. It’s not a ‘solus’ lead just for you,” he concludes. “Make yourself stand out from the get-go and avoid using terminology or jargon.”

“I recommend Bark to all my friends
with small businesses”

Having been in business for 11 years, Janet Gow has historically been wary of lead generation companies – but after a great experience with Bark, she’s now changed her tune.

“In the six months I have been listed with Bark I have already secured £7,000 worth of business,” she explains. “I now recommend Bark to all my other friends with small businesses.”

John Austen from Marvel Booths agrees Bark has the potential to help small businesses grow exponentially.

“Bark has helped us grow the photo booth side of our business exponentially,” he says. “We have already invested in a magic mirror and second photo booth, four months ahead of schedule.”

“You need to have great marketing material, and you really need to think about how you’re going to stand out from other competitors,” he adds. “You can only be the cheapest for so long.”

He says the best advice he can give to someone who’s thinking about signing up to Bark is to just give it a go – so long as you remember to treat it the same as you would any other part of your marketing strategy.

“I’d say put aside some budget and give it a go. Perhaps enough for 100-odd credits, which is around £115,” he explains. “If the client doesn’t read your response [and their phone number doesn’t work], you get a refund anyway.”

“If you get even two bookings it’s probably been worth your while,” he adds. “And you’ll get direct contact with around 20 potential clients for that fee. In theory, that’s probably better value than advertising on AdWords and Bing.”

He concludes: “Think about your USP and make sure your customer service is exceptional. Who knows where it might take you!”

Join today and start hearing about potential
customers completely FREE

We hope this article has given you some fresh insights into how our most successful pros pitch for business on Bark.

Put their advice into action today and soon you too could be growing your business online with our qualified lead generation service – just like Dom, Janet and John.

If you’re new to Bark, you can start hearing about customers in your area completely free, so you can get a feel for just how easy it can be to secure new business with Bark.

Simply click the link below now and claim your free Bark account to start growing your business with Bark right away.

Click here now to start growing your business with Bark.

Book a boiler service today to ensure your home stays warm this winter

Autumn has barely begun and already there’s a chill in the air. Soon, it will be time to fire up the boiler and bed in for the cold months ahead.

Keeping your boiler in top working order is essential if you want to avoid unpleasant outages later in the year. It’s also a great way to ensure your central heating is running efficiently, and could save you up to 25% on your heating bills.

Here’s why you should book your boiler in now for its annual checkup to help make sure your home stays lovely and warm this winter.

Why do boilers break in winter?

Your boiler is the main system responsible for heating your home, and it does this by boiling water to generate steam. That steam then heats the air in a forced air system, such as your central heating or underfloor heating.

If your boiler doubles as your hot water heater, it will work all year round. But, as the temperature starts to cool, it will need to work much harder to boil its water.

This can put extra strain on your boiler, especially if it’s poorly maintained – and as a result, your boiler is more likely to break in winter.

How can you tell if your boiler is broken?

Boiler failure can present itself in a variety of ways – the most obvious being if it stops working entirely and your house becomes freezing cold. If your boiler also supplies your house with hot water, a broken boiler will also leave your home without hot water.

Worst of all, poorly maintained boilers can start leaking highly dangerous carbon monoxide gas. Over 4,000 people are admitted to A&E with boiler related carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK each year – so it’s important to get yours serviced regularly.

What does a boiler technician do?

During a service checkup, your boiler technician will check for oil or gas leaks, and maximise the efficiency of your boiler . An experienced boiler technician will also be able to listen for any strange noises that might indicate damage.

Should your boiler need replacing, they may also conduct a heating system flush to remove any waste or sludge that’s built up in your heating system.

How much could you save?

Having a boiler engineer optimise your boiler’s efficiency has the potential to substantially reduce your heating bills. For example, while some people view them as being generally less reliable, modern boilers are significantly more efficient than their older counterparts.

According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, boilers more than 15 years old are likely to have less than 70% efficient. By contrast, modern boilers are typically more than 90% efficient.

That means replacing your old boiler with a new one has the potential to knock 25% off your heating bills.

Where can you find a reliable boiler technician?

With Bark, finding a reliable boiler technician is easy. We’ll do all the legwork to find you recommended local pros, so you can simply choose the one that’s right for you.

When selecting a boiler technician, it’s important to keep their level of experience in mind. If your boiler runs on gas, you should also ask if they’re a member of the UK Gas Safe Register, as all UK gas engineers are required to register with this body by law.

Place a Bark today to prepare your boiler for winter, and get quotes from recommended boiler technicians in your area fast and free.

How to hire a great caterer for your next event or party

What party would be complete without delicious food? It’s the secret ingredient that keeps your guests dancing and having fun well into the small hours – so it’s important your caterer serves up a feast everyone can enjoy.

