Do Flyers and Leaflets Work?

[a1home]

Hey Guys,

Do Flyers and Leaflets work?

Currently I am doing only SEO for my website and nothing else but someone told me about the leaflets. I am not sure whether it will work or not.

What do you think?

[Jim Katen]

They didn't work very well 20 years ago. I suspect that they'll work less well now.

[Mike Lamb]

Flyers didn't work for me either. I had some luck mailing letters of introduction with business cards to local lawyers who do real estate.

[Charlie R]

Get a few coffee mugs with your company name/phone number printed on them. Get a few hundred pens printed up with your company name, phone number, and e-mail address on them. Walk into all your local realtor offices and place a coffee mug filled with pens on their front desk, smile, and walk away. Donuts on the side are optional.

[Nolan Kienitz]

Get a few coffee mugs with your company name/phone number printed on them. Get a few hundred pens printed up with your company name, phone number, and e-mail address on them. Walk into all your local realtor offices and place a coffee mug filled with pens on their front desk, smile, and walk away. Donuts on the side are optional.

Did both of those routines well over twelve + years ago. I actually tracked the calls back then ... didn't result in even one inspection.

For me anyway ... an amazing waste of $$ . []

[gtblum]

Get the coffee mugs and give them to everyone. Forget the pens. People will bring them to work and leave them in break rooms. People who don't use them, will leave them on their desks and put the other guy's pens in them. Either way, they're seen.

[kurt]

All that stuff....flyers, mugs, leaflets, pens, whatever....are notes in a bottle on a very big ocean with very few places for those notes to wash up and even fewer that will take the time to open the bottle and read it. I've heard a few stories of it working. Never worked for me.

We don't rely on repeat business to stay alive; it's all new customers all time. I get "repeat business", sort of. I had one the other day that is 28 years after the first inspection, and I get people coming back after 4-6 years quite a bit...but it's not really repeat business as most businesses think of repeat business.

Marketing in a business that doesn't rely on repeat business is tricky. With a customer base, one can drive right at them and come up with ways to keep them coming back. In our gig, we don't have a customer base, per se, other than keeping those we work for extremely happy so they'll tell their friends.

I've never heard anything different from anyone that's survived in this gig. It's about one job at a time and building a reputation. After a while of surviving, it's surprisingly easy. The phone just keeps ringing.

[kurt]

Get the coffee mugs and give them to everyone. Forget the pens. People will bring them to work and leave them in break rooms. People who don't use them, will leave them on their desks and put the other guy's pens in them. Either way, they're seen.

I tried USB memory sticks with my name on them for a while. It's at least something people hang onto. I'm not entirely sure if it resulted in more work, but people remember me as the guy that gave them a USB stick.

[Nolan Kienitz]

All that stuff....flyers, mugs, leaflets, pens, whatever....are notes in a bottle on a very big ocean with very few places for those notes to wash up and even fewer that will take the time to open the bottle and read it. I've heard a few stories of it working. Never worked for me.

We don't rely on repeat business to stay alive; it's all new customers all time. I get "repeat business", sort of. I had one the other day that is 28 years after the first inspection, and I get people coming back after 4-6 years quite a bit...but it's not really repeat business as most businesses think of repeat business.

Marketing in a business that doesn't rely on repeat business is tricky. With a customer base, one can drive right at them and come up with ways to keep them coming back. In our gig, we don't have a customer base, per se, other than keeping those we work for extremely happy so they'll tell their friends.

I've never heard anything different from anyone that's survived in this gig. It's about one job at a time and building a reputation. After a while of surviving, it's surprisingly easy. The phone just keeps ringing.

Spot on comments, Kurt.

[Marc]

All that stuff....flyers, mugs, leaflets, pens, whatever....are notes in a bottle on a very big ocean with very few places for those notes to wash up and even fewer that will take the time to open the bottle and read it. I've heard a few stories of it working. Never worked for me.

We don't rely on repeat business to stay alive; it's all new customers all time. I get "repeat business", sort of. I had one the other day that is 28 years after the first inspection, and I get people coming back after 4-6 years quite a bit...but it's not really repeat business as most businesses think of repeat business.

Marketing in a business that doesn't rely on repeat business is tricky. With a customer base, one can drive right at them and come up with ways to keep them coming back. In our gig, we don't have a customer base, per se, other than keeping those we work for extremely happy so they'll tell their friends.

I've never heard anything different from anyone that's survived in this gig. It's about one job at a time and building a reputation. After a while of surviving, it's surprisingly easy. The phone just keeps ringing.

Spot on comments, Kurt.

Exactly, unless you ignore the COEs and market directly to agents, then that ocean becomes a pond.

Marc

[John Kogel]

Offer something your competitors do not have - IR scan of the house, takes 10 mins to do a quick sweep, but dwell on the typical trouble areas.

2 or 3 IR pics go in the report. Just a suggestion.

Clients get their contacts from their trusty realtor, so make friends in the realtor circles and show them you know your stuff. These old farts here don't need to do this but a new guy does.

