If you had to start your inspection biz all over... what would you do different?...

[gromicko (Nick Gromicko, CMI)]

… what lessons did you learn?

[jbraun (James E. Braun, CMI)]

Join NACHI sooner. I learned the inspection business the hard way.

[wsiegel (William E. Siegel)]

NOT to advertise in the yellow pages

[mroberson (Michael Roberson)]

I posted this a year ago, Everything is still true.
Quote From Me 5-11-09

I have been anticipating this post for the past year, I just renewed my membership with NACHI and an an now in my second year! A bit of stuff for the newbies to learn from, hopefully it will save you time and money off of my mistakes. Not necessarily in order.

DO:
Join NACHI,(DUH) and join the message boards, check them every day! Make time to read past threads, as far back as you can. The wealth of knowledge contained in the forums is massive. If your here to learn dont bother reading anything political or religious.
DO:
Get yourself a website. The free one works, (for starters) I suggest a professional one. Make it your own, and write stuff on it, dont steal stuff without permission.
DO NOT:
Hire your Brother in Law as a web designer. He may be good, but since your related, it will take six months, and wont look so hot been there.
DO:
Buy a report software: I am a Home Inspector Pro Junkie… Download the free version, and give it a shot. If you don’t like it you are out exactly NOTHING. (but you will like it) Get good with your digital camera, and make a good sample report. Show THAT to the Realtors. Place the sample PDF on your website
DO NOT:
Buy a bunch of tools on credit, and expect to hit the ground running. (Ok I didnt do this, but I have learned this already) NACHI is AWESOME, but it wont hand you work on a platter. Your business is your money machine, and no one is running that machine but you!
DO:
You have now joined the world of advertising. ADVERTISE YOURSELF!! You may previously have been the best contractor in the world, but now you are competing with a college kid that makes a better flyer than you. Hire a pro if you have to, and go FULL COLOR. Your Brochure may be the only thing your client sees of you until you show up. Oh, and get full color business cards, and get them laminated. Customers treat them as gold, and feel guilty to take more than 1 ( I always hand out 2-3, and tell them it for their friends)
DO NOT:
Miss phone calls. Your Phone ringing means someone wants to talk to you. If they have to leave a message, your competition received a call too. Glue your cell to your face, and always be ready to take down information.
DO:
Be Warm, Friendly, Patient, Honest, and Humorous with your client. If you are not this way naturally, I suggest learning how to fake it post haste. Your clients are paying you a high $ per hour (in their eyes) and they will not be impressed with a stuck up know-it-all. You are more likely to be sued if they really believe you are a jerk.
DO NOT:
Be afraid to say “I don’t know… But I can find out for you” Dont just make up crap, be forthright and make it a learning experience. Your client will be more happy to know you looked it up, rather than mistrust you.
DO:
Find things to do in your spare time. You will have downtime, espically in the “off” season. Choose somthing that you can drop in an instant to perform an inspection. Use this time also to market yourself more, and Learn more.

Hope this helps someone

[dokeefe (David OKeefe, Lic. # 16000038229)]

@wsiegel

NOT to advertise in the yellow pages

ditto

[jharrison (John Harrison, CMI)]

DO:
Have every realtor in your area ready to hire or refer you to thier clients :shock:
Find the secret Home Inspection business startup EASY button.

Seriously

1. Start out with enough capital to ensure you can adequately advertise yourself and your business.

2. Network alot in your local area.

3. Join local Chamber of Commerce

4. Don’t waste money on mailings to Realtors.

[tsmith8 (Timothy J. Smith, CMI)]

As a less than two year rookie, why is it a bad idea to advertise in the yellow pages?

[gbell (Greg Bell, Sr CMI)]

Married a hot looking realtor.

[dokeefe (David OKeefe, Lic. # 16000038229)]

@tsmith8

As a less than two year rookie, why is it a bad idea to advertise in the yellow pages?

You would be better off spending your money on your website. More return on your money.

[ldapkus (Linas Dapkus, CMI)]

@gbell

Married a hot looking realtor.

You got that right Greg. All the successful inspectors that post here are married to realtors. That tells you something don’t it?

[gfarnsworth (Gary Farnsworth, CMI)]

That real estate agents are actually used home commissioned sales people; simular to used car sales people. There are good ones, and bad ones. There are good real estate companies, and ones that are not. Learn which to do business with.

And all what Michael said.

[jlevy1 (James Levy)]

Start out with more capital.

[iniquette (Ian A. Niquette)]

I like Gregs’ plan.

[bking (Bruce A. King)]

I would have set my prices above the guy’s with 10 plus years experience since I now know that I was doing a better job than they were right from the start.

[cjustason (C. Scott Justason)]

Start sooner in life

[jfunderburk (Joe Funderburk, CMI)]

I should be more forgiving when the secretary makes a mistake.

[fmagdefrau (Frank Magdefrau)]

@jfunderburk

I should be more forgiving when the secretary makes a mistake.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e41/jameskkc/Blogpics/sexy_secretary3.jpg

Her shoes really don’t match.

[fmagdefrau (Frank Magdefrau)]

If you had to start your inspection biz all over… what would you do different?..

I just would have never advertised in the yellow pages, Tidbits, or paid 1 year up front in FSBO magazine.

Yellow pages suck because all you get is calls from someone trying to sell you something.

I was scammed out of $1200 bucks by Tidbits.

FSBO in Memphis went out of business and owe me $700 bucks.

Other than that I ,made all the right moves.

I was/am able to survive the worst housing recession in the history of the Greater Memphis area.

[prichardson (Phillip Richardson)]

@fmagdefrau

Her shoes really don’t match.

What shoes??

[jpope (Jeffrey Pope, CMI, CHI, CPI, ICC)]

@ldapkus

You got that right Greg. All the successful inspectors that post here are married to realtors. That tells you something don’t it?

Man you just don’t let up, do ya?

FWIW - I was in business for three years before my wife became a Realtor.