TOPIC: Travel for an Inspection

That's good stuff Will.  Thanks. 

Two questions - is that the Ezine associated with Robert Humphries?  and -- how do you use it?  Meaning - do you pick out of it what you will forward to the group you want receiving it?  Is it a package that comes and you simply personalize it.  Thanks again for the info!

It's John Onofry's company and not affilitated with Robert Humphries.  The system is extremely easy to use, which was very important for me.  It's a blank template system, you just add your logo, name, contact information, verbiage about your company and services, etc...  It's very similar to signing up for an online search engine listing.  They populate the ezine with content on the first Tuesday of each month.  You can track all your hits/clicks/bounces etc. through the admin page of their site.  For $29 per month, its a no brainer.

Thanks Will!  I will look into it.

Small world testimony - John Onofrey's uncle Joe was my 7th grade geography teacher! When I told John that I thought it might be so, he contacted his uncle who not only remembered me, but the school and the time frame. 

I must have been a really bad kid - those are the only ones who stand out for so long in the memory banks...

Thanks I'll check it out when I get a chance.

Karma for you! 

Wow, a buck a mile... thats a pretty hefty charge... at that rate I'd have to charge an additional $130 to the fee?
I don't think that would fly for me... Although who knows, they might have accepted it...

the way I figured it, since it took me less than a half tank of gas, I just rounded it out to half the price of a tank of gas.
It probably did cost me a little more than that, but who's counting...

My inspection fees ALREADY have my full business costs built into them, and then some.

Granted it was a stretch, to travel that far...
I don't relish going on long trips either, but this was a one-off, and not typical.
Plus, the condo was a creme puff...perfect in every way...I was on the road back to the ranch before the sun was setting.

Don't forget your 'time cost.' While you were driving 65 miles to and from....you could've done another inspection. If I'm heading out of my regular radius, I consider the travel could be taking away from another job...thus also justifying a surcharge.

I feel the same way about Realtors.  But I have dumped more money their way than anything and haven't gotten one phone call.  So I've started trying to focus on my website for now.  (little cost and seems to work better right now)

I do like your idea about the news paper. It gives me another idea, we have a TV channel shows local houses for sale.  Seems like most of the Realtors that use it are the same ones over and over!  May be a reason for that!

I like your idea about the loto tickets too.  I thought of that just the other day.  I am going to put that on my list of things to do.

I also agree with you on the direct mail.  It is a dinosaur.  I will check out the homehintsnews and see what its all about. 

Right now I have to watch my $$$ so there are some things I cant do.

John,
What worked for me five years ago was instead of targeting a large real estate office, I concentrated on one to two realtors. Bought them lunch, showed what I could do, and asked for the opportunity to be one of the inspectors they referred (even offer a one time cut in fee.) They usually gave me a job soon after and then it was up to me to earn more....after developing a relationship, I asked them to refer me to other realtors in their office and hand out my cards/brochures for me. They always are willing. Working realtor by realtor has been successful (as opposed to blanketing the office.) I have several offices where I am the 'go to guy' where it started with one realtor. What started out small has led to a base of 'hundreds' of realtors and growing who could call on me at any time. And business is good right now...