Thread: Attracting New Clients

I've read many of the posts here regarding marketing and advertising. It seems most inspectors recommend against courting RE agents for attracting new business.

I started out three years ago with some success working with realtors and several agents use me exclusively. Most of my success with realtors has been to gain a place on there approved inspector list. This too has been marginally successful.

I have a good track record, no complaints or law suits. Feedback from my clients has been positive but I am still having trouble getting enough work.

Would you guys please throw out some ideas for effectively advertising directly to the consumer?

Thanks,

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Try dircect main to new homes in the area for a warrenty inspection

BOTTOM LINE! If you are going to be a home inspector and work with buyers and sellers as that is the lion share of the work. then you need real estate agents just as they need you. You must find what you like to do!
If its inspecting home for buyers and sellers. Then focus on that part of your work. Cut to the chase. This is a person to person thing. and this part of the job gets lost as we only want to take orders over the phone and then go inspect a house and get our check and then go home. SORRY! Them days are gone. Its all about one on one with the agents out there. You need more agents to give you work. RIGHT. DAM RIGHT. Thats it. So get off your duff and get your cards & flyers out and start with the open houses on the weekends Face to Face One on One with every agent. Get in there world. They need work too: So go find buyers and sellers for the agents you work with. You find an agent a buyer and that agent is yours for ever. They need help in times like this 2. I have been at this for some 30 years and this is the stuff that works ever time. Stop being an order taker and be a PEOPLE PERSON! ONE ON ONE.

You can be a better People Person. But you realy need to care about others. Its not all about being a good inspector. its more about the love you have for others. YA YA YA. That sounds odd. But if you don't care others will know.

BOTTOM LINE.

Best

Ron
Excellence Exterminating and Thermal Imaging

A high quality website with high search engine ranking.
Personally I don't market to realtors.
Do a great job and impress your clients - go the extra mile - it'll come back to you in referrals.

Good post john. Q. how do you get a high search engine ranking?

Best

Ron

Originally Posted by Ron Bibler

Good post john. Q. how do you get a high search engine ranking?

Best

Ron

There are various tricks of the trade. I'm no expert at it, but even the amateur stuff I did made a huge difference. It's about repeating certain words and phrases, including appropriate "tags" and such. There's a ton of free info on the web about it. Or, just pay the $$ and hire a good website designer.

Originally Posted by Bill Payne

I've read many of the posts here regarding marketing and advertising. It seems most inspectors recommend against courting RE agents for attracting new business.

I started out three years ago with some success working with realtors and several agents use me exclusively. Most of my success with realtors has been to gain a place on there approved inspector list. This too has been marginally successful.

I have a good track record, no complaints or law suits. Feedback from my clients has been positive but I am still having trouble getting enough work.

Would you guys please throw out some ideas for effectively advertising directly to the consumer?

Thanks,

All I can say is with a name like Payne, you gotta be good.

No Payne, no gain.

Originally Posted by Joseph Burkeson

All I can say is with a name like Payne, you gotta be good. No Payne, no gain.

Now there is a GOOD hint from Joe if I ever saw one.


Marketing 101 ... use it !!!

Thanks for the input guys and if you think being an inspector with my last name may be challenging, my wife is a nurse!

Bill

My wife's parents used to go to a doctor by the name of Dr. Bleeden.

I keep hearing radio advertisements for a chiropractor by the name of Dr. Bonebreak!

When I go to my dentist he always says that I should have entered the dental profession.

My daughter's orthodontist was Dr. Hurt.
My urologist is Dr. Nicely

As far as Realtors go....I have been many Realtor's ONLY inspector, on their "approved" list, on their HATE list, and many times the same Realtor has put me on one list, then the other, then back to another.

Bottom line is I don't RELY on my relationship with Realtors....or count on it. It can change over night, and many times has.

Here is a couple examples of when I went from a God to a Devil.
1. I didn't want to hire a guy moving here from out of town that was a home inspector (she was his buyer's agent). I did give him a call(to shut her up), but he had no intention of working for someone else. She started giving her business because he was new in town and I was already established. Good for him, bad for me, because she probably gave me 75 jobs a year.

2. Happen to inspect Ms. Perfects listing and dinged it on a few things. She asked me to soften the report for her seller. "Can't do that". Off her list before I got off the phone.

3. Fell out of graces when I wouldn't stop what I was doing right then to drive across town to re-inspect a house that was supposed to close the next day, and she needed it RIGHT NOW, and couldn't wait until the end of the day.

4. Wouldn't "go easy on this one Honey".

While I appreciate every referral I get, and will bend my schedule (if I can) to accommodate some agents, I view them all as a temporary asset. Very few of them have a real sense of allegiance, and will use us until they use us up, or we cross them, then toss us aside for the next new face, or box of donuts.

I rely on my clients to pass the word. I love it when a client asks me for some extra cards "because they have a friend...". I know that they are referring me because I did a great job for them.
JF

Staying busy in this business is the single toughest thing about the business. There's a million reasons why it's tough to do. Mainly, it's a relatively easy biz to get into.... It's not like you need a 4 year college degree. Really, all you need is a phone number, a truck and a ladder.... and whatever license your state requires.

Honestly, if you're even treading water in this market over the last year or so you're suceeding. Every area is different but overall real estate is in a slump like it's never seen before... or at least not for the last 20 years or so.

There are so many different ideas for marketing.... this proves one thing - nobody has it figured out. If we did we would have done it and retired on all the money we made.

I'm reasonably happy with the return I get from my marketing..... and while I don't want to reveal my exact methodology I'll offer this advice:

Don't do what everyone else is... you just get lost in the crowd. Showing up at open houses is a total annoyance to agents. 10 years ago it might have worked. Currently, the chances of running into another HI leaving as you are entering is very high. Agents HATE it... they have to be nice, it's an open house. Chances are high they'll go back to their office and tell 10 other agents how annoying you were.

Don't bring donuts to the office.... again, it's been done TO DEATH..... you're wasting your time (and making my realtors fat).

Building a client base is done slow and steady.... again, in this market it's tough. For everyone I know in the industry this was the slowest winter they've ever seen.

Again thanks for the input, good info. I HAVE put more faith in my realtor relationships and over the past few months have been developing my web presence and direct marketing to consumers.

Take care,

Bill Payne

For everyone that markets to the consumer instead of the realtor, How do you go about it? Where do you advertise? How do you advertise? What works and what does not?

I must admit that I have had zero results from marketing directly to the buyer. I have only been able to successfully market to realtors. What are you doing that I am missing?

Bump...

Originally Posted by Brian Cooper

For everyone that markets to the consumer instead of the realtor, How do you go about it? Where do you advertise? How do you advertise? What works and what does not?

I must admit that I have had zero results from marketing directly to the buyer. I have only been able to successfully market to realtors. What are you doing that I am missing?

A good website is a must and your number one tool. Next would be past client referrals. This takes time, but it is one of your best sources once they are established.