TaskRabbit for Business: How to Grow Your Business in 2024

Set Up Your Tasker Profile

Once your Tasker account is approved, setting up your profile will be the most crucial step in the onboarding process. TaskRabbit clients will view your profile to determine if they should hire you over other taskers. To make your profile stand out, the best advice I can give is to put in the effort to make it excellent. Fortunately, since I became a Tasker in 2018, they have improved this process, allowing new Taskers to shine better with their profiles.

When setting up your Tasker profile, you will:

1. Upload a profile picture
2. Identify your available tools
3. Identify your vehicle used for tasks
4. Choose your quick facts
5. Write about yourself
6. Upload any business-related photos
7. Choose the skills and services you want to provide
8. Draw your work map
9. Schedule your availability

Profile Picture

When setting up your Tasker account on TaskRabbit, you should first upload a profile picture of your current or most recent self. DO NOT upload a photo of your business logo. It is great that you have one, but remember, your Tasker account is YOUR individual account. It is not a company account.

Your profile picture is the very first impression TaskRabbit clients will have of you, so make sure it is a quality photo. I’m not saying wear a suit; you can if you want, I’m wearing a suit in mine. However, it is not necessary, although it can help you. Just make sure you look clean, warm, friendly, and as professional as possible. Remember, first impressions are most important, especially with TaskRabbit, where clients often make hiring decisions for their tasks within seconds.

Tools

The “Tools” section of your Tasker profile is where you indicate any special tools you may have. Having these special tools available for tasks could boost your profile because TaskRabbit clients can have huge tasks that may require them. Not only can these special tools increase your chances of getting picked for more jobs, but you can also get higher-paying jobs.

Of course, if you cannot provide any of these special tools, you can choose “I don’t have special tools.” If you do choose this option, there is no need to worry. No matter what skills you provide services in, not having any of these special tools will not hinder your Tasker account performance. Your account’s performance should be fine as long as you have the required basic tools and supplies. However, adding these tools to your profile gives you an upper hand for service skills whose tasks may need these tools to improve service quality.

Vehicles

Depending on the type of service(s) you wish to provide through TaskRabbit and where you wish to offer them, having reliable transportation will make or break your success as a Tasker on TaskRabbit. For example, if you live and plan on completing tasks within the New York City metro area, like me, we can get away with not having a vehicle for most tasks. We have the NYC bus and subway systems, Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), New Jersey Transit, Long Island Railroad, Metro-North, and a combination of at least two of these transit agencies to help us get to and from our tasks in a safe and timely manner.

However, if you do not live or work in a TaskRabbit market with reliable public transportation, you should consider how to get to and from your tasks safely and promptly. Again, your success as a Tasker, first and foremost, depends on this. If you have to suck it up and use your own car, do so and track the mileage, fuel expenses, and depreciation. Or, rent a vehicle, scooter, etc., track the costs, and determine whether to pass them down to your clients or deduct them from your taxes.

At the same time, regardless of the reliability of your local public transit system or personal vehicle, your services will also dictate the type of vehicle you should have. For example, if you are providing a professional moving service, ideally, you should have a moving van or truck to transport first your tools and then your clients’ belongings. Remember, unless required or highly recommended, having specific vehicles only enhances your Tasker account and helps land you more and better-paying tasks from clients.

Quick Facts

This section includes additional information about you and your business that potential clients should know if they apply to you. Though not required, they can play a role in the number of tasks you could get and the type of clients you could work with.

The quick facts options are:

1. “I have pet allergies.”
2. “I speak multiple languages.”
3. “I require a 2-hour minimum.”

I have pet allergies.

This quick fact is meant to notify TaskRabbit clients who are considering hiring you but have pets such as dogs and cats. It may or may not inhibit your chances of getting hired. If not, then clients would just be expected to put their pets away while you’re working.

I speak multiple languages.

Add this quick fact to your Tasker profile if you can confidently speak multiple languages. Doing so will greatly improve your chances of getting hired by TaskRabbit clients, especially clients who do not speak English well, or at all. Upon clicking on this quick fact, you will check off the language(s) other than English you can speak fluently.

I require a 2-hour minimum.

With this quick fact, my advice is to proceed with caution because it could hurt your chances of getting hired for tasks. It lets clients who are considering hiring you for their tasks know that you only take on tasks that take at least two hours to complete. Depending on the skill, not all clients booking tasks will have a job that would take two hours to complete.

Having this quick fact on your profile makes sense if you travel far to get to and from tasks. In addition, it makes sense if you travel far to a TaskRabbit market with a low rate of client demand. Traveling more than 45 minutes to a task that would barely take an hour to complete is not always feasible. In this case, having this quick fact on your profile is okay. You can reiterate your 2-hour minimum policy in your skill pitches and explain why. Nine times out of ten, potential clients will understand. Besides, they would be willing to accommodate if they really want to work with you.

If you set up your Tasker profile with multiple skills, you can specify which skills you want to set this 2-hour minimum requirement. For example, it is best not to turn on the 2-hour minimum for the Delivery or Errands skills if you provide delivery services. However, proceed with caution with adding the 2-hour minimum for skills like Help Moving or Cleaning, especially if client demand is high. Not all moving or cleaning jobs, among others, will take more than two hours to complete. Besides, if client demand is high in your TaskRabbit market, you can get multiple quick jobs in a day. You do not want to limit yourself.

About me

The “about me” section of your Tasker profile is an essential opportunity for you to share your qualities and services. Here, you will write a detailed description of yourself, your business, and your experience. Doing this will help potential clients understand why you are the right Tasker for them and their needs.

