I posted a reply to another inspector* and had some things to say about marketing.  How do you all market your businesses?  I would be interested not only in seeing what you do, but in getting new ideas that might boost my business.  Thank you in advance for replies and ideas that you think might help us all.

*  It follows below:

In business development, there are lots of keys, all under the heading of organization and marketing.

Here is what you market:
1.  Yourself - consistent contact with clients - agents, brokers, loan officers - personal contact, monthly emails like newsletters, ads dropped off into agent's mailboxes, mailings.  The key word is consistent.  Personal grooming and how you dress should NOT be underrated.  How you speak generally and with clients is certainly NOT to be underrated.  If your vocabulary lacks, work on it.  If you use the words "like" or "um" or "you know" or "I mean" a lot, alter your phraseology.
2.  Your company - diversify your services.  Make it known to your client agents or brokers everything you do and demonstrate that you do them well.  Home inspections offers a wide array of service possibilities.
3.  Your abilities - if you aren't learning and growing, you aren't learning and growing, and constantly falling behind those who are.  This should be obvious.  One of my favorite quotes, hanging in my office, is from Michelangelo, written when he was 87 (he died at 93), "I am still learning."  If you aren't familiar with his bio you should be.  And HE wanted to grow more.  The home inspection business is a GREAT way to develop abilities.   A general education is important too.  Education is useless if not shared.  If you don't know how to do something, find someone who is good at it, learn from them, and work at it.
4.  Your product and presentation - my opinion is that only about 30% of the home inspection business is construction knowledge.  Another 30% would be your ability to communicate, educate and inform your clients during an inspection.  If you don't do that well, believe me, the agents will notice and it will get around their office tomorrow.  Another 30% would be the quality of your reporting - easy to understand yet comprehensive, complete yet not overwhelming - very, very important not only to the client but to YOU.  The last 10% would be people skills, which are hard to teach.
5.  Anything else that sets you aside from the pack.  A slight edge is everything.  Tiger Woods has an average score that is less than 1 stroke ahead of #50 on the PGA Tour.  Can you name #50?  You may not have ever heard of him.  ANYTHING slightly different about you can work to your favor and impress.

If you don't think marketing is important, there are 20 mountains in North America higher than Pike's Peak.  How many can you name?

As to organization, there are as many kinds of organizations as there are people.  You have to organize in a way that complements you and who you are.

I am very busy, 2 or 3 inspections every day, 6 days a week - in English and in Spanish.  I am booked days in advance, and my agent clients put extra time on their contracts to try to schedule me.  I get LOTS of referrals from people who know someone I did an inspection for.  No brag, just fact.  It has taken years to get there.  But I have been busy, even recently, where other inspectors (and realtors) in my area (Northern Virginia just outside DC) have gone way out of business.  Contrary to Dominic's Southern CA friends, I have no bling, preferring investments.  Bling you pay for, investments pay you.

If you desire to get rich, go get rich...  you may have to work for it however.

I love ya, my brutha...  keep on keeping on.  You can get there.

Thanks Aram!  I thought to pose this question to the general forum after replying to a post under Inspection Questions today by Dominic.  I hope a marketing question is useful for everyone.  You have some great ideas.   Jay

Good plan Dominic

How does everyone here feel about post cards do they get peoples attention, do people actually tell you that a friend gave me your Post card to do an inspection..

As cheap as I been paying for them at vistaprint with great design and simple english wording, Realtors are pleased the way they look, and professional looking.

Any comments on how you guys market your business, and to who.

Thank you cards are appreciated, always.  I purchase different types thru vistaprint, with about 400 Realtors in our area that I cover, it only cost me 50.00 to order anything i want writen..

My plans are going little further this time..im going to the local paper and have them insert my post cards in the sunday paper so every residence would get one. It would cost about 300-400 to get the cards and have them in the papers... thats about 1,500 cards. if I get 2% of that i'll be in great shape. Since I do energy auditing and other environmental services the percentage maybe close to 5% . 

If you go to the Marketing section on there list it comes out with special prices once you design a card, put a fake company name and a number and follow it to the end, like to the check out section, it will ask you the qty that you want, then just cont until u ckout ..always pay the cheapest shipping cost.. even if it says 21 days .I always get mine in about 4 days NO joke, they have tons of other items they want to sell you just keep saying NO until the end..then ck out the price how cheap it is...i wll be in Az tonight for a class with Kaplan if you want I can call you and direct you in that direction. I been buying from them for the past 2 years..they always send specials but I never buy them lol..everyone gets a discount..

catch me tonight once I settle in..

hey Rick you added the slide show to your website right? can u do me a favor and call me when u get a chance also..vote for my website in Inachi june webpole..www.arrowepi.com
i need to understand how to add pic's to a slide show..would appreciate it very much

Have a great week

Haven't done slide show yet - still looking into it.  Sorry, can't help with that aspect yet.  I need to carve out some time to get back to work on my site!

Jay,

I'm a fairly new inspector. I, too, am located in Virginia.  I'm in the midst of getting established and getting off the ground  and my biggest dilema has been how to market (especially in these times) and grow the business as a new inspector?  I fully agree with your marketing startegies.  My problem has been tracking the real estate folks down, seems like no one is ever around.  My next strategy is to send an introductory e-mail out stating who I am and what I'm about.  I'm also going to send the same type of introductory letter out the same through the mail.  Looking back how did you market as a new inspector?  Just curious?  Out this way things have been very slow and being new to the game doesn't seem to be helping.  Any advice would be appreciated.

Hello Jay
The best thing that you can do is find out if the Realtor have an association, like here in my city it's called Columbia Board of realtors it has over 700 realtors listed on there roaster. Once you become a member your name goes on the list for inspections. I does not stop there to wait for a call, get involved with them and see what the affiliate do to get recognized, I serve muffins once a month for their MLS meetings on Wed. I gave a company presentaion of you i am,, 1may2 might show up, but you have to make a great impresstion like you had a room full of people. I served a Free lunch. I had out of 18 emails that would be there 12 came by, also join an investors group that involve brokers contractors, realtors, title Co, Mortgage Co and so on. This is how i started to get noticed, and also get certified in every way you can in different areas of the housing industry. I am now certified energy auditor, and i give them away for Free with every home inspection, a $200.00 value but im makin money from the inspection and it also takes me 20 extra min while im performing an inspection..my cost for energy audit 20.00 big deal lol.. www.vistaprint.com is the best and cheapest placce to get you business cards and post cards for the business. If you have any questions or assistance email me at mo.homeinspections@gmail.com

Good luck

Mark,

 One tip I've seen guys use is to make a really nice Sample Report and drop off copies in all the local offices. Make it looks sharp, nice photos, document things well. Real Estate agents respond very well to our report designs. Just ask any of the guys here.