A Day In The Trenches

[lolsen]

Good Day

I went out today for the first time to try and get business with by IR camera. I saw a mix of home builders and restoration companies. Everybody is very impressed. Nobody has a camera here and I have the market. It has not been easy to get everything in line to start a business but I think it is going to be great. I am going to open houses tomorrow and see if the Realtors like me. I think the good ones will and that is who I want to work with.

Thanks for all the info that is on this BB. It has helped me to be a better inspector. I hope that I can share some valuable info with you as time goes on.

Thanks
Lawrence Olsen
Universal Inspections
www.universalinspections.ca

[David A. Andersen]

We can all use some information on your marketing strategies that work, as well as don't work!
Good luck with your endeavors.
I am starting to get calls from people that were "exposed" to the IR camera during normal inspections, even when they were not used for the clients benefit (just for reduction of my liability).
"The more work you do, the more work you get" has always worked for me. This technology is not what people normally would think about as a solution to their problem. Exposure is necessary.

[John McKenna]

Keep us posted.

[lolsen]

Marketing is strange. I have business cards and a sample report that I take to the company's. I tell them what I can do and show them what I can see.

Home Builders can use my service for:
1) Added selling feature for there homes. I do a IR scan on every house they sell and the customer gets the report.
2) Customer phones with a complaint. I can do a non destructive diagnose in the area of concern (they like that). Tell the home builder how to use your service. Example: "If your customer says that there is poor insulation job in one room you (home builder) tell them (customer) that I can do a scan in the area and if there is no problems then they (customer) will pay the bill. If there is problems then you (home builder) pay the bill and fix the problem." This works. If you do the thinking and hand the service on a silver plate they will eat it up.
3) Follow up on poor trades. If the hired trades know that there is going to be a IR scan done to verify the work they will do good work. In the end happy customer happy everybody.

Restoration Company's

The same applies here. Tell them what you can see. Be confident here because most of these people have heard of used IR before. If you are professional and knowledgeable they will like you.
Again show them pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words (and quicker than talking).

For the home owner.

I am trying this one out and will let you know in March. I have a booth at the Red Deer Home Show March 7,8,9 to promote IR and a little HI. I think it will be good. The space is a good price $800.00 for 3 days and 15,000 people. Plus all the brochures signs ets.


I will add some more tips as I go along. Hope I don't have to many negative things but am sure I will.

I have had some people wanting brochures but mine are getting printed. So I tell them to check out my web sight. Most are OK with that but it would be good if you had brochures to hand them out. I will post a copy of mine once it is done at the printers.

Good luck if you try these.

Lawrence Olsen
Universal Inspections
www.universalinspections.ca