NACHI needs to get on or get a Banner on Realtor.com

[James H. Bushart]

You know...I really don't think that people go to Realtor.com looking for realtors. They are going there looking for houses to buy. It just so happens that each house has an agent attached to it.

Who in the PHIC wants to be known as the inspector attached to an agent?

Nick knows marketing and I can see a myriad of reasons to trust his judgment in this call. Let's wait for the day that the agents want to pay NACHI for a realtor ad. It's coming....

[James H. Bushart]

Instead of paying for a banner on a realtor site...I would love to see banners like this placed on all NACHI owned inspector directories:

"If you trust the person selling you the home to pick your home inspector for you, read no further. If you would prefer to select your own home inspector to represent your interests in the purchase of your home, we can help."

I'll bet we would triple the number of hits we are currently getting.

[Justin Watts]

Nick,
Wait a minute.... This is a contradiction...NACHI supports marketing to Realtors, however NACHI refuses or (you) refuse to market on REALTOR.COM because you fear that we are supporting a relationship with Realtors?!?!!?!?!

This does not make sense! IF NACHI is a large organization, and we want NATIONAL ATTENTION, why wouldn't we be on the LARGEST REAL ESTATE RESOURCE WEBSITE!?!?!!? that's realtor.com?

AND: If Realtor.com is a site that (HOME BUYERS) visit to Look for homes, why shouldn't we MARKET our Inspection Association here... Buyers from all over the Country go to this site, that would mean NATIONAL ATTENTION for NACHI Inspectors.

I think there is more to it, that is not being explained here..... I mean, correct me if I am mistaken... If we took a POLL of how many NACHI Inspectors would support OUR ORGANIZATION being posted on REALTOR.COM I would bet it would be an overwhelming majority...

NACHI has all the promotional items for realtors, brochures for realtors, etc. etc. etc. But we will not market where REALTORS WOULD SEE NACHI THE MOST?!?!?!

The FIRST INSPECTION ASSOCIATION THAT CRACKS INTO REALTOR.COM, I am signing up!

Nick, it doesn't make sense why you are refusing to GO FOR IT!

Will, thanks again for backing me up on this... Nick, I am sure there must be other reasons why you do not choose to market here, and I give you credit for starting NACHI and operating a great association, but I really don't understand your resistance to advertise our services on Realtor.com.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jwatts1

NACHI has all the promotional items for realtors, brochures for realtors, etc. etc. etc. But we will not market where REALTORS WOULD SEE NACHI THE MOST?!?!?!

These promotional items are available to inspectors who choose to market through agents on an individual basis. NACHI, indeed, provides this to them to assist in these endeavors, but the actual marketing effort is an individual one - not NACHI wide.

Even the email newsletter campaign results from individual inspectors submitting addresses to the database and that inspector's name goes out with the newsletter.

The idea, for those who market to agents (not all do), is to do so as individuals for their own individual businesses.

If NACHI, as an association, developed such a relationship with that industry - it would alienate itself from the many inspectors who insist upon keeping RE agents at arm's length.

I hope that Nick continues to offer promotional items and support to those who want it without dragging the entire association into it. Let's stay off of realtor.com.

[Justin Watts]

I agree to disagree..... If NACHI promotes the "best" inspectors... why wouldn't we want to promote this Nationally for Home buyers... that is the #1 site for home buyers. And yes, realtors have listings here, maybe they will learn more about NACHI as well...

If NACHI was seen on Realtor.Com and it (earned) you more inspections...... You wouldn't want to be listed here????

I am looking at it from a Ratings standpoint... if we had enough money to be listed on the FRONT PAGE of YAHOO or GOOGLE, OR MSN.... You wouldn't want to be seen here?!? I sure would......

[Justin Watts]

I personally do not like most realtors.... they are in for sales and commissions, we are in business to protect home buyers lives and investments...

But I do feel that we should advertise in the most popular portals... and get our Association more well known....

[Nick Gromicko]

You either get it or you don't.

1. I am in favor of marketing to REALTORs. REALTORs are in the marketing business and they are in the position to refer us work.

2. I am in favor of REALTORs recommending the best inspectors to their clients. That is their job and they have a fiduciary duty to recommend the best inspectors (not the ones that pay them for advertising).

3. I am in favor of marketing to homebuyers of course. They are our potential clients.

4. I'm against marketing to homebuyers via real estate websites because of reasons explained previously. REALTORs don't visit realtor.com... buyers do. So if you are running an ad on realtor.com you are not marketing to REALTORs, you are marketing to buyers. This has two potential negative connotations associated with it: a. The homebuyer thinks you are paying REALTORs for the ad and so worries (albeit unconsciously) about the relationship you have with them or b. The homebuyer thinks the REALTOR is steering the homebuyer toward those inspectors and so again worries (albeit unconsciously) about the reasons why. Yes the ad probably would work, but in some cases it would backfire and unsell. I'm unable to predict what percentage that would be, but I like sure bets. REALTOR.com is not a sure bet.

[John Bowman]

Taxi Cab and Bus Advertisements are a sure bet with no strings or stigmas attached.

Realtor.com would develop a stigma that all associations should avoid. JMO...

[Nick Gromicko]

Agreed.

I know I've made the analysis more complicated than it needs to be, so let me try to simplifiy it with a little advertising rule:

Advertising to REALTORs is fine, advertising to homebuyers is fine, advertising to homebuyers in a manner that appears to enrich REALTORs or makes it appear that the REALTOR is steering clients to you... is not fine.

[Nick Gromicko]

Let's all stay 2 or 3 steps away from preferred vendor lists (a form of marketing to homebuyers through REALTORs) and instead market directly to either.

[Nick Gromicko]

For you electricians, one could put it this way... market in parallel circuits, not in series.

[Nick Gromicko]

And for you Johnny Cochran types: When it comes to REALTORs... market to 'em not thru 'em.

[Justin Watts]

I appreciate the feedback... and your point is understood.

[Carl Pennick]

ok what about a banner on the Buy Owner web site.