Am I missing anything in my marketing

[ghentjr]

Scott is correct.

Get rid of #1,2,5,7,8 and 10.

At this time in your life - network with other inspectors.

Also, are you any good as an inspector? Can you write? What do you look like. Get your real image on a website and leave the dog and kids with the wife; at home.

Here is my website, please be gentle !!!

www.advancedpropertyinspectionllc.com

I lost it at the "money back guarantee"

[kurt]

And don't forget foot rubs.

[Erby]

It's easy to get a new guy to that point, John Ghent.

It's all over out there.

Come to our inspection school. We'll fill in the blanks

Use our website template. Just fill in the blanks.

Use our marketing services & terminology. Just fill in the blanks.

Use our inspection software. Just fill in the blanks.

Sometimes, I think there are more people sucking money away from inspectors for useless "template" type advice and services than there are inspectors.

Takes a guy a bit to dig through all the crap and get to the meat of survival.

Give this one credit. He's here asking AND listening.

[kurt]

Sometimes, I think there are more people sucking money away from inspectors for useless "template" type advice and services than there are inspectors.

Yes, I believe you're right.

[Michael Brown]

Thanks.

What's a 'request to be managed'?

Fatcow typically hangs on a chat if I ask them to elaborate on an explanation. They're not very accommodating.

I'd switch if I knew where to go.

Marc

I manage adwords account in an agency interface (MCC). This explains the 'request to be managed' pretty much (read description):

It takes a while to find a good host and I spent a few months researching to find the one we have. We have a reseller account and can host you if you want here (http://nitroshock.com/).

I'm just finishing up my WP theme design.

Here's a link with the speed scores for server and WP theme:

http://slydeways.com/the-need-for-speed/

Those scores are extremely hard to beat for anyone. You can test any one of the top 100 selling themes on themeforest yourself and I bet I beat every one of them. Many of them you will wait over 30 seconds on 3g with mobile before seeing anything but a blank white screen. My target was under 3 seconds but I'm under 2 on most tests.

Colors, backgrounds etc. are controlled from customizer panel (no css to code).

http://slydeways.com/customize/

I can get you a copy of theme also (it's not beta but pre-release). You don't really want to use the one that came with WP but there are many others for sale. Just make sure you test them first and not just like the look of them (ie. the amazing looking website with every feature and plugin that most clients will abandon while waiting to load on mobile).

If you want to move hosts make sure you have everything backed up someplace first.

Michael

[Michael Brown]

Takes a guy a bit to dig through all the crap and get to the meat of survival.

Give this one credit. He's here asking AND listening.

Yup!

Those template sites for inspectors were useless years ago and now if you use some duplicated text you get nothing good from it and maybe a penalty. What really bugs me about that template he used is the spammy text and links at the bottom. Lowering the uniqueness of all the pages and passing the link juice back to the template maker. Is he paying them money on top of that for hosting or the use of the template? The hosting is lame and so is the template so why put up with the spam? It's a new site and not mobile optimized... why are they even still even selling the template anymore (it's completely obsolete useless junk now IMO) REALLY?

He's not a web expert and doesn't know any better, but they certainly do! I wouldn't be so harsh about it if it was built by these guys 3-4 years ago... but this is fresh?

I'm still worried about him tho, as now he says: "mobile version of the website shortly"... not sure what they are selling him now, but he wants one RESPONSIVE site not a mobile and a desktop site and another new bill. There are a ton of free themes that are way better than that if you go WP.

DON'T have them mobilize that same site at your cost!

Michael

[Marc]

I'll move asap but, if you will, pls add me to your wait list.

Mar

[ghentjr]

It's easy to get a new guy to that point, John Ghent.

It's all over out there.

Come to our inspection school. We'll fill in the blanks

Use our website template. Just fill in the blanks.

Use our marketing services & terminology. Just fill in the blanks.

Use our inspection software. Just fill in the blanks.

Sometimes, I think there are more people sucking money away from inspectors for useless "template" type advice and services than there are inspectors.

Takes a guy a bit to dig through all the crap and get to the meat of survival.

Give this one credit. He's here asking AND listening.

I do give him credit and maybe I was a little too quick, too honest. You should only guarantee that you will do the best job you can. If you give money back to those who claim to be unhappy you will be broke in a matter of months. You are not dealing with the greatest group (Realtors) of ethically oriented folk no matter how much you appeal to them. (although the foot rubs might work). And, if you do a really great job of finding all the defects, the number of realtors that recommend you will be reduced dramatically and quickly.

Learn, work hard to be the best, and tell it like it is. Do not give any guarantees other than doing your best.

