How Much Do Bark Leads Cost? [2024 Pricing Update]
As a small business owner, I’m always looking for effective ways to generate new leads and grow my client base. Online lead generation platforms like Bark promise to connect service professionals like myself with potential new clients needing our services. But in exchange for leads, these platforms charge fees that eat into your potential profits.
When evaluating a new lead source, one of the most important factors I consider is how much the leads will cost and whether that cost seems justified. To determine if the leads will provide a decent return on investment, I need to clearly understand the lead pricing model.
So when I first checked out Bark, I found their lead pricing approach confusing. Leads are priced using “credits” instead of transparent per-lead dollar amounts. The number of credits varies based on poorly defined factors.
To shed light on the true costs, I’ve broken down the key details around Bark’s pricing model below. My goal is to demystify the costs so other service professionals can evaluate if paying for Bark leads makes business sense or not.
Key Factors That Determine Lead Costs on Bark
Rather than a simple per-lead price, the amount you’ll pay depends on multiple variables:
Base Price Per Lead
The cost in credits is set differently for leads in each service category. For example, a wedding photography lead may be 10 credits while commercial cleaning leads are 6 credits. There’s no public pricing list, so you don’t know costs until you join.
Lead Details
Leads with more extensive project details or higher budgets may cost more credits. But this isn’t transparent or consistent. You can’t predict based on the info provided if a lead will cost 10 or 20 credits.
Exclusivity
You can pay about 20% more in some cases to get exclusive rights to a lead rather than having it sent to up to 5 professionals. This increases your chance of converting the lead but also raises costs.
Subscription Levels
Bark pushes professionals to purchase ongoing credit subscriptions which provide bulk discounts compared to pay-as-you-go pricing. The discounts improve at higher subscription tiers.
Volume Discounts
Buying credits in larger packages reduces the per-credit costs significantly compared to smaller purchases. But you have to pay huge upfront amounts to realize the lower costs.
Location
Leads in areas with higher demand may potentially be priced higher by Bark to take advantage. But this isn’t clear to end users.
The variability and lack of transparency in Bark’s pricing makes it difficult to budget, forecast and evaluate potential ROI. Next, let’s look at how the costs break down for pay-as-you-go vs. subscriptions.
Understanding Bark’s Pricing Structure
Pay-As-You-Go Pricing
Without a subscription, Bark charges about $1.85 per credit purchased individually. Buying credits in bulk packs can reduce this to around $1.57 per credit. So, a 10-credit lead would cost $15.70 to $18.50 to purchase without a subscription.
The pay-as-you-go route gives you maximum flexibility but comes at a high per lead cost if you aren’t buying hundreds of credits upfront in bulk.
Subscription Pricing
To lock users into higher commitment and more revenue, Bark pushes credit subscriptions. Here are some example subscription tiers that provide discounts:
- 6 Month Subscription — 25% lower per credit cost
- 9 Month Subscription — 28% lower per credit cost
- 12 Month Subscription — 30% lower per credit cost
Subscriptions provide discounted rates in exchange for agreeing to a long term commitment. You lose the flexibility to adjust spending month-to-month.
Most subscriptions auto-renew by default when the term is up. Cancelling requires contacting Bark’s team in writing well before renewal. This ensures they keep earning revenue.
Payments are processed automatically once per month or week depending on subscription term. You’ll be charged whether you use all the credits or not.
Tips to Reduce Your Lead Costs on Bark
Here are a few ways you may be able to get lower pricing from Bark:
Leverage Limited-Time Offers
Watch for promotions Bark sends offering discounted first-time credit packs. Locking in a lower rate upfront saves money. Just make sure you understand how subscriptions work before claiming a promo.
Negotiate Custom Discounts
If you contact their sales team to discuss larger subscriptions, you may be able to negotiate steeper discounts. But you’ll need to commit to longer terms for the best deals.
Maximize the Value from Each Lead
Carefully qualifying each lead before purchasing helps avoid wasted spend. Focus on ones more likely to convert into profitable business.
Consider Sharing Leads
If you share leads with another provider, you split the costs. But this only works if you have trusted partners to cooperate with.
Are Bark’s Lead Costs Worthwhile for Your Business?
At the end of the day, what matters is whether Bark’s leads provide a return on investment after factoring in the costs.
Here are some important evaluations:
- How do the lead costs compare to other lead generation approaches for your business?
- What conversion rates are you seeing from the leads? How many turn into business?
- Does your profit margin on the business cover the costs paid for the leads?
- Are Bark’s lead costs aligned with your overall budget and financial goals?
The leads need to drive enough profit to justify their price. Otherwise, you may find better options with lower costs per lead.
The Bottom Line
Bark’s credit pricing model is confusing by design. But taking the time to understand the key cost factors allows you to make informed spending decisions. Evaluate your conversions, margins, and alternatives to determine if paying Bark’s fees provides real value.
Maximizing ROI may require negotiating lower pricing, buying credits strategically in bulk, being selective in purchasing only the highest quality leads, and pairing Bark with other more cost-effective lead sources.
If You Still Want To Give Bark A Shot You Can Sign Up Through My Referral Link For 2 Free Responses.
(limited time only)
OR
If you’re interested in exclusive leads for your business feel free to contact me about my lead generation services here: https://www.kcdigitalinc.com/contact
Bonus Tip — Start Your Own Referral Program👇🏾
While services like Bark can be tempting.
I want to let you in on a little secret🤫…
Starting your own referral program can be a much cheaper and more innovative alternative.
Unlock The Power of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Think about it – instead of paying for each lead through Bark, why not incentivize your existing customers to refer their friends and family to your business?
People are much more likely to trust a recommendation from someone they know and respect than an online listing.
Tailored Incentives and Rewards
By starting your own referral program, you have complete control over the incentives and rewards you offer.
Maybe it's a discount on their next purchase, a free product or service, or even a cash bonus.
The possibilities are endless, and you can tailor the program to your specific business and customer base.
Strengthening Customer Relationships
By encouraging your customers to refer others, you're not just acquiring new business – you're also strengthening your relationships with your existing customers.
They’ll feel valued and appreciated, knowing that you trust and respect their opinions enough to reward them for spreading the word about your business.
It’s Easy to Get Started
Starting a referral program is easier than you might think.
There are plenty of software solutions out there that can help you automate the process, track referrals, and distribute rewards.
You don’t need a huge marketing budget or a ton of technical expertise to get started.
So why not give it a try?
Instead of relying on third-party services like Bark to bring in new leads, take matters into your own hands and start your own referral program.
Trust me – as someone who’s seen the power of referral marketing firsthand, I can tell you that it’s one of the most effective ways to grow your business.
Try Referral Rock out for free, plus get $200 off your first month..💪🏾
P.S. I may receive a small commission if you decide to join via my link Referral Rock..🫡
