The web article about NACHI News says, "And the best part is that it’s 100% vendor-sponsored, so not a single dollar of membership dues go toward its compilation, design or distribution.”
That’s the best part? The best part is the ads, not the content?? I’d rather have my membership dues pay for a membership newsletter, and skip the ads. I’d rather have a newsletter that focusses on useful membership news and tips, skipping the “deals discounts and training event opportunities.”
Yes, I agree that a membership newsletter is a good idea. But no, I really don’t need more advertising targeted to me as an inspector. Sorry to sound cynical, but really, NACHI is big enough to produce a professional newsletter that’s not driven by ads.
James, as the editor of the newsletter, I respect your opinion, but I don’t see how a few sidebar sponsor advertisements are going to take away from the editorial value of the newsletter. We have a bright, young associate editor and an art director who - just like you - have to put food on their families’ table, and garnering a few sponsorship dollars seems (to me, anyway), the best way to compensate them for their work without taxing the membership funds that the NACHI team needs to build, refine and enhance this organization in other realms. No one is trying to get rich with this newsletter, but the ad revenue will nonetheless help make ends meet.
On another note, I still can’t figure out why electronic advertising is perceived as such a threat to so many people. Like any profession (including HI), it’s got its good players and its bad players, but - if done honestly, respectfully and professionally - does serve a useful function by communicating the availibility of useful products and services to its targeted audience. When you open your morning paper or your latest issue of Newsweek, there are ads. The ad dollars help pay for the delivery of the content. Why is an electronic format any different, really - and don’t official sponsorship ads give you a less intrusive choice than, say, unsolicited vendor e-mails (i.e. “spam”)?
Tell you what: Why don’t you give the newsletter a chance for a few issues? I promise that no one will ever force you to click on the ads, and you can judge for yourself whether or not the content is worth reading. If it’s not, you can simply unsubscribe. No harm, no foul, no hard feelings. Fair enough?
I’m amused by this and similar posts.
Every day, NACHI members who are vendors are conducting clinics in advertising and marketing right here on the message board, by email, and soon by newsletter. There are valuable lessons to be learned from this.
Additionally, as I study responses like this (as I am sure that our vendors do as well), it is interesting to note how offended some are by an activity that many come here to learn and, hopefully, participate in with a variety of media.
Some of the ways our vendors market are ingenious and are to be duplicated wherever possible.
Imagine a Real Estate message board with a thread called “Ask James Eubank” where real estate agents ask for “inspection advice” and get a plug for his inspection service in the form of advice. We have that right here on our message board by a salesman of E&O insurance.
Look at the way sellers of software lead discussions on the board that aim toward creating a need for their particular products and some of the valuable information that comes forth from these discussions.
Now, these same vendors will be providing new and interesting formats for ads that they will use to compete against each other for our attention and business.
More power to them. We can all benefit by observing and learning.
Are you saying that the spam relating to the content that will be in the newsletter will stop? Or, will this just be a compilation of all the other emails with a small amount of real content?
Neil (and all) -
Nick has given me the responsibility of providing a useful, informative and timely publication for our members, so ultimately, the buck stops on my desk when it comes to the quality of the content. I’m sure many of you will be forthcoming with your opinions as the project takes shape. 
In any case, I’ll make sure the opt-out button is clearly visible in each issue.
In regard to outside spam from other sources, I have no control over how vendors choose to market themselves. All I can do is contact each vendor that sends out unsolicited e-mail and gently explain to them that the newsletter will give them a more effective (i.e. less instrusive) and professional outlet for their advertising message. Hopefully, they will recognize the benefit of official sponsorship.
As for editorial methodology, I will spend a significant amount of time perusing the NACHI web site each week for feature ideas. From there, I will subjectively select the items that I feel to be most beneficial. And in answer to Neil’s question - yes, I will decide on a case-by-case basis if/when “vendor news” merits publication (i.e. if I feel the product or service offers a genuine benefit to our members).
Truthfully, I think that the newsletter will be of greatest value to the members that don’t get a chance to visit the NACHI site once a week or more. There are so many new announcements here each week that it’s sometimes hard to keep track of it all, i.e. if you miss a week, you miss a lot. The entire newsletter idea was born of a desire to keep members in touch with their organization and the plethora of information and opportunities available to them (yes, even training events and “deals & discounts”).
Bottom line: I will do my very best to produce a quality product. In the meantime, please tell your favorite vendors to call or e-mail me (nachinews@comcast.net) so we can turn them into official sponsors. I could use all the help I can get in this realm from my fellow members.
I look forward to being of genuine service to you, and to NACHI as a whole.
