Going Big

I started my inspection business at the first of the year. I have been to countless agents and broker offices, with no phone calls. I have passed out over a thousand brochures,with no phone calls. I am starting to think something is fishy. I have decided to market directly to the public using the MIC program I have posted it to my web site, and we are preparing to advertise on all the radio stations in my area. I believe that as times change the way we do things also changes.

Does AdChoices really compensate you enough for advertising your competitors on your website? Greed will kill your business. Perhaps it has already. Get rid of it!

Chris,
I believe it’s just one of those things that takes time. Fliers and brochures are great and all but I think the only thing that’s ever made a true difference in getting my business off the ground was Google. All these folks claiming they were making $80k by their 2nd year of doing home inspections are either full of SH!$ or there’s something they aren’t telling you such as their married to a real estate agent or have a family full of REA’s.

Now days when I look at my appointments, the only thing I ever see under the “referred by” section is “Google/Online” or “Buyer’s Agent”.

People don’t care anything about keeping your marketing material around for a rainy day when they might need it. Stop wasting your money on crap that you hand to people. We live in a cyber world. I’ve just about come to the conclusion that business cards are almost a waste of money.

You have to be in the place where clients go looking for an inspector. If you can’t figure out how to dominate Google for a little while than it’s a rough road.

You’ll find TON’s of tips around here on how to dominate Google. I’d personally start with getting an ActiveRain account and start blogging.

Chris, It takes time to build a business. Plan on it taking a few years depending on your strategy, aggressiveness, and your market.

It’s good to hear the opinion of others in the business. I appreciate the input. Thanks!

Chris, I also started on the first of the year. Tomorrow I will have done my third inspection this month and I have another for Tuesday. Business is really starting to pick up for me. Here are some tips.

If realtors aren’t calling you then you are doing something wrong at the presentations. I have had great success with them so feel free to ask me what I do. Also, why are you presenting to realtors if your website says don’t go with the realtor suggested home inspector.

Your website is creepy. Get rid of the peach background and all that bright green. Get rid of the adchoices, get rid of that siteseen logo and choose a better NACHI logo. Since you are new like me I am assuming you are the only inspector so the information on your website should reflect that with the use of I and me. Internal and external sound weird. It should be interior and exterior. Your sample report does not open for me and your references page does not have any references on it.

Stop passing around brochures you are wasting your money.

Join some Professional Referral groups such as BNI PRO and try to join a few free ones as well

Try service magic. I recent posted somewhere that I hated it but I actually closed my last two leads. If you close one out of 25 leads you at least break even but you will have a new realtor contact and someone who will refer you.

If you aren’t doing a home inspection you should be taking a NACHI class, reading the NACHI boards, working on your website, writing an article, marketing, networking (online and in person), talking to your wife about inspections even though she doesn’t care, and dreaming about home inspections as well.

Like I said I am new but I am proud of what I have built in these 4 months and that is my two cents about it.

I agree. You’re website is too busy. You need more white space. It is quite difficult to navigate. Even that infrared picture is not attractive. Maybe bury that in one of your back pages. I have always said that it is best to do a few inspections for friends and family just to get your patterns established and give you confidence. It definitely beats sitting around at home waiting for the phone to ring. Get attractive decals on your vehicle and drive around a bit. Park in obvious locations.

Start here: http://www.nachi.org/success.htm

Join the local Realtor’s association and attend functions. They will begin to see you and know you. Not until then will a Realtor suggest others use you. Ask everyone you do an inspection for to write you a review on-line. I get several inspections a week from Angie’s list and some others form other on-line reviews.

Teach a class at the Realtor’s association and you will be the expert on that subject.

Do not think the little things do not matter, they make people believe in you. Answer the phone professionally and with a smile. Make yourself look good with a nice uniform standard look. Dress to impress(for an inspector). Handout cards, shake hands, smile and make small talk. We do hundreds of things at each inspection that impresses and brings us more business.

There is an inspector in my area that sometimes has a lawnmower in the back of his truck, what impression do you think that makes? We park our truck on the side of the road an place blue(our company color) cones out, it makes a huge impression. We also use blue(only blue) dots in places in the home like bad outlets, again another huge impression.

When you impress people they will sell you and you will not have to do it anymore.