[ductwork]

It's easy to get a new guy to that point, John Ghent.

It's all over out there.

Come to our inspection school. We'll fill in the blanks

Use our website template. Just fill in the blanks.

Use our marketing services & terminology. Just fill in the blanks.

Use our inspection software. Just fill in the blanks.

Sometimes, I think there are more people sucking money away from inspectors for useless "template" type advice and services than there are inspectors.

Takes a guy a bit to dig through all the crap and get to the meat of survival.

Give this one credit. He's here asking AND listening.

Yes, I am listening, I have changed the wording on my website to reflect I and not we, I have changed the language in my reporting to be more direct and explain why, I just received a compliment from a client stating

that my inspection was extremely thorough especially compared to the last inspector that they had, they were extremely grateful especially when I showed them this picture, surprised the home inspector from the last inspection from 2012 did not pick this safety issue up as this is the original B Vent chimney ( 16 year old house )

Click to Enlarge

54.73 KB

[Les]

Yes, I am listening, I have changed the wording on my website to reflect I and not we, I have changed the language in my reporting to be more direct and explain why, I just received a compliment from a client stating

that my inspection was extremely thorough especially compared to the last inspector that they had, they were extremely grateful especially when I showed them this picture, surprised the home inspector from the last inspection from 2012 did not pick this safety issue up as this is the original B Vent chimney ( 16 year old house )

Click to Enlarge

54.73 KB

Stuart, one of the first things to learn is that you were not there during that 2012 inspection and your client is not your friend.

All the old timers on this board will tell you the hero is the last guy in the house.

[Nolan Kienitz]

I agree with what many others have posted ... this thread is a "wealth" of information from everyone.

Stuart - one thing I've learned over the years (and with input from the TIJ experience) is to keep your comments "short and to the point". No need for the $25.00 words that no one can understand.

You are not writing a Pulitzer prize winning story ... your are inspecting and providing a description. Take good images and use brief descriptions.

Kurt M. made that very clear to me many years ago.

I've been doing residential inspections for 13+ years and still learn each/every time.

... and hooking up with Michael will educate you even more when it comes to your website/social media presence. He is excellent.

[Les]

I agree with what many others have posted ... this thread is a "wealth" of information from everyone.

Stuart - one thing I've learned over the years (and with input from the TIJ experience) is to keep your comments "short and to the point". No need for the $25.00 words that no one can understand.

You are not writing a Pulitzer prize winning story ... your are inspecting and providing a description. Take good images and use brief descriptions.

Kurt M. made that very clear to me many years ago.

I've been doing residential inspections for 13+ years and still learn each/every time.

... and hooking up with Michael will educate you even more when it comes to your website/social media presence. He is excellent.

Amen.

I like the new avatar.

[kurt]

Yeah. Great Northern.

[tim5055]

I'm the "token" homeowner here who likes to read what all these smart folks are talking about. Every once in a while I'm able to add a little something to the discussion. I will probably be reinforcing what other have said in these comments.

The wife & I worked for the government and moved every 4 - 6 years, so we have experience with inspectors.

The key to us hiring an inspector was a good web site that fully explained the services and a little about you. A single photo with the wife & kids somewhere on the site is fine, but the rest I want to look professional. Photos of you, not stock photos or clip art graphics. Keep it up to date with current phone numbers and email addresses. You can't believe how many disconnected phone numbers I have called trying to find an inspector.

Better define your service area. You know the counties you serve, but I'm sitting in a hotel room on day number two of a house hunting trip in a city I have never lived in. Plus, is it only those counties or will you cross the line? I like the way Scott has it on his web site: "Our normal service area is a 100 mile radius of Nashville, TN, but we often accommodate our clients in locations outside of this area as needed"

Talking about email, how about an auto responder. When I send you an email automatically reply that you will reply within X hours. Whatever you decide for X, make sure you meet the goal.

Website has to be optimized for mobile phones. Many times I'm surfing on the iPhone while the Realtor is driving to the next house. On our last search we looked at 55 houses, the move before that was 70 houses. That's a lot of driving time to fill with research.

I'm not sure I like the 200% warranty as I think you will do a lot of free inspections, but in any case call it the same thing everywhere. You link says 200% Guarantee but if I click on the "?" It say 200% Warranty Details. Which is it?

Be wary of the Realtors and their recommendations. While I have used a Realtor recommended inspector in the past, I always wonder who the inspector is looking out for.

