We’re prevented by law from setting minimum fees. But is there something InterNACHI could do to help inspectors increase their average fee/inspection?
Here’s a couple recommendations for InterNACHI:
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Update the InterNACHI Home Page. The InterNACHI website is very good…for the home inspector, but very poor for our visiting clients and very poor for promoting the value of InterNACHI inspectors. I strongly recommend you create a very sharp, professional home page, 1) promoting the value of a home inspection and 2) promoting the value of an InterNACHI and their certified inspectors. Most of us promote our InterNACHI credentials, with several links to the website. Target and improve website SEO, and InterNACHI inspectors will be the inspectors of choice in a area, improving perceived value.
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Become active on the Social Networking sites. Like it or not, social networking is booming and it among the best (but underutilized) way to connect with potential clients and referral base. I recommend InterNACHI dedicate time to social networking (especially facebook) to have a vibrant and active presence, with valuable posts. The demographic of the majority of people that are first time homebuyers, I believe, is pretty close the average age range of facebook users. Inspectors can become active on the site, and their neighbors will see how they are, link to their pages and grow the ‘social graph’. Best of all, creating a facebook page is free and there are 500 million users. Here’s my page.
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Promote an industry average fee structure. The real estate industry does, it’s 7%. It doesn’t mean this is a fixed price, but it is generally accepted as the normal fee; of course the fee is not set and is always negotiable, but most people have come to accept it as the norm. Say the home inspection fee was based lined at 0.1% - 0.15% of the home value…people would see pretty quickly how cheap a home inspection really is relative to the huge value it provides. Plunging home inspection fees by lowballers has contributed to the lower perception of values.
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Promote independence from real estate agent referrals. Some states have already banned the practice of having real estate agents refer specific home inspectors, and I suspect that will grow due to the obvious conflict of interest. Agents who use ‘their’ inspectors drive prices lower, IMO, and soften reporting.
Market INACHI as an Org to the Public.
Or failing that, make up a bunch of new Logo’s for guys that can’t find any work
I believe what Brian said to be true. Hard to sell yourself as an inachi inspector when nobody knows what a inachi is…
InterNACHI will not be marketing InterNACHI.
Good news.
I am going to say it again Nick.
A campaign, let it be radio, tv, news magazine, but not the internet.
In crease fee’s tell all, give a target to set in there area.
Spring time everyone get ready for February 15 to kick it off on the radio and carry to homes owned by members having them put signs on there lawn…
They can down load a internachi logo, plant it in front of houses they are inspecting .
Ask the persons home that is being inspected a 50 dollar rebate to leave that poster sign what ever up for days.
Go to open houses and spread the word.
And old style campaign.
Crate a campaign board of directors and draw up ideas and plan it state by state its a bloody campaign for votes and InteNACHIi is the one in the SPOTLIGHT.
took me what 3 minutes to come up with this yet others want to look better by saying , I am better than you.
Lets get real.
Rally the troops you are at war with the economy not each other.
Very good suggestions Jeff. HUD has a general average cost of an home inspection $300-$500. Nick pay attention to #2 and #3.
Nick
1- I love NACHI, but, to the public the web site look pretty boring and a little bit ‘‘cheap’’ upgraded home page with multiple language would be nice
2-George is right , no one knows what nachi is
3-get the best minds in google ranking to put nachi on the first page, on top in every major search engine in every language across the globe
exemple , Here in Quebec everyone knows the AIBQ (branch of CAHPI) because when you type home inspecor in french they are the first on top (i’m usually under them or 3 spots under)…still we are talking 4700 search a month and that’s only in Quebec!!!..in french!!!
NACHI already has the advantage of the best assiciation there is…it’s time for the public to know!!
i am affraid that this will be the only way to acheive domination, if we do acheive domination , the memberships will triple, all of the others will close down. nachi will become so big and untouchable that it will be pointless to start any other associations…and nachi would get recognition…everywhere
My grand father was a routhless buisiness men in Montreal Canada, since i was 5 he said to me:***if you start something make you mark in a big way and take control…and if *opportunities are not coming, create them…he died giving away $15.000.000.00 to the church (!!!) He was pretty hardcore but pretty smart
that is rich… all you do is market INTERNACHI…
You just refuse to expand your marketing where it will help Long term Members.