At Bark, we’re proud to be helping people throughout the UK find great local catering companies. But before we start putting you in touch with caterers in your area, you need to know what you’re looking for.

To help you choose the right pro for you, we created this easy guide to hiring a great caterer for your next event or party.

Know your guest profile

While it might be relatively easy to create a menu your closest friends will enjoy, when planning larger events you’ll often need to cater for a range of tastes and eating requirements.

For example, older attendees may prefer a milder, less adventurous menu to younger guests. Meanwhile, guests concerned with health and fitness may prefer more seafood or vegetarian options.

Considering your guests’ preferences in this way should help you arrive at a much clearer idea about what sort of caterer you’re looking for.

Plan your menu

Once you know what sorts of guest you’re expecting, it’s time to start planning your menu.

With Bark, this is easy. Simply indicate what sorts of cuisine you’ll consider when placing your Bark and ask the pros who respond to your request to propose a menu tailored to suit your tastes.

Make sure you know whether you’ll need to provide vegetarian or gluten-free options so your caterer can make sure there’s something for everyone.

Do you want any additional services?

Some caterers are more “full service” than others – and the level of service that’s right for you will depend on the kind of event you’re planning.

If you’re planning a birthday garden party, you might be happy with a simple buffet service. But for a larger event like a wedding, you’ll likely need cutlery, table linens, a full waiter service and more.

Simply select the level of service you’re looking for from our checklist when placing your Bark to help us find local caterers who meet your requirements.

Sample the food in advance

It’s often a good idea to sample a few different caterers’ food before you hire someone. This gives you a chance to check the quality of their cooking and to experience how the food will be presented.

It’s also a great opportunity to meet the chef and determine how flexible they are. Many caterers will be happy to adjust their dishes to your tastes – so don’t be afraid to make your feedback heard.

Click the link below to now place your Bark we’ll do all the legwork to get you multiple quotes from local caterers fast and free.

‘Modern day word of mouth’: how to promote your business online with Bark reviews

Word of mouth has always been a powerful tool for promoting your services to new customers – and it’s only getting more important as the services industry moves increasingly online.

A full 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, according to SEO experts BrightLocal. They’re the first thing customers look for when hiring professionals online, and having great customers reviews can give you a real edge over the competition when pitching for new business.

Today, we’ll show you why collecting reviews on Bark is an integral part of promoting your business online – and look at how you can start collecting great feedback on our site right away.

How Bark reviews improve your online presence

The moment you start collecting great reviews on Bark, you’ll be awarded a Bark star rating. Not only will this appear on your Bark profile and in our pro directory, but it will also show when people search for you in Google.

LexisTech five stars — *Collect Bark reviews to earn a 5-star rating on Google*

As digital advertising company WordStream notes, this boosts your online presence by making your profile distinct from the search results around it.

That means, when people see your Bark star rating, they’re much more likely to click through to your business page. Better yet, they’re also much more likely to hire you when they do.

Convert more business with Bark reviews

Online reviews are critically important to the vast majority of online shoppers. For example, diners regularly check reviews sites like Yelp to inform their decisions when choosing somewhere to eat.

Entrepreneur Magazine reports that more than 35% of shoppers say they’d never eat at a restaurant that had a 3-star review. What’s more, this Harvard study found that a 1-star improvement on Yelp can translate to a 5%-9% increase in revenue.

That’s a big difference, and we’re already seeing exactly the same thing happening in the services industry as more and more people use Bark to hire great local tradespeople online.

That’s why we believe collecting great reviews on Bark is an integral part of promoting your business online – and why we make requesting reviews from your customers as easy as possible.

Asking for reviews is easy with our ‘reviews tool’

The more great reviews on your profile, the more confident our users will be that you can provide them with a top quality service – and the more business you’ll be able to secure using our service.

We recommend asking each of your customers to review your services within 14 days of completing a job for them to ensure you’re still fresh in their memory.

To do this, simply log into your Bark profile and visit the ‘Reviews’ tab in your dashboard. Once there, enter your customer’s email address into the reviews tool and click ‘invite’ to ask them to review your services.

You can test it out right now by visiting your ‘Reviews’ tab and entering your own email address into the box provided.

Start collecting great reviews today
with the Bark Reviews badge

You can also start collecting great reviews today using the Bark Reviews badge. It makes collecting feedback easy by reminding everyone who visits your website to review you on Bark.

Absolutely anyone who clicks your badge can leave a review on your Bark profile, even if they didn’t originally find you through us.