Always answer a question with a positive answer, something that can be done about it. The floor is rotten, but the floor can be cut away and a new floor can be laid in there. Have answers ready and do research. Call when you have a better answer. Become the go-to guy.

It is all about personal contact, not flyers or other anonymous communications. Get the realtor's contact info and get your number into their phone. You don't call them to solicit jobs, but they can call you for a clarification. Usually that is to put a dollar figure on the damage you find. You tell them what is involved to fix it, but no specific price of course.

There is no conflict of interest if all your work is top notch and you catch legitimate concerns every time. You will lose favor with a few realty contacts but the really productive ones sell several houses a month and expect a few to fall thru because of hidden defects. That is your job, to find them and report them as items needing repair. JMO.

Always on time and 100% alert, time efficient and accurate. [:-magnify

[kurt]

It's not possible to get going without playing to realtors, at least a little bit. But, like Kogel said, anonymous flailing like leaflets and brochures is worthless. It was lousy 30 years ago when I did it, and now there's hundreds of guys doing it.

I don't think it's against COE's to market to realtors. It's just disgusting, debasing.

[Marc]

I didn't mean it was against a Conflict of Interest. I meant it IS a Conflict of Interest.

COIs are neither regulatory nor statutory violations, just moral violations. Regulatory and statutory come later.

At closing, agent walks away with a commission, buyer walks away with a house. They have different interests, interests that collide when professional boundaries are crossed by cooperation of agent and inspector alike.

It's motivated by the lack of a convenient metric on inspector expertise. Buyers resort to the agent, not fully understanding the hazards of this COI. Only a combination of regulation and a metric will corral it. Licensure is not a metric anymore because the entry requirements are so low.

I'm done for now.

Marc

[kurt]

It won't ever get regulated. Realtors control regulation. If it happens at all, it will be a quiet revolution by young folks, not oldsters.

No one's ever done. You'll come back to look.

[Charlie R]

You might want to try calling all the home inspectors in your area. Ask if anyone is thinking of retiring or getting out of the business soon. If you can find an inspector who has a fairly successful business but is thinking of getting out, you may be able to come to some agreement with the inspector about taking over the business, getting that business website and phone number, with an introductions to people. Get to go along on some inspections, get the tools, all sorts of advantages if you can find the right person.

[kurt]

That's a pretty good idea. Lottsa old guys in this gig.

[Scottpat]

Hey Guys,

Do Flyers and Leaflets work?

Currently I am doing only SEO for my website and nothing else but someone told me about the leaflets. I am not sure whether it will work or not.

What do you think?

I guess it depends on what you are using them for.. They work great for starting a fire! []

[gtblum]

It won't ever get regulated. Realtors control regulation. If it happens at all, it will be a quiet revolution by young folks, not oldsters.

15 more of them got the message on Saturday, during my segment of the FTB program I work with.

When it's explained that everyone involved, from the seller, the agents, the lawyers, and the lenders depend on the sale going through, in order for them to make one dime, the students get it real quick. It's about them. They need to make the decision about who they hire, for what.

Realtors can control as much as we let them. The way around that is in educating the public.

[Nolan Kienitz]

Hey Guys,

Do Flyers and Leaflets work?

Currently I am doing only SEO for my website and nothing else but someone told me about the leaflets. I am not sure whether it will work or not.

What do you think?

I guess it depends on what you are using them for.. They work great for starting a fire! []

And the involved 3rd party companies (the flyer printing and such) does wonders for their bottom line ... or if you are doing at home ... the laser or ink jet ink consumed and paper and on and on) ...

[Marc]

It won't ever get regulated. Realtors control regulation. If it happens at all, it will be a quiet revolution by young folks, not oldsters.

15 more of them got the message on Saturday, during my segment of the FTB program I work with.

When it's explained that everyone involved, from the seller, the agents, the lawyers, and the lenders depend on the sale going through, in order for them to make one dime, the students get it real quick. It's about them. They need to make the decision about who they hire, for what.

Realtors can control as much as we let them. The way around that is in educating the public.

I got an FTB class in 2 hours (32 individuals/couples). Tonight is a different approach: it starts with what regulation doesn't do: require disclosure of COI's, then moves to the problem of a lack of a metric for inspector expertise which inconveniences both homebuyer and the governor (trying to seat the most qualified folks on the Board). After that is a novel way of determining inspector expertise and a couple other COI's relating to termite inspectors and 3rd party code inspectors on a Builder's payroll. Several other topics until I hit 90 minutes.

I'll ponder your approach. Sounds like a good one.

Marc

[gtblum]

It won't ever get regulated. Realtors control regulation. If it happens at all, it will be a quiet revolution by young folks, not oldsters.

15 more of them got the message on Saturday, during my segment of the FTB program I work with.

When it's explained that everyone involved, from the seller, the agents, the lawyers, and the lenders depend on the sale going through, in order for them to make one dime, the students get it real quick. It's about them. They need to make the decision about who they hire, for what.

Realtors can control as much as we let them. The way around that is in educating the public.

