New HI in Texas

[Wade Hancock]

Hello,

I recently launched my HI business in Central Texas.
I'm still working my day job for now and hoping to transition to inspecting full time by next Spring.

There seems to be a lot of good information on this board and I appreciate the advice and wisdom of successful inspectors.

As is the case with most start-ups, marketing and lead generation seems to be my biggest obstacle. I've got a professional website and have hired some professional SEO guys to establish a baseline for my site and social media. I've also distributed about 2000 mailers directly to homeowners and homesellers. Not much is working right now. At least not as well as I had hoped.

So, I'm concentrating on the website to get it to page 1. SEO and Inbound marketing mainly.

Anyway, it'll be good to share ideas with you all and I look forward to chatting with you.

Cheers!

[Billy Stephens]

Welcome Wade,
Jump in when ya can, Glad your here.

[Steven Turetsky]

Howdy Pardner!

Welcome. Pull up a chair and set a spell... just don't sit on anything that looks like a cactus!

[Aaron Miller]

Grüß Gott New Braunfels boy!

There are many in-bound marketing books, but only one that is a must-read:

Inbound Marketing by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah.

If you don't have a large network of folks available to refer you, you will need to buy a case of spray-on Telfon (http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Non-Stick-Dry-Film-Lubricant-DNS610101/dp/B003UTX0R8/ref=pd_sxp_f_i) for your lips. You should find it helpful during the long Realtor ass-kiss-athon that awaits you.:D

Prost!

[Wade Hancock]

Grüß Gott New Braunfels boy!

There are many in-bound marketing books, but only one that is a must-read:

Inbound Marketing by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah.

If you don't have a large network of folks available to refer you, you will need to buy a case of spray-on Telfon (http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Non-Stick-Dry-Film-Lubricant-DNS610101/dp/B003UTX0R8/ref=pd_sxp_f_i) for your lips. You should find it helpful during the long Realtor ass-kiss-athon that awaits you.:D

Prost!

Not sure I'll be puckering up on the south end of many north bound RE agents anytime soon. But thanks for the visual.

If they want to refer to me knowing I will tell the truth and nothing but the truth, I welcome the business and will give them much deserved respect. But, I've already been told by two agents they won't use me because I won't play ball. One tried to dictate my pricing structure.

I suppose there are some honest agents out there truly interested in their client's welfare above all else. But until they find me, I'm stuck having to go direct to the buyer.

[Aaron Miller]

I've already been told by two agents they won't use me because I won't play ball.

It's a hard road, but the only one to walk.


I suppose there are some honest agents out there truly interested in their client's welfare above all else.

Only about 10% are to be trusted.


But until they find me, I'm stuck having to go direct to the buyer.


1. Inbound marketing.
2. Effective outbound marketing such as your website, Constant Contact, et al.
3. Angie's List
4. Forget outbound marketing of the old-school kind, the BBB, agent meetings, etc.

Keep at it and it will work. Patience is the key. I was an overnight success in this profession after about 8 years.:rolleyes: