Need some marketing help!

General Inspection Topics General Inspection Discussion
1

I am being interviewed by a local radio station next week and was asked to come up with 3-4 questions for me to answer that would best promote my business.

What do you, as my fellow inspectors in arms, feel are the best topics to talk about and promote myself and my business?

Thank you very much!

Terry Lorenz
Criterion Home Inspection
President - Bozeman Chapter of NACHI

2

Question about your reporting system ie. easy for the client to understand, photos etc.

3

A somewhat loaded question:

Why should clients hire you and not someone else for a home inspection?

4

Terry,
(IMHO) Be compelling and talk about why you believe that you deliver a better service than your competition. In other words, what sets you apart from your competitors. Be positive. Talk about your training and education and whatever background material may be helpful. Mention how you have helped your clients (without being too specific).

I hope this helps.

Chris

5

Guys, thanks for the ideas. Here’s what I’m thinking:

  1. Who can benefit from a home inspection, buyers or sellers?
  2. What sets you apart from your competition?
  3. What does your report look like?

I figured that I would describe my target demographic (buyers/sellers), discuss my qualifications and my office with the local nachi chapter, and describe my report, including the comprehensiveness, ease in understanding and detailed photos.

I’m a new business in the area, though I have been doing inspections in Bozeman working for another company for the past year and a half. I’m struggling to get my name out and get inspections scheduled. I appreciate all of the suggestions and wish you all the best of success!

Terry

6

Terry, as chapter president wouldn’t it be wise of you to promote your chapter and it’s members on the radio:roll: and how the NACHI members in your chapter can take care of the inspection needs of the area. Bigger bang for the buck, and all is then well at your next chapter meeting

7

This is a good point.

  • As a Chapter Pres, there are always some people who are less succesful than you are. If you promote yourself, they may see this as an unfair advantage.
  • No one likes to listen to a sales pitch. It’s kinda like being held captive in a timeshare meeting. Instead, promote the Chapter (and thereby promote yourself) and educate. If you come across as having your first priority as public service and excellence in the profession, you get attention.
  • Give a few, simple and healful hints. Explain why it is important to not only change the batteries in smoke and CO detectors (with the recent time shift, it will be topical) but also explain that the actual detectors have to be changed every 4-5 years becasue they go bad. Explain why the furnace filter should be replaced every 30 days. Educate about roofs and why the homeowner should look at the bottom of their roof every year for early signs of leakage.
  • Tell them about the new things coming up in the industry. Thermal imaging, deep probing moisture meters, gas detectors, electrical circuit analysis, etc. People always like the tech toys.
  • Explain the difference between quicky checklist reports and computerized narrative reports with pictures and diagrams. Give an example of clarity and readability of the narrative report style.
  • Tell them about the differences with NACHI. DO NOT bad talk or slam the other associations. Just mention that they exist, but that NACHI is the largest, has the highest standards of practice and requires the most CE education and pre-membership testing requirements.
  • Talk about inspections other than those during a real estate transaction. Mention maintenance and safety inspections, as well as pre-listing inspections, the need for inspections in new construction and rental security deposit inspections.
    Make it about the industry, the chapter and NACHI. Make it educational, funny and self depricating.

Hope this helps;

8

Promote,promote, promote!!!

Promote Inspections
Promote NACHI
Promote Yourself
Promote others
Never bad mouth the competition…state only the truth about yourself and the advantages of using a NACHI Certified Inspectors!

IMHO

9

Hi Terry,

I’d promote my business in how I answer the questions and less with direct “hire me” stuff. I think people are to good at tuning out obvious self promotion but will respond to good kn owlwedge and professionalism.

What I want to know is how you scored the interview. I’m trying to promote something similar but without any real success as yet.

Good Luck

10

Ditto. I’ve been involved in both producing as well as being the subject for several broadcast events, and I can tell you from experience that self-promotion is frowned upon if you are not a paying advertiser or program sponsor. Also, the situation around your interview opportunity is unclear. Did the station approach YOU, or did you offer to provide them with some type of content? Are you an advertiser? Are you being interviewed during a “home improvement” or “real estate” related talk show, or is it a public service announcement? These factors will help to identify your format.

If you are supposed to provide four “general” questions, keep in mind that this is not only an opportunity to “promote” yourself, but rather, it is also an opportunity for you to educate consumers as to WHY they should hire you or any home inspector. If you can turn on their “light switch” (the “Ah-ha, now I get it” factor), then that goes a long way towards generating sales.

Finally, use the old “shout out” gimmick to promote NACHI and your chapter AFTER the four questions have been asked and answered. Get the DJ’s permission first, but simply have him/her ask you if you have any last words. Say, “Yes, I’d like to encourage consumers, Realtors, builders and others to visit the Website of our non-for-profit association at NACHI.org - That’s N-A-C-H-I dot O-R-G. People will be able to find a lot of free information there about home inspection, radon, termites, and the such.”

Hope my 2-cents helps.

-R-

11

Here in the Bozeman, Montana area, we have a local group called the Christian Business Connection. We meet the first Monday of every month. There are door prizes given out and at the most recent meeting, I won the radio spot. They are going to conduct a 3-4 minute interview with the questions I want them to ask. I’m starting my business too and am always looking for new ways to market.

Terry

12

Congradulations! my suggestion would be to explain what a home inspection actually is. I’ve had 4 FISBO inspections in the last 4 weeks and unless a buyer is working with a Realtor, most people think they need a home inspection but they have no clue what it really is. If you can get 5 minutes, explain what it is, and why a home inspection is valuable. Promote your company and NACHI at the end.

I’m a new business owner and believe me, NACHI works.

13

It works if you know how to use it. Too many HI’s think that merely being a member (whether it is NACHI, ASHI, ABCDEFGHIJ, etc.) and using the logos makes them something; its no wonder why they’re sitting ducks for real members such as ourselves…:smiley:

14

Hmmm, let me think a minute. OK, I think I have it… No maybe not. Who said anything about LOGOS???

Wow, I normally wouldn’t even respond to this type of reply but it’s sooooo off base I’m shocked. Who in the heck gives you any authority to call anyone sitting ducks for members such as you?! That has to be the most arrogant comment I’ve seen on this board.

Terry asked for some help and the resources available to NACHI members and the public is invaluable. But one has to adapt it to his/her market. A good portion of the market doesn’t understand the value of a home inspection or even what one all entails. The resources here can help.

Good luck with your opportunity Terry!
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15

Maybe I misread your original post and if I did, please accept my apologies.

16

I was really taken back at first, Greg! I didn’t mean to insult anyone but I’ll take the heat for not being clear enough. Basically, I was stating that us Participating Members have a significant advantage over Token Members (those who do nothing more than pay the dues and flaunt the organization logos) because we have technical savvy, marketing smarts and we actually take advantage of our memberships. Consequently, we are able to snag a decent chunk of their market share. That statement doesn’t take a dig at anyone on this board, especially those who are brave and smart enough to reach out for help on this BB. Terry is in good company!:wink:

17

That can happen since it’s very difficult to put inflection in text messages and when one tries it becomes very difficult to read:) .

There is one of my competitors that keeps showing up on all the NACHI search engines and he’s not or no longer a NACHI member. He also is about $25 to $50 less per inspection. That’s annoying enough!

Again, Good Luck Terry and post back after the interview and let us know how it went! And thanks Nick for your understanding.

18

I’d alert ESOP about that. You’re the real NACHI member, therefor you should be the one to benefit!:wink:
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19

And I imagine you’re worth hundreds more than the guy in quality alone!:cool: Its too bad the market doesn’t let us charge what we are really worth.:frowning:

20

Promote YOURSELF
Promote YOURSELF
Promote YOURSELF

Then if there’s time left, promote yourself. This is your chance at free media, don’t waste the opportunity on anything that might get other’s phones to ring and not yours.

I would say that you might want to start more basic, depending on the show you are being interviewed on.

If it is real-esate related, then listeners may be familiar with inspections, but if not, you may need to cover the basics.

What is covered in an inspection?
Who should get an inspection - buyers, sellers? (dont forget to mention warranty and maintenance!)
What is different about your inspections (or how are you different from typical inspectors)?

Other questions should be focused on your selling points. Are you priced better, are you more thorough, do you go above and beyond in some way, do you offer choices in inspection types, do you do free re-inspections or offer follow up or advice?

This is a great opportunity - use it to your best advantage!!!

I should also add that the information about being helpful is good advice as well. And don’t forget to refer to your website (for people to check out more info or helpful tips).