What to do when Biz is slow?

[randynavarro]

Hi Ellen:

What does an inspecting chap do when things are just dead slow?

[Les]

Edit para two of your website - Is your inspector qualified? How do you build with a foundation? I would rather build on a foundation.

Or you could re-consider your time spent on captioning Watts photos; use photo shop and make me look better.

Oh well, gotta go and pick up some walnuts from the office garden, winter is going to be skinny!

[Mark P]

It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow

A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

Say "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" 3 times fast, or even once slow for that matter.

Now how many of you tried to lick your elbow? If so we know what you do when biz is slow!

[MelB]

The duck quacking thing is a myth. They echo.

During this slow time, for some insane reason, I bought a fixer upper 5 bedroom house. It hasn't been updated since it was built in the 70's. There was a crack in the foundation that one of my fellow inspectors reported on, and it scared the buyer out of the deal, and scared the trustee of the estate into unloading the house for super cheap. So I'm going to spend the lean season living in the house while I rent out my current house and fix up the other one. Of course, this pretty much guarantees that the real estate market will completely crash while I own two houses...

[Scottpat]

Find other ways to create business! Draw inspections; Phase Inspections; 1 Year Warranty Inspections; Expert Witness work, etc. A bunch of stuff to do, you just have to get creative and start marketing.

[randynavarro]

Originally posted by Les

Edit para two of your website - Is your inspector qualified? How do you build with a foundation? I would rather build on a foundation.

OK Les. You're too smart for me, (I understand now after spending some face time with you at the Watts Traing). Seriously.

Sometimes I can't tell if your having fun or if you really think that changing that paragraph would actually help my biz.

[Les]

Randy,

In an indirect way I was telling you to tweak those things that you know and use. Really look at that para and read it. If you wrote something like that in your report, nothing would happen, but some smartass atty would pick your eyes out!

I read more when we are slow and that is often this past year. I find things to talk about with other inspectors, clients and real estate agents. For example; that froth carpet underlayment has helped explain where I was last week and that in turn gave me an excuse to talk about other things, etc..

I think most of us can't write well enough to publish newsletters, but we are really good at talking and conversation. During slow times, make the rounds of the coffee shops, big box stores, "permanent" open houses in developements, etc. Most folks will go way out of their way to do business with inspectors they "like". When they like you, ala Sally Fields, they will want to see you and interact with you. They seldom like your message during an inspection, but they learn to like you and respect you.

Confession: I have always thought WJ never got dragged through the courts, because they liked him! Scott P is one of the slickest guys you will ever meet and Brian G will charm your socks off!

Advertising, coupons, seminars, chocolates, yo-yos, are best incorporated in your business when it is booming and when it is slow, backoff and strengthen your foundations (para 2).

I would invite everyone to visit Randy's website http://www.thecompleteinspection.com and read para 2.

The real answer to your question is, for me - I don't start anything new, but I do go over everything I have been doing.

[Chad Fabry]

I just read Randy's whole site. I really liked the feel of his monologue and the way he spoke directly to me.

It put me over the edge to re-vamp the content of my own site.

If anyone feels like writing my content for me please make your submissions by email. How slow are you, Randy?

Throw in some stuff about how I don't market to realtors...never been in a realtor's office for any reason.

[Bill Kibbel]

"I might be movin' to Montana soon, just to raise me up a crop of Dental Floss. Raisin' it up, waxen' it down. In a little white box that I can sell uptown".

-FZ

Actually, things are ok for me at this moment. The prices of expensive properties are dropping by hundreds of thousands and generating offers. Also, clients are walking away from many deals, resulting in 2 or more inspections.

Randy,

Try your hand at writing. If it isn't painful to read, someone just might pay you to publish it. If it has accurate and helpful information, people will be calling you.

[Les]

I'd better explain myself.

Randy has a good site!

I am just saying now is the time to tweak it!

[kurt]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

"I might be movin' to Montana soon, just to raise me up a crop of Dental Floss. Raisin' it up, waxen' it down. In a little white box that I can sell uptown".

-FZ

Just you and the pygmy pony?id="size4">

[randynavarro]

Thanks for the tips, Les. Yes, this is a good time to sweep my existing processes and clean 'em up.

Chad, I'm real slow. My biz is down about 60-70%.

Thanks for the kind words about the web site.

[homnspector]

ENJOY IT! (It won't last).