To be successful, you need to:
- Market yourself
- Your experience, education and background
- Your business and service offerings
- Association affiliations (Nachi, BBB, COC, etc…)
ASH* tried a few years back marketing Association as number 1 with
the “I speak House” campaign (bunga-bunga) which failed…
NACHI has always provided the tools for self promotion.
If used consistently, results are delivered effectively… 
The way I see it is there are a bunch of people who are poor at marketing and looking for that “magical” solution to their problems.
If you can not convince a person you are worth your fee, then you should consider being in business at all. There will be NOW and FOREVER low ballers, thats the facts and we have to face them. What other professional “regulates” their fees? I don’t know of any. What about geographical areas? Maybe California gets more than Iowa due to costs of living. What about people who are NOT IN INACHI, then what guidelines do they use?
So here is a better idea…why don’t we ADVERTISE for ourselves and each other. Why don’t WE push InterNACHI? Why don’t we put it on ALL of our literature, brochures, emails, etc…
Do you really put all of this on Nick? Is he your Saviour? Did you start a business with NICK as your marketing director? If there are no houses selling in your area, then NO MATTER what happens there will be no work.
You have two choices, out market them or out price them. What else is there? For those who want the easy way out, then lower your prices to compete. I prefer to out market the other inspectors in my area. More money, less headaches that way. But it takes EFFORT, and all of the info is on this SITE and told time and again and yet people do not attempt them and consider them a waste without trying.
I appreciate all Nick does, I know many times it does not seem this way, but someone has to keep him on his toes. But I do not look for Nick to MARKET my company. Instead of looking at Nick for the answers, lets look at each other. What can WE do to make it more profitable and how can NICK HELP us to achieve it?
Nick mentioned for every dollar raised to bring the CMI name to the public he would match the marketing money. Guess how much money was raised…$0. (I think). So do you really look for Nick to just SOLVE everything? Hell he can’t GIVE money away and yet you want more…
Cost of Business education… 
One can talk marketing, reports, techniques, ancillary income, etc until you’re blue in the face. If you don’t truly know your cost of business… well enjoy the agony.
the WAY i see it is :
NACHI is ready expand, get noticed by the public
if one association get recognized in Canada (sorry dont know much about the states) 1000 canadian nachi members wont be inspecting anymore , they will have to join the ‘‘recognized one’’ and they will suck us dry (money wise)
i do promote nachi (check my website nachi page) i also know that if i get a call for a house in Gatineau i will refer them to Marcel Gratton (nachi member)
yes i believe we should all help each other, but i also believe that we need to get ‘‘more out there’’…we know we are the best, the rest of the planet
need to know also
imo
If InterNACHI is not marketing itself then way you marketing its members with this full time inspector thingyyy.
I am truly lost and its time for sleep.
Good night all.
God bless.
IMO, NACHI fulfills its duty to the profession by providing the means for inspectors to actually be WORTH the higher fee through all of the means available to members to advance in knowledge and skill and who adhere to the higher ethical standards.
From there, it is up to the individual to decide how much he and his particular services are actually worth. I think that every inspector is charging that fee — and every fee reflects exactly what that inspector’s services are worth in comparison to others in the area he works in.
Somehow, the public needs to recognize that and to understand that $199 home inspections have as little value and as much risk to them as $199 appendectomies.
There are already many tools available to the members. I know that I personally have not utilized all of the available tools to their potential, at times it can seem overwhelming as to what to focus on at what time.
John…One thing at a time…easy as that. If you want to market better, maybe start out with getting 100 reciprocal links to better SEO your site. After that start a blog on active rain and work to wards the first page of the site in your area. READ, so many people have talked about what works, I will guarantee you NOTHING gives horrible results.
Working on it a bit at a time.
Links are in progress sure I have close to 100
Website averages from first place to 23rd depending on keywords.
Active Rain started Listed #2 in my area.
Like most have stated you dont realize how much of a marketing game this is untill you get into it. I do enjoy trying to find some new way to get my name out there infront of people though.
Failure is just an opportunity to redesign.
Excellent…
Failure is just an opportunity to redesign.