The first year and a half of my business, I did 7 days a week, a few off for Christmas and one vacation. Other than that, It was grind until it moves. Now it moves on it’s own. I did anything and everything to earn. I did repairs (still do) which got me into homes. Practically everyone I’ve done repairs to referred me out or used me for inspections.
I met several other tradesmen who I also refer out to and they refer me out.
For me, anyway, meeting with realtors got me almost nothing. Knowing some realtors got me in the door. A business networking group is very helpful. BNI may not be the right one to start, but see if you can find any group meeting. These groups are always looking for people. The more people you talk to, the more your phone will ring.
The business magnets on my car/van also get me business. Leave them on when you go to the grocery. Mine are on my work van, but initially I used my wife’s SUV and kept them on anywhere I went. I often hear “I saw your van at Winn Dixie and I visited your website, can you do…”
My website alone doesn’t seem to generate much business, but it verifies to people that I am a real business. That’s important. I’m busy enough right now that I’ve not tried to drive business to my website, but I will say that just commenting on Nextdoor seem to generate business. I don’t actively pursue people I just lay it out there. Someone stumbles along later and the conversation turns into business.
I have, I’m riding along with a friend of my dad thanks to him I’ve been able to see how he works see his pricing, his tools, the way he handles rough clients and new ones, and we have a really good friendship, what surprised me tho is that most of his inspections are from realtors, insurance, and referrals from other people averaging 2 inspections a day, he has been in the business for almost about 4 years too, and I made this topic so I could find a way to reach that many inspections with good advertising in less time than him
This is what my “mentor” does he gets at least half of all his inspections from realtors doing a general inspection witch also includes the windmidigation and a 4 point report if needed ofc, so I wana say that realtors is your go to target for advertise but as some of you with more experience maybe I was wrong.
Hahahah I’ll keep that in mind, luckily on my side I am 19 years old now and I think I’m on the right path for my age, the end goal is investing on rental property’s and retire with a couple fourplex around me but to achieve that I’m need to have the best home inspection company out here.
You have a better head on you at 19 Kevyn than a lot of inspectors here that are much older. One lately doesn’t even knows how to use Caps in sentences, much less what a paragraph. You have a decent grasp at a young age. Pretty sure you will get some good advice and assistance from here.
I didn’t knew about that signature I do have a listing tho idk if that helps but well I’m from SW Florida and I really like your idea my “mentor” did the same thing he kinda just went along with business cards and Hustle i personally don’t plan on reinventing the wheel as ill do the same thing but unlike him he didn’t had any online advertising apart from other realtors posting him on instagram, also would you recomend me calling or showing up to insurance company’s to become their inspector ? Or something similar I think they are called vendors ?
I say why not do both, get a badass website and run some good advertising in the mean time when you find a bad roof go on social media tiktok instagram facebook etc make a post and show others how you as a home inspector found an issue that helped you’re client be informed about their buying decisions, I’m sure both of this will attract phone calls.
Just be careful of posting “what you think” on social media. It can bite your ass if you are wrong on your thinking and “everyone” then gets to see your “mistake”.
If you do use it, just to advertise without specific comments on issues.
Yes, there is no single one way to advertise. Use everything you can, including social media. Heck, up until our local paper went out of business last year, I had an ad running in the monthly real estate section. I knew it was unlikely to actually draw many customers, but my ad was right next to a bunch of Realtor ads, and Realtors like to look at their own ads I was betting. Know what I’m saying?
Yes, you can do both. But, you will find that most that have a large social media presence spend most of their time on that. They are working for “likes” and “views” in order to drive their ratings and for some they are making more money doing social media videos than they are inspections! They are usually the largest supporter of it.
But, Yes, doing a good mix can not hurt. Just remember what you do when you are looking for a service or product. If you are like 95% of the general population, you are going to Google and searching for what you are looking for. The same goes for a person that is looking for a home inspector.
I have never received (that I know of) clients that were referred by their insurance agent. Back in the day, like before you were born, I would leave my bus cards and brochures with loan officers, but most business, back in the day, was from RE referrals, yellow page ads, and in later years, from people finding my website on Yahoo and Google.
Well, if it was in my local news paper, it would be lumped in with real estate, farm products, manure, houses(few), cattle, pigs, chickens, goats…etc.
In other words, there is only one “For Sale” column.
One small section for business ads. Septic, septic, HVAC, septic, Joe’s bar, septic, Dog walking, septic…
Our paper ran a once-monthly real estate section. It was two pages and had real estate listings and ads from lenders and insurance companies,… and me. A new paper started up and I guess is still doing the section once a month. But I have committed those ad dollars to sponsor my nephew’s race car for now, lol.
I would leave my bus cards and brochures with loan officers, but most business, back in the day, was from RE referrals, yellow page ads, and in later years, from people finding my website on Yahoo and Google.