Simply copy the code from the ‘Badges’ tab in your Bark profile into your website wherever you like – and we’ll do the rest:

*Collecting great reviews is easy with the Bark Reviews badge*

It looks at all the most popular website building platforms used by Bark pros like yourself – including WordPress.org, Squarespace, GoDaddy and more.

Click here to log into your Bark profile and visit the ‘Badges’ tab in your dashboard and follow the simple steps provided to claim your new Bark Reviews badge right away.

If you’d like any further help getting great reviews on your Bark profile, send us an email at team@bark.com or leave a comment in the space below!

Why you should add the Bark Reviews badge to your website today

Getting great reviews on Bark is one of the easiest ways to show clients you’re the right pro for them.

That’s why we created our brand new Bark Reviews badge. It lets you show off your Bark star rating on your website, and reminds your customers to leave even more great reviews on your Bark profile.

We believe it’s the perfect way to promote your services and show clients you’re a trusted Bark pro – and today, we’re going to show you why you should add it to your company website right away.

Prove you’re the best with the Bark Reviews badge

Word of mouth is the cheapest way to advertise your business and attract new customers, and in the modern world that means collecting great reviews on websites like Yelp or Bark.

That’s why we believe it’s so important to ask your customers to review your services, and to share their great feedback with your prospects – and our new range of Bark Reviews badges will help you do exactly that:

Displaying this badge prominently on your website sends a clear message to potential customers that you deliver a quality service they can trust.

When someone clicks it, they’ll be taken to your Bark profile to leave their feedback – and when your star rating is high enough, the badge will switch to show everyone that you’re a rated Bark pro.

It’s the perfect way to show people you offer a top quality service, and adding it to your company site couldn’t be easier.

Adding the Bark Reviews badge to your website is easy

The best places to add your Bark badge are in the header, footer or sidebar of your website. This will make sure it’s displayed prominently, so everyone can see you’re a trusted Bark pro.

It looks at all the most popular website building platforms used by Bark pros like yourself – including WordPress.org, Squarespace, GoDaddy and more.

Simply log into your Bark profile using the link below and follow the quick and easy steps provided to claim your new Bark Reviews badge right away.

Get your Bark Reviews badge now.

If you’d like any help adding this new badge to your company website, send us an email at badges@bark.com or leave a comment in the space below!

How to promote your business with the new Bark Spotlight

We created our new Bark Spotlight to highlight some of our favourite Bark pros to our users, and to help your business connect with even more new customers online.

It doesn’t cost a single penny to feature in it – and Spotlight pros will appear prominently on our ‘new look’ category pages (like this one) so they’re one of the very first things people see when they visit our site.

All you need to do to be eligible is provide a great service, and fill out the questions in the Q&A section of your Bark profile.

To help maximize your chances of being selected, here’s a brief guide to the sort of thing we look for in our Spotlight pros:

1. Show us what’s unique about your business. Many of our questions are designed to help our users get to know you a little better. People like hiring pros they think they’ll get along with. So try to provide honest answers that show people what makes your business different.

2, Write your answers from scratch. Search engines rank web pages that feature plenty of unique, relevant content. While copying and pasting content from your website may be quick, it often won’t read quite right – and it certainly won’t improve your Bark profile’s SEO ranking.

3. You only need to answer your favourites. In some categories, we’ve included several possible questions you might like to answer – but they’re only suggestions. If you’d prefer to pick your favourite three or four and focus on them, that’s totally fine!

4. Use short sentences and simple language. Our ideal answers are those that use the same words you’d use if you were speaking. So try to tell your story using simple, everyday language. Web apps like the Hemingway Editor make it easy to keep your writing clear and simple.

5. Have fun with your answers! First and foremost, we’re looking for interesting answers our users will enjoy reading. We believe this is the best way to showcase the great pros on our site – so don’t be afraid to have fun when filling them in.

Time to get your business into the spotlight

Following these simple guidelines will give you the best chance of being chosen as one of our Spotlight pros, so we can promote your business prominently on our site.

So why not take a moment now to update your Q&A responses? Simply log into your account using the link below and visit the Q&A section of your profile to get started.

We can’t wait to take a look at what you have to say – and if there’s anything else we can do to help, please do let us know in the comments below!

Click here and submit your Bark Spotlight responses now.

How to hire a great photographer for your next event, festival or party

Event photography is about more than just turning up to things on time with an expensive camera. If you want a pro who can do your event justice, you need to know they have the skills to get the job done right.

“Hiring a professional photographer for an event is vital in my opinion,” says Bark pro Sorcha Bridge. “If you want lasting photographs from a ‘once in a lifetime’ event like a wedding day, you want the job of recording those precious memories to be in the hands of a professional.”

To discover what qualities you should be looking for when hiring a local event photographer, we spoke to Sorcha about what it takes to capture great moments on film.

