Hey everybody I hope your inspection schedules are full and things are going well. I am curious if everyone wants to give some insight into what there most effective marketing tool has been over the years that has brought in business for them. I would like to see if we start to see a trend and if so what that trend might be. I think this would be helpful to all in the profession including newbies. For our company I think the most effective tool we have used has been direct mail to RE agents and advertising in the local paper. Please post your response.

My opine: Your communication skills, which is paramount in most professions dealing with the public. If you're good, that's great, if not so good, consider Toastmasters International.

__________________
Jerry McCarthy
Construction Consultant
www.expertbuildingconsultants.com

Aside from my website, my inspections are my most effective marketing tool. When clients are happy with my work, they remember me and pass my name along to their friends and relatives when they need a home inspection.

Like Jerry said above, being able to communicate effectively (both verbally and in your reports) is critical to your success. With this in mind, how much time do you spend with people on the phone when they call to inquire about your services and price? If all you give them is a price, you need to rethink your approach. I have a long winded shpiel I go through when I get a caller on the line for a couple reasons. First, I want to set the expectation as to what I do for them and what they will receive. Second, I want to open a dialogue with the caller and get their feedback on the house. The longer you can keep them engaged in conversation, the better your chances are of getting their business. I often talk to people who said all they get when they call other companies is a price and nothing else. Taking the extra time when you have the caller on the line will pay dividends.

Advertising - Direct mail to agents, sellers some targeted group. Magazine ads, radio ads and any other advertising to the general public is a waste of money. Even the Yellow Pages seems like a total bust these days. I can't remember the last time I got a call from them.

As for overall marketing, I agree with the others. Taking the extra time, doing a good job and communicating clearly will get you further than anything else.

I sprung for a larger Yellow Pages ad this year and it's been a bust. I've gotten one job from it in 8 months. I will not be renewing it. I tried pay-per-click ads in the past and while I feel they do work, I was getting ridiculous monthly bills for the click activity so I dropped them.

My website is my bread and butter.

Nick - I scaled way back on my Yellow Pages ad this year. It was getting more and more expensive and I just couldn't justify it. I thought the poor YP girl on the phone was going to start crying. She sounded so depressed. The Web is destroying their business.
My main sources of new inspections are referrals and my website, and probably my listing on the NAHI website.

Being good looking is a great marketing tool.

But if your like me, your not and need to have a great internet presence.

Secondly, I stay in touch with all of my prior clients and ask them for those referrals. Don't be afraid to ask for referrals.

Of course a great inspection report says it all.

rick

This is awesome gentlemen as you can see already we are starting to see a trend. Keepthe post comin!

Quick question for all of you guys who have websites. How many inspections are you getting directly from your website a week, month etc. For guys who keep track how many hits are you getting in comparison to inspections booked? 1%, 5%?

MOFWIW: Yellow page ads are a waste of money, truck signs and the all time worst is dropping off brochures at real estate offices. Get a really good web site and they will find you. Six billion people use the internet search engines every day, and that’s only in California. Yep, kidding, but seriously, a really good web-site will get you far more work then all the pavement pounding, open houses, realtor PR, and producing fancy brochures.

__________________
Jerry McCarthy
Construction Consultant
www.expertbuildingconsultants.com

I have some luck with a web based search engine called service magic . com. pay as you get leads, you got to be one of the first people to respond

My best marketing tool outside of client referrals would be my website. No frills and it pulls up very well organically in the areas I work in. My website generates about 75% of my business.

__________________
Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

I have a plain Jane down to earth site. Honestly I use to keep track on the hits I received but I have not in a long time. Sometimes I will go a week or 2 with all my work from then Internet. I do not pay someone to do my site for me (yeah I know it shows) but it seriously works and keeps me in the top few in a multiple city market place in Google The only thing that hurts sometimes (depending on the search words) is that damn Google map that takes up most of the page (by looks) with ten inspectors from the area on it. I guess being inn the top 3 most of the time makes it look like you are in the top ten. I do not and have never done the pay per click or pay someone to get me on the first page.

Bottom Line, other than the first off and on weeks of June I stay busy all the time. From what? the top placement on Google. You can not beat it. Period. The other things I do is to fill holes. A hand full of good Realtors and some that only sell a house every couple months and some email and service magic (no, I am not a spokesman for SM)

Not boasting, next week might be a bust but! 3 inspections from Realtors this week and 7 from the internet, plus I tried to give 2 away because I could not do them and I sat on my but crying on Monday because I had nothing solid for the week yet.

Ted

Minimal out, great return.

I just have to figure out how to sabotage everyone else's website

Speaking of cities, Ted, could you fill out your profile so we know from whence you hail? It really can be helpful at times.

Ted, you have not filled in your location or listed your website. Would you mind letting us know? It helps when others know your location. Sounds like your are near me the way you are booking inspections! We are blowing and going in the Nashville area.

__________________
Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

Sorry folks. I will get back to that profile.

Texas, Fort Worth, just south of Keller.

The battle ground for cheap inspections. I win over price a good portion of the time. Sometimes I will get a half dozen calls or emails that are "How much" period. Below is an email today for a joke of a price. Obviously I had to delete the buyers name and home inspectors name (I know the home inspector, been around a long time, multi inspector company). This is for a 3400 square foot home. Add the garage and it is a minimum of 3800 sf.

"Hi this is D----l, well, you quote is high ------- quoted me 250 if you can beat that let me know

Thank you"



I will get the profile fixed later, maybe tomorrow.

Ted

Ted,

The best way to respond to someone like that is to reply with something like this:

"You mistake me for someone who gives a crap about your cheapness.

I hear there is a place on the internet which will do your inspections for $50, you take the photos and send the photos to them, they will tell you what they see in the photos. *I* do quality inspections for a fair cost, not that you apparently care about quality inspections."

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Ormond Beach, Florida
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Stop inspection report. Answer Jerry. I am breaking the rules here. I always do reports on site but I somehow found myself 3 reports behind.

Jerry

He was, lets say, from one of the bartering countries. I told him, not word for word but pretty close to what you said. He has not responded to my snide reply.

The second part of your post was about the guy wanting you to work now, get paid later but does not want to tell anyone anything. I talk (very briefly) to people trying to sell me something every day of the week. They believe that if they can get you on the phone they can sell you anything. Clear glass, not opaque



Ted

Ted,

No, the second part of my post was about a home inspection service someone posted here a few months ago (I could not find it here or from searching Google) where you (the buyer) takes the photos and sends them to 'the inspector' who interprets the photos and tells you (the buyer) what is in the photos. Sort of a Do-it-yourself home inspection.

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Ormond Beach, Florida
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Oh yeah. That was the nice Hispanic gentleman about taking pictures and sending them off. He was looking at where the work was and what it was about. That was a week ago or so. My responce to that was.

Whaaaaaat??????