I got an FTB class in 2 hours (32 individuals/couples). Tonight is a different approach: it starts with what regulation doesn't do: require disclosure of COI's, then moves to the problem of a lack of a metric for inspector expertise which inconveniences both homebuyer and the governor (trying to seat the most qualified folks on the Board). After that is a novel way of determining inspector expertise and a couple other COI's relating to termite inspectors and 3rd party code inspectors on a Builder's payroll. Several other topics until I hit 90 minutes.

I'll ponder your approach. Sounds like a good one.

Marc

Not sure who you're talking to at your classes, or how you plan to keep them awake. Sounds like 90 minutes of who gives a crap? Sorry if that sounds harsh.

I'm talking to first time homebuyers. I make it all about them. They're the ones committing to a 30 year investment. They need to be in control of who they hire and know why. Who are these inspectors? What do they do? Where do they come from? How do you hire one? What's the process? Why is the inspection arguably the single most important part of the entire transaction?

We talk very openly about dirty agent tricks, and what kind of things should raise a red flag. That subject alone, can burn a good 20 minutes of time.

I use My FB page. Pictures. Everyone loves pictures. Lots of scary stuff and lots of funny stuff. I get them involved. I make them laugh. I ask them questions and encourage them to interrupt when they have questions. People having fun while learning don't fall asleep like they do at a death by powerpoint lecture.

In the end, they have more than a clue about who we are and why they need us. I'm not saying I have the answer. The people running this program seem to like my message. They've upped my schedule in the rotation to three times a quarter, now. I'm just fine with that.

[kurt]

That's not a bad answer. Pretty good, actually.

I gave up on my generation several years ago. Morons intent on status quo marching in line and following realtors instructions.

Young people get it on first shot. It's the generation reared on student loan sucker punches and getting jammed by Baby Boomers on just about everything. They're looking for the knife job like they should be.

Very receptive audience, and like Blum, I don't sugar coat it.

Sometimes, I wish I was starting out in this gig instead of pretty much finishing up. Lots of young people receptive to seeing the curtain pulled back to reveal the Wizard. Wasn't like that 30 years ago.

[Marc]

It won't ever get regulated. Realtors control regulation. If it happens at all, it will be a quiet revolution by young folks, not oldsters.

15 more of them got the message on Saturday, during my segment of the FTB program I work with.

When it's explained that everyone involved, from the seller, the agents, the lawyers, and the lenders depend on the sale going through, in order for them to make one dime, the students get it real quick. It's about them. They need to make the decision about who they hire, for what.

Realtors can control as much as we let them. The way around that is in educating the public.

I got an FTB class in 2 hours (32 individuals/couples). Tonight is a different approach: it starts with what regulation doesn't do: require disclosure of COI's, then moves to the problem of a lack of a metric for inspector expertise which inconveniences both homebuyer and the governor (trying to seat the most qualified folks on the Board). After that is a novel way of determining inspector expertise and a couple other COI's relating to termite inspectors and 3rd party code inspectors on a Builder's payroll. Several other topics until I hit 90 minutes.

I'll ponder your approach. Sounds like a good one.

Marc

Not sure who you're talking to at your classes, or how you plan to keep them awake. Sounds like 90 minutes of who gives a crap? Sorry if that sounds harsh.

I'm talking to first time homebuyers. I make it all about them. They're the ones committing to a 30 year investment. They need to be in control of who they hire and know why. Who are these inspectors? What do they do? Where do they come from? How do you hire one? What's the process? Why is the inspection arguably the single most important part of the entire transaction?

We talk very openly about dirty agent tricks, and what kind of things should raise a red flag. That subject alone, can burn a good 20 minutes of time.

I use My FB page. Pictures. Everyone loves pictures. Lots of scary stuff and lots of funny stuff. I get them involved. I make them laugh. I ask them questions and encourage them to interrupt when they have questions. People having fun while learning don't fall asleep like they do at a death by powerpoint lecture.

In the end, they have more than a clue about who we are and why they need us. I'm not saying I have the answer. The people running this program seem to like my message. They've upped my schedule in the rotation to three times a quarter, now. I'm just fine with that.

First time homebuyers, couillon. Jeez!

Marc

[kurt]

Are non-creole northern white guys allowed to use couillion? That's a good word.

[gtblum]

If Marc feels the need for name calling, maybe I should step back and reconsider my approach.

it starts with what regulation doesn't do: require disclosure of COI's, then moves to the problem of a lack of a metric for inspector expertise which inconveniences both homebuyer and the governor (trying to seat the most qualified folks on the Board). After that is a novel way of determining inspector expertise and a couple other COI's relating to termite inspectors and 3rd party code inspectors on a Builder's payroll. Several other topics until I hit 90 minutes.

Tell me, Marc. In what way is this information beneficial to first time homebuyers, who likely don't have much of an understanding of what a home inspector is, to begin with?

What is it you hope they will take away from this that will give them an understanding of the home inspection process?

Are these folks on the edge of their seats while you explain about (trying to seat the most qualified folks on the Board)?

Are you involved with an RE sponsored program, where someone is over everyone's shoulder, expecting them to all play nice with each other?