Look around your area for companies/agencies that regularly relocate employees. Not sure how many management transfers the BMW plant has, but look for things like that. Federal agencies (usually law enforcement) move people regularly. They generally use a single relocation company per company/agency to assist employees. You may be able to make inroads with a relo company and get business that way.

Look for tie in companies that "assist" homebuyers with locating a Realtor. We use USAA for insurance and they have a preferred Realtor program that rebates part of the commission to the customer. There may be a way to get hooked up,with some of those companies for referrals. I know for our last home USAA sent a person by to verify the featurs in the house to more accurately determine rebuild cost. Something like that may help,fill,time and generate income while you work on the inspection gig to pay the bills.

I know you are working out of your house, but don't advertise your home address on your website. There are too many nuts in this world. Get a box at the UPS store. It's $120 a year for insurance to cut down on the nuts a little.

OK, that's it for now... Good luck with the new business!

[kurt]

That's good advice.

[ductwork]

I'm the "token" homeowner here who likes to read what all these smart folks are talking about. Every once in a while I'm able to add a little something to the discussion. I will probably be reinforcing what other have said in these comments.

The wife & I worked for the government and moved every 4 - 6 years, so we have experience with inspectors.

The key to us hiring an inspector was a good web site that fully explained the services and a little about you. A single photo with the wife & kids somewhere on the site is fine, but the rest I want to look professional. Photos of you, not stock photos or clip art graphics. Keep it up to date with current phone numbers and email addresses. You can't believe how many disconnected phone numbers I have called trying to find an inspector.

Better define your service area. You know the counties you serve, but I'm sitting in a hotel room on day number two of a house hunting trip in a city I have never lived in. Plus, is it only those counties or will you cross the line? I like the way Scott has it on his web site: "Our normal service area is a 100 mile radius of Nashville, TN, but we often accommodate our clients in locations outside of this area as needed"

Talking about email, how about an auto responder. When I send you an email automatically reply that you will reply within X hours. Whatever you decide for X, make sure you meet the goal.

Website has to be optimized for mobile phones. Many times I'm surfing on the iPhone while the Realtor is driving to the next house. On our last search we looked at 55 houses, the move before that was 70 houses. That's a lot of driving time to fill with research.

I'm not sure I like the 200% warranty as I think you will do a lot of free inspections, but in any case call it the same thing everywhere. You link says 200% Guarantee but if I click on the "?" It say 200% Warranty Details. Which is it?

Be wary of the Realtors and their recommendations. While I have used a Realtor recommended inspector in the past, I always wonder who the inspector is looking out for.

Look around your area for companies/agencies that regularly relocate employees. Not sure how many management transfers the BMW plant has, but look for things like that. Federal agencies (usually law enforcement) move people regularly. They generally use a single relocation company per company/agency to assist employees. You may be able to make inroads with a relo company and get business that way.

Look for tie in companies that "assist" homebuyers with locating a Realtor. We use USAA for insurance and they have a preferred Realtor program that rebates part of the commission to the customer. There may be a way to get hooked up,with some of those companies for referrals. I know for our last home USAA sent a person by to verify the featurs in the house to more accurately determine rebuild cost. Something like that may help,fill,time and generate income while you work on the inspection gig to pay the bills.

I know you are working out of your house, but don't advertise your home address on your website. There are too many nuts in this world. Get a box at the UPS store. It's $120 a year for insurance to cut down on the nuts a little.

OK, that's it for now... Good luck with the new business!

I appreciate your suggestions, a mobile version of the website will be active in a week, I have made changes to the service area, I have looked at relocation companies, the pay is dismal, only 100-125 dollars per inspection , home address is removed off of website, as far as realtor referrals, I only have the client's interest at heart, I call it like I see it, I have already crossed off realtor offices where the first word's out of their mouth's " are you a deal killer ? " My response , houses kill deals not inspectors, I am off their " list " with that answer.

[Marc]

...as far as realtor referrals, I only have the client's interest at heart, I call it like I see it, I have already crossed off realtor offices where the first word's out of their mouth's " are you a deal killer ? " My response , houses kill deals not inspectors, I am off their " list " with that answer.

Outstanding.

Marc

[John Kogel]

...as far as realtor referrals, I only have the client's interest at heart, I call it like I see it, I have already crossed off realtor offices where the first word's out of their mouth's " are you a deal killer ? " My response , houses kill deals not inspectors, I am off their " list " with that answer.

Outstanding.

Marc

Black-balled by the battle-ax that runs the office? Maybe not a good thing in the short term when you haven't had much exposure yet.

A wiser strategy at first might be Diplomacy (or just plain lying, something they all understand and respect []). Not that I'm any expert.