I'm serious, try to forget the money woes and spend time doing things you like to do. Spend time with the kids / family, go fishing, read a book. Forget about work, forget the web site. Do the things you wish you had time for when you were really busy. To paraphrase, you aren't going to be lying on your deathbed wishing you had been able to do a few more inspections.

I'm seeing a turnaround here (I think it is getting busier). I will give odds that a year from now we are all bitching about how busy we are.

[Richard Moore]

Randy, re: tweaking your web-site (pricing)...

I'm actually surprised you are slow with...

"Townhouse or Condo less than 800 square feet $295.00

Townhouse or Condo larger than 800 Square Feet $5.00"

I would think you would be getting ALL of the larger townhome inspections around here. $5 seems a like a bargain! []

[Les]

Fritz has a good point.

[Ellen Rohr]

Hi Randy...here are....

100+ Ways to Get the Phone to RING NOW!

www.barebonesbiz.com

It’s 8:15 am. Your experienced, professional, sales oriented, customer service focused, technically masterful sales team is still at the shop. Ready to go…with nowhere to go. Maybe that sales team consists of just lil’ ol’ you. All dressed up and no where to go.

Sigh. Now what?

It’s up to you. Put on your Marketing Hat, and CREATE some action.

I have ideas…most of these great ideas I got from YOU. Thanks…and thanks for sharing!

Recently, on the TV show Dateline, there was a segment on an out-of-the-ordinary sailboat race. Fortunately, this adventure is captured in its entirety on film because a camera crew was tagging along on the favored-to-win boat. As the crew worked to increase their lead over the other boats, one of them spotted a ‘water spout’, a tornado over the open sea. The rest of the crew turned to look at the phenomenon, and the waterspout turned…and headed straight for them.

They zigged and zagged to avoid the tornado, but to no avail. The tornado stayed with them, like stink on a working dog. The sailors pulled the sails and lowered the mast. They filled the boat half full of water so that it wouldn’t get sucked up into sky by the force of the massive funnel cloud. The tornado actually settled right on top of them. In fact, the crew PULLED it right on top of them by the power of their focus.

Do you get this? Do you understand that you are so powerful that your every thought, every action is a force of CREATION? The nature of reality is that we are crafting it.

If there are no calls on the board at 8:15 am it is because you have neglected to create them. Your focus has been elsewhere.

We are powerful beings. Watch your words. Words impact reality. Forbid the use of these words at your shop:

1. Dead. (No one’s dying. You just need a few more calls.)

2. Estimate. (Estimate means, “No one is buying. Just go over there and give them a price for work that someone else will do.â€

[Chad Fabry]

C'mon, O'Handley really wrote that post, right?

Thanks for all the tips.

[Les]

I kinda' like it!!

[SonOfSwamp]

Originally posted by Les

Confession: I have always thought WJ never got dragged through the courts, because they liked him!

Funny you should say that. A while back, one of the savvy RE agents in town -- one who attracted the same quirky upscale artistic-type customers who read my column and comprised my clientele -- walked over to me and said, "You totally get by on personality."

I replied, "Yeah. You, too."

My company's Smarty Pants Lawyer (SPL) said that co-inspector Rick and I prospered because we were the HI equivalent of Penn and Teller. "It's a home inspection," she said, "and a free show."

So, Les, you've figured it out: I'm only mean on HI web boards, and that's because this weird business requires people who can't write well to write every day. It makes me a little grouchy. I'm probably the only HI who came from a publishing background, rather than a trades or engineering background.

And, work-wise, I had the advantage of working for a clientele who came to the inspections already knowing all my opinions, quirks and proclivities, and my daughter's batting average and ERA besides. I never had to win anybody over at the jobsite.

I freely admit that I had almost none of the headaches that plague so many folks in this business.

WJ

[ozofprev]

Ellen's ideas are great (and I mean that). I remember when I was young and had that kind of energy.[:-weepn]

[hausdok]

Hi All,

There are a lot of folks in the plumbing and mechanical end of the construction business that swear that they owe their very business survival to this lady. Listen to her!

OT - OF!!!

Mike

[Cathy Duncan]

Yeah Mike, I also consider Allan’s ideas worth-praising as if they’re applied properly, one can have huge benefits out of them. Ain’t it?

[AThomas]

I'd recommend looking up the non-profit organization called SCORE at www.score.org. They have local chapters across the country to help small business owners succeed FOR FREE.

[ericwlewis]

It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow

my 20 year old daughter can!

[Ellen Rohr]

Greetings! What you think about comes about so watch your thoughts and words. Ixnay on the dead slow. You just need more calls! Here are LOTS of ideas! []

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