New member saying hello

[Kable Griffin]

Hello to all. I am glad to be a new member. My father and I just started our home inspection business in Feb. 08. We both come from the residential and commercial construction industry. We have had quite a time trying to get much business and have been taken by some marketing scams already. We hope to hear a great deal from all of you as well as maybe be some help to some of you. We look forward to reading your posts. Have a blessed day...

Kable

[Brian Thomas]

Hello Kable, Welcome to the boards!

I am new to the business as well and am just getting started myself. What type of marketing scams have you fallen victim to so that others dont fall into the same trap? Have you guys had any paid inspections yet?

Good luck to you and your father in the profession!

Brian

[Kable Griffin]

The biggest scam was elocal listing. We paid a large amount of money for no possitive outcome. We have only had five fee paid. We get a lot of feeder calls (people writing or calling asking inspection questions such as mold and such).

[Scott Patterson]

Hello Newbies!

Well marketing home inspections is not rocket science. It is a simple matter of getting out and meeting folks and handing them your card with a smile and telling them that you want their business. Well, this is not as simple as I make it sound but it is what you need to do. Hand a business card to everyone you meet. Don't be shy.

Next, you need to realize that it takes a great deal of time to build an inspection business. On the average and when the market it good, it will take around 3 years to build a good enough referral base to support a home inspection business. Yes, I said 3 years.

Our profession has about an 80% failure rate in the first year! Not that unusual for a 100% commission based service profession.

About the next best advice I can give you is that you are a fool if you pay for any type of lead or listing. If it sounds too good to be true then it is a scam! In the 13 years that I have been in business I have never paid for a referral or to be listed on any service. Listings like Service Magic, etc are just like throwing your money out the window.

Join a local home inspection association chapter, meet other inspectors. Make friends with them and you will find that they might throw a few jobs your way when they are too busy.

FYI: I relocated from Jackson MS in July 2006 and left an 11 year old business. I had to reestablish myself and company in a new state and town. In other words, I have been and I am still in your shoes. The only major difference is that I have already made the major mistakes and I know what to do and what not to do!

Sorry, if I popped any bubbles but this is something you need to know about.

[Brian Thomas]

No popping of any bubbles here Scott! We appreciate honesty even when its not good news for us. I dont think too many of us new guys are under the delusion that we will make 100k our first year like some of the schools will have you believe.

I was fortunate to have an instructor that didnt feed us too much bull. He explained that it would be hard out there the first couple years even in a good market. And in todays market, even rougher.

Good luck, we will need it!

[JB Thompson]

I agree with Scott. Don't pay for "pay per click" advertising. Get someone to create a good website (that's not too wordy) or create it yourself. The goal is to get to the top of Mt. Google. It took me 6 mos and I have no web experience.

My first full year exceeded my expectations and now I just finished my 2nd year and I'm busier than I really want. Now keep in mind I have another job so I'm not dependent on this income, but I treat this thing and work it as if I were. I've only done 2 real estate presentations. At the first one, I met a young Realtor and she's recommended me quite a bit. My second one was a bust. Never again.

I'm a member of NACHI and IHINA. I wasted my money last year on Chamber of Commerce. CofC's aren't bad, but for a one-man show, it's too much cash for no business.

Like Scott, I have a list of "don'ts"

Good luck.
Bruce

[Dave Gilstrap]

Hi Cable, welcome to the board. I too am a newbie ( 2 1/2 years ) and I fell into a couple of scams also. I found out the best way for me to get new business was to join the local Real Estate Counsil and go to their weekly meetings and caravans. You meet a good portion of the local realtors and can start to build relationships with them. I also go on the caravans and open houses where you can usually talk to the realtors one on one. They are there for a few hours waiting for people to come by. I have built some good relationships and have gotten quite a few inspections and referrals this way. Give it a try. All I get from yellow page ads are people shopping for prices, I don't feel they are worth it. I get most of my business from realtors I have met at their meetings and referrals from them.

Good Luck,

Dave:rolleyes:

[Ron Bibler]

Wellcome. Wellcome. Wellcome. But we are having a bad day.

Best

Ron

[Rick Sabatino]

Welcome. I guess the upside of things is those not really interested in success in this business will get out. If you take care of your clients best interest you will get busy.