The lack of character limits means that you can include as much information as possible, allowing you to highlight your skills and expertise effectively. By providing a comprehensive overview of your services and experience, you can build trust with potential clients and increase your chances of securing new work. So, take the time to craft an engaging and informative about me section that truly reflects who you are as a Tasker.

Business photos

TaskRabbit now offers a new feature that allows Taskers to showcase their skills through photos on their profile. This section of your profile is dedicated to displaying relevant pictures of your past work experience in the skills and services you offer to TaskRabbit clients. You should also include photos of the tools, supplies, and the vehicle you can provide for your tasks.

The main purpose of this section is to visually demonstrate to potential clients what you bring to the table. By displaying your past work experience and the resources you can offer, clients can see what you’re capable of. It’s one thing to mention your experience and tools in writing, but being able to show it through photos is a game-changer.

Selected Skill(s)

One final important aspect of setting up your tasker profile is choosing the one or more skills and services you wish to provide to TaskRabbit’s clients. This step is crucial because your selected skills are how TaskRabbit organizes your tasker account in their system. It is, first, the skills you choose, then your availability, and how your tasker account is listed on TaskRabbit’s client-facing platform in their search results.

When choosing your skill(s), you will do three things:

1. Carefully set your rates
2. Identify which basic tools and supplies that are required to complete jobs under your chosen skill(s) you have.
3. Write a pitch.

Carefully Set Your Rates

You must be careful and strategic when setting your rates for your chosen skill(s) because you are competing with other taskers for the same clients. Your rates should be fair to both you and the clients. At the same time, your rates should be competitive so clients can choose you over the next tasker.

TaskRabbit’s system will set a starting rate for you. As you continue being a Tasker, they will recommend when you should increase your rates. These systematic decisions are often based on the strength of your Tasker account, which would consider factors like:

1. The amount of additional information you include in your tasker profile, such as tools you have and the type of vehicle you use for tasks, if providing one at all.
2. Length of time as a Tasker on TaskRabbit. Brand new taskers are often suggested the starting acceptable rate.
3. The more tasks within your chosen skill(s) you complete and receive five-star ratings from clients.

Keep in mind that abiding by TaskRabbit’s recommended rates is totally voluntary. If you feel that given the amount of tools and supplies, plus a vehicle, you plan on providing for your tasks, you should charge more than what TaskRabbit is recommending. By all means, go ahead and raise your rate.

On the flip side, if, as time goes on, you feel like TaskRabbit is recommending you increase your rate too high to the point where you notice a decrease in task requests, feel free to stop listening to them and keep your rates at levels you think are appropriate. Remember, your rates must be fair to your clients and competitive against other Taskers.

Basic Tools & Supplies You Can Provide

The tools you indicated in the Tools section of your profile are just SPECIAL tools meant to add value to your overall tasker profile. However, when it is time to provide details for the skill(s) you’ve chosen, you will indicate the BASIC tools you can provide that are needed to complete tasks under that skill.

For example, let’s say you want to provide a cleaning service to TaskRabbit’s clients. On the “Tools” section of your Tasker profile, you can select “Carpet cleaner,” “Eco-friendly cleaning products,” “Power washer,” and “Vacuum” if you can provide them. However, when you add the “Cleaning” skill to your profile, you must indicate whether you can bring basic supplies, a mop, and a vacuum. Basic supplies include multi-purpose cleaners, dish soap, bleach, floor cleaners, sponges, paper towels, rags, etc. Traditional mops with buckets, any Swiffer, portable, and steam mops all qualify.

TaskRabbit requires that Taskers provide as many (if not all) of the basic tools and supplies they deem necessary to complete tasks in that skill. They may be less likely to promote your account if you have none (if not all) of them. Even if they do, clients will be less likely to pick your Tasker account because they can see that you lack the basics needed to get the job done.

Write Your Skill(s) Pitch

Finally, make sure your pitch stands out from everyone else. Write about your experience within your chosen skill(s) and why you are the best Tasker for the job. Be descriptive and persuasive, but make sure you get to the point. Client’s attention spans can be short when their need for help is high. You are only allowed 500 characters, so make it count.

Side note: If you chose “I require a 2-hour minimum” in the Quick Facts section, reiterate it in your pitch. Some clients will genuinely not see it right away on your profile, while others will act like they did not see it at all. Also, include any other important details you want clients to know beforehand to avoid confusion or conflicts. However, make sure those additional details do not deviate away from the limited persuasive message you must still provide.

Work Map

As a Tasker for TaskRabbit, you can create your own work map. This map indicates where you are available and willing to work, allowing clients to hire you for tasks within your designated work area. You can draw one shape on the map that covers up to 500 square miles.

Recently, an update was made to this process that introduced a heat map. This feature displays shades of green on parts of the map, indicating the level of client demand in specific areas such as cities, towns, and neighborhoods. The darker the shade of green, the higher the client demand is in that area. This means that Taskers have a better chance of getting hired for tasks in these high-demand areas. While you can only draw one circle on the map, covering up to 500 square miles, the aim is to draw over as many green-shaded areas as possible.

Availability

The final step to complete your Tasker profile is to set your availability. This is a crucial step in maintaining your profile, as it allows you to schedule your availability up to two weeks in advance and indicate specific time windows for work. You can also accept Same-Day tasks if you’re free. The Tasker app can also sync to your personal calendar, helping you avoid overbooking and maintain a work-life balance.

It’s important to keep track of your availability and ensure your schedule on the Tasker app is always up-to-date. Be sure to update your availability as early as possible when you are or are not available, as sudden changes can affect your ability to get work when needed. I suggest updating your availability at least 48 hours in advance when client demand is high. I’ve learned from personal experience that relying on same-day tasks doesn’t always work out.