Eric,
I may not like everything you have to say but I have to admit, I like the way you say it. I look forward to seeing what you can do with the new newsletter.
Thanks for giving me a shot, Neil. That’s all I can ask for, and I appreciate it a lot. Please call or write if there’s ever anything I can do for you personally.
Eric, I feel you will be providing a much-valued service.
Sending out the Inspector Benefits Newsletter has shown me how many of our members do not visit this board - or “What’s New” - and they appreciate the info coming to them in a different fashion.
I hope it contains paid ads as any vendor willing to pay to run an ad usually has something going on that I want to know and learn about.
The vendors are on the front lines of any industry and ours is no different. I was a forward observer myself once. Almost all the innovation in our profession is coming from vendors trying to make a buck, my favorite kind (winners).
I am still wondering what happened to our quarterly newspaper???
And Realeaty times??? Or whatever it is called.
And the papers in front of every Remax office??? Remax
Todd,
Actually 1.8 million e-issues went out which hit many more agents than just RE/MAX. They hit about 2/3rds of all real estate agents in N. America with a less than 0.1% opt-out rate! …A rate that’s never been matched as far as I know. www.InspectorLocator.com 's steady consumer and mostly-REALTOR driven traffic is solely attributed to that one e-issue. It worked.
Another e-issue pumping http://www.nachi.org/sellyourhome.htm worked well too but had to be an e-issue as a paper issue would not be downloadable… just as a paper picture of a car is not driveable.
If you follow the message board you will know that we’ve switched to www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm to keep up with the times and the next issue of Real Property e-Times will contain links to digital video podcasts. Just as http://www.nachi.org/sellyourhome.htm doesn’t work well with actual pulp newspapers, neither will links to digital video podcasts like www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm and so will be sent electronically.
During the 2 year battle it took to be awarded the “REAL PROPERTY TIMES” Trademark… the world changed, and we’ve kept up.
Eric,
Here is a new vendor that came up with an innovative product at a very good price.
WARNING!!! IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING VENDORS HAVE TO OFFER DO NOT CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK: http://home.earthlink.net/~unykent/id14.html 
Anyway, they might want to advertise this cool product in NACHI NEWS.
Thasts Great… I have seen nothing here, however.
Will NACHI Members have the right to copy & reprint articles for marketing related purposes?
Yes you can.
Nick:
If you want to do us Tucsonians some good why not tell us who the local chapter president is??? He is named and had no meetings…:twisted:
I think you should call him on it, and if does not respond I will take it… conditions pending lol
I appreciate the untested vote of confidence, Russell. We’ve not met in person yet (hopeful for either Toronto or Orlando), but your character pretty well speaks for itself in the contributions you’ve made since I became a member.
We’ll give it 100% and see where it goes. Wish me luck.
Todd,
Re-read the post.
*Todd,
Actually 1.8 million e-issues went out which hit many more agents than just RE/MAX. They hit about 2/3rds of all real estate agents in N. America with a less than 0.1% opt-out rate! …A rate that’s never been matched as far as I know. www.InspectorLocator.com](http://www.inspectorlocator.com/) 's steady consumer and mostly-REALTOR driven traffic is solely attributed to that one e-issue. It worked.
Another e-issue pumping http://www.nachi.org/sellyourhome.htm](http://www.nachi.org/sellyourhome.htm) worked well too but had to be an e-issue as a paper issue would not be downloadable… just as a paper picture of a car is not driveable.
If you follow the message board you will know that we’ve switched to www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm](http://www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm) to keep up with the times and the next issue of Real Property e-Times will contain links to digital video podcasts. Just as http://www.nachi.org/sellyourhome.htm](http://www.nachi.org/sellyourhome.htm) doesn’t work well with actual pulp newspapers, neither will links to digital video podcasts like www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm](http://www.nachi.org/nachitv.htm) and so will be sent electronically.
During the 2 year battle it took to be awarded the “REAL PROPERTY TIMES” Trademark… the world changed, and we’ve kept up.*
Todd,
I get emails like this one every day:
----- Original Message -----
From: jemarti@peoplepc.com
To: nick gromicko
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2006 1:22 AM
Hello Nick
I have placed the link on my front page - thanks for offering this great information collection.
[FONT=Signature][size=5]Jennifer L Martin, Realtor
[/size][/FONT]Better Homes Realty & Auctions
1117 North Main Street, Huntingburg IN 47542
Cell (812) 639-7189 - and - Office (812) 683-8100
Realty & Auctions
http://www.indianaflats.com](http://www.indianaflats.com)