I had a buyer call and shop me a bit. He asked if I had a 200% guarantee like some of my competitors. I asked him to explain.
My competitors advertise “If you are unhappy with your inspection we will refund your money and pay for your next inspector”.
Hmmmm. I told him I had a better deal. TWO inspections by two good companies for FREE!
Yepper. Hire my competitor then ask for a refund. Free inspection 1. Then hire me and they will pay me. Free inspection 2.
In Texas all this would have to happen during the option period for it to be used and available on the same property. It’s not uncommon for some buyers to only have 1-2 days left in the option period when they call you. The fine print for these guarantees are not limited to the same property.
I could hire you, not buy the home because it is a pig with lipstick, ask for a refund claiming as I am unhappy with your inspection when in reality the seller didn’t knock off enough money. You go out and buy a different home and I get you to pay for that inspection. (Or I use you again and decide I want my money back)
I could keep getting free inspections on different homes from different inspectors until I decide on a home I liked. That’s a great deal if I’m a buyer.
As some of the the public and agents appear to read these forums/posts they now have knowledge on how to get free home inspections.
I offer a personal guarantee that if during or at the end of the inspection if you are unhappy you don’t have to pay and we all go home. That’s fair. Why would one write a report for free and then have that report sent to the seller, you bust out, the seller is mad because his pig with lipstick didn’t close and now you’re faced with unfairly being “Foxinized”. You might as well just offer free inspections to buyers and sellers (and then let the next inspector come along and add his 2 cents for free). IMO a smart seller would never accept a copy of any inspection report (they don’t have to accept a copy). If the deal doesn’t go through then the seller doesn’t have a report they have to disclose.
On the other hand why only 200%. Why not 500%? What kind of inspection are you going to get for $200?
Gimmicks are for the desperate newby who has yet to establish enough confidence in himself to inspire it in others, IMO. They may as well hold up a sign that says “Hire me. It won’t hurt…much.” I suppose that such gimmicks are better, however, than those whose consciences will not allow them to charge a potential client the full fee for an inspection. Either way, they are unwittingly blowing their cover.
OMG…How did you find that? While that video may go viral, that SOB would never get anywhere near my house. He would be quite a draw of curiosity seekers at someone’s chapter meeting, though. LOL
You don’t have to look far in Houston to find “The Fox”. 
OMFG!!! I am speachless.
No comment on the Fox.
Has anyone else noticed a rash of price shoppers? I’ve had several calls for price, but they’re not booking with me. Never had this ratio before. 
Yep. Kind of a stretch to call him a newby.:mrgreen:
Oh my if I had a gimmick like that theres no telling how far I could go in the home inspection industry.
He is an InterNACHI member, grosses over 2 million a year, and employs 18 inspectors/staffers: http://foxinspectiongroup.com/houston-home-inspectors.html
You are pulling my leg.
It just goes to show ya… marketing works, even marketing that is rough around the edges.
Rough around the edges? That boy is wiping his but with sandpaper.
You should see him in the banana suit.
He is comfortable playing corny, over-the-top characters, live or on video, to comedic effect - it works for him. He is also an astute businessperson, marketer, a very knowledgeable inspector and he has in incredibly loyal referral and client base.
After he’s done with wiping his butt with that sand paper he’s standing outside the box sanding it to a profitable shine -----cudos to him–hahahahah;-)
In Florida about 35 years ago we had adds from a used car salesman that people would always wait to see. Different car every week on the add. The weekly special would start out at one price and get reduced every time he smashed it with a bat. This how I modeled my buisiness plan for home inspections except I use a pencil. To paraphrase the pencil is mightier than the bat.
Get past the corny presentation and consider the basics of the marketing tips. He is branding his company AND helping the agent brand their company.
Take all he teaches and put your own toned down approach to it and it will work.
Home inspection is about 1) technical skill 2) presentation skill 3) marketing presence. I could never do it with his personality touch but could easily emulate the basics of the message.
Its not about kick backs; its about marketing return on investment. What will get you more visibility? 1) 20 dollar gift card to an agent (illegal in Texas) 2) Four of your company coffee cups in the office? Long term . . the coffee cups will get more exposure.
Gordon’s personal approach is interesting. It is gawd awful . . . . . and memorable. He is using two approaches. 1) repetitive visibility of his company 2) shock branding.
Everybody loves a clown.
If you look at his website, it would be considered “Boring” by some standards. There is nothing “above the fold” to really hold a clients interest, no logos, not even a Nachi membership logo. He even used the dreaded “Your home is probably the largest investment” narrative that everyone uses. This is exactly opposite of the website advice usually given here. You would never know from his site that he is as big as he is.
Something must be working for him. Talking gift bags and banana suits, here I come!:mrgreen::mrgreen:
Introducing…
“Our 30 Day Free Inspection Protection Guarantee!”
Available Only At the Time of Booking the First Inspection
This 30 Day FREE Inspection Protection Guarantee entiles the buyer the right to another inspection at NO COST on another comparable / similar size & foundation home within 30 days of the original inspection if the deal goes south for ANY reason.
In other words, if you end up NOT buying the home for ANY reason, we will inspect another home for you within 30 days at NO ADDITIONAL COST. After 30 days from the original inspection, our standard rates will apply.
This Inspection Protection Guarantee must be purchased, for only 10% of the price of the first inspection, at the time of booking the first inspection! If it is not purchased when booking the first inspection it is no longer available.
– Not the smartest cookie in the jar. Why would you do this?