“I shoot a wide range of people-based photography,” Sorcha says. “I find with event work the key is to be very present and aware of what is going on around you, so as not to miss any key moments!”

Hiring a great event photographer is easy with Bark! — *A shot for music promotion company Tsumi 4 – photo by Sorcha Bridge*

Photography has been a lifelong passion for Sorcha. But for years she prioritised raising her children as a single mother – and has only relatively recently started pursuing her dream job with help from services like Bark.

“I feel now that the missing piece from the puzzle was photography for me,” she explains. “But having the wisdom I have now with age might have been what was needed to make this work.”

She says the thing that separates covering events from other kinds of photography is that it’s much more difficult to plan and produce everything in advance. As a result, a good event photographer needs to be constantly ready to capture an image at a moment’s notice.

SBP-Brighton-Fringe-festival-2016-12 (1) — *Live music at Brighton Fringe Festival 2016 – photo by Sorcha Bridge*

“I love shooting music events and festivals, there are plenty of fantastic opportunities for creativity shooting performers and live music,” she says. “Preparation is key to making sure everything is covered correctly. Know the running order, do walkthroughs, have meetings prior to know and understand what the client is trying to achieve – plan, plan, plan!”

She adds: “You also have to be quite confident and ‘ballsy’ when directing large groups of people or jostling with other photographers for space at music events.”

When deciding on a photographer cover an event, Sorcha says you should start by taking a look at each pro’s portfolio to view their work and make sure you like their respective styles.

A snapshot of Brighton University's bohemian nightlife – photo by Sorcha Bridge — *A snapshot of Brighton University’s nightlife – photo by Sorcha Bridge*

Once you’ve found a couple of people whose work you like, you can start considering other factors like budget and availability. But, for Sorcha, one particular consideration stands head and shoulders above everything else.

“Personality stands for everything, in my opinion, especially when shooting someone’s wedding – an incredibly intimate event working closely with individuals,” she explains. “I work hard to make people feel comfortable in front of the camera.”

With Bark, finding the right photographer for your next event is easy. We’ll do all the legwork to find available pros in your area, so you can select the one that’s the best fit for you. Place a photography Bark today to get multiple quotes from local pros, fast and free.

The Bark guide to planning a last minute party

Our very own Kai Feller turned another year older last weekend. So, of course, we decided to have a party!

Kai’s very much a “work hard, play hard” kind of guy, and we knew we’d have to pull out all the stops for his birthday – but with over 60,000 professionals at our fingertips, finding the right local pros to help us was easy.

In fact, we had such a great time we decided to put together this quick guide to throwing a last minute party for when you’re next organising an event for your friend, colleague or spouse.

Kick the night off with luxury cocktails

Hiring a skilled bartender or mixologist is an easy way to get the conversation flowing freely at your party and keep your guests supplied with a range of delicious drinks all night long.

They’re the ultimate ice breaker. So whether you like a rich, smoky Old Fashioned, or prefer the zesty freshness of a mojito – place a bartending Bark today to find great cocktail waiters for your next party.

Make sure the food is out of this world

Whether you want simple finger food for your guests to munch on between drinks, or a hearty buffet to line their stomachs – great food is an essential ingredient at any party.

In the end, we decided to ask our favourite personal chef to provide the canapés, and drafted in an outside catering company to cook up a succulent hog roast for later on.

With thousands of registered catering professionals, sorting the perfect food for your party is easy with Bark. Place a request today to get quotes from local caterers fast and free.

‘Wow’ your guests with a close-up magician

We found award-winning sleight of hand artist Adam Keisner by placing a last minute magicians Bark, and were blown away by his supernatural powers.

Inviting a close-up magician to surprise your guests might not be the first thing you think of when planning a party, but it should be! We were guessing how he did it long after he’d gone home for the night.

From illusionists, to escape artists, street magicians and more – place a magicians Bark today to find master magicians in your area.

Now you’re ready for karaoke!

Once the party’s in full swing, it’s time for the main event – and since it was Kai’s birthday, we thought we’d try something a little different.

We found Marvel Booths by placing a karaoke hire Bark, and they delivered a karaoke machine packed with hits right to our front door.

Before long the whole party was belting out the likes of Bohemian Rhapsody and Living On A Prayer at the top of their lungs, making it far and away the best buy of the evening.

Finally, get someone else to do the cleaning

Waking up the morning after a big party, the last thing you want is to spend ages cleaning up beer bottles and scrubbing carpet stains. But, luckily, with Bark you do have to.

Place a house cleaning Bark today to find a local cleaner to handle your post-party tidy up. Then, while they’re taking out the trash and doing the dishes, you can start planning your next big night out!