Originally Posted By: mbartels This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Is your dad in the area?
How much does he charge?
Have you been getting a fair amount of business off your site?
I am currently working on getting my page to show up without paying for it.
I see you at the top soon enough my friend
Too bad we don't have sound clips. A good Dr. Evil laugh would fit perfectly!
Don't worry, I have not seen Baltimore area for quite some time. I don't even do many in my own city! The majority of my clients are in DC and Montgomery county.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
No, our NACHI.org is not a home inspection lead generating site, it is a trade association’s site. We have other sites dedicated solely to lead generation and yes, some are covert, and yes covert sites on different servers with different ISPs cannot be determined to be associated by anyone, and no you can’t get more pages cached into google by copying the entire encyclopedia onto your site, and no Google can only tell you what phrases are used by most to find home inspectors not what phrases are used most by home-buying consumers to find home inspectors, and yes number of pages indicates dominance, and no they don’t have to be at the very top of searches, they have to be… said too much :-& .
Originally Posted By: dfrend This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
My dad is in NVa. He is too busy with his online store to do any other sites. I get about 50% of my clients from the internet. Most are in Anne Arundel, PG, and Montgomery.
Originally Posted By: mbartels This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Where are these sites located?
Type in Certified Home Inspection and www.NACHI.org shows up.
If this is what people visit when researching home inspecters, why is this not a site more focused on leads? Don’t get me wrong, I am proud to be a member and love this BB and all it offers, but I just think our membership would love to see some more referrals from the site.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
On NACHI.org's home page:
1. Featured inspectors is a link in the left blue border of every page.
2. Is your inspector blind? is one of the top links on the home page.
3. Find an Inspector is a big section to the right on the home page.
Originally Posted By: mtimpani This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Matthew I’ll have to agree with you again. If “customers” happened upon the NACHI site they would have to read and study the site. The find an inspector link should be the first and foremost thing that realtors or customers see. They should not have to look and figure our home page out. That should be a separate button to click on.
Also Nick: Your graph that you made on how many sites NACHI owns is great, but that is for NACHI.org. You are thinking as an insider. You have to think like a lay person. The average person is not going to sit down and think how do I find a home inspector? I will type in NACHI.org. They will type "home inspectors" or "(state) home inspectors"
Originally Posted By: Guest This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I have no where near the data that Chris does, but I use Google adwords to advertise my site. I’ve been doing it for 45 days now. “certified home inspector” is one of the 90 or so “key phrases” that should pop up my ad for the geographic locations that I specified.
My ad has been served 7,200 times total. Of that 7,200 impressions 1 search was for "certified home inspector."
My other key words like "home inspector" and so on are much more productive. BUT, pretty much what ever phrase I choose to do a search brings up NACHI's adwords advertisement along with mine.
Originally Posted By: gsutterfield This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
mbartels wrote:
Where are these sites located?
Type in Certified Home Inspection and www.NACHI.org shows up.
If this is what people visit when researching home inspecters, why is this not a site more focused on leads? Don't get me wrong, I am proud to be a member and love this BB and all it offers, but I just think our membership would love to see some more referrals from the site.
OK. I typed [certified home inspector missouri, pennsylvania,etc.] and ASHI still comes up first   This is on the Google site!!!
I have to wonder why we are still not at the top and why many members still do not get leads from the NACHI site???? Yes,some of you do but, it would be interesting to know for a fact just how many leads are actually generated. I for one have not received any and i'm sure there are many others who haven't  FYI,I have been a member for 9 months.
Nick, I continually hear you tout NACHI's dominance on the internet but don't see it yet. Maybe it's a regional thing
Originally Posted By: gsutterfield This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Did some more research and feel Mathew is correct.NACHI does not appear to be a lead generating site on the internet but rather a membership driven site
Note: Enter certified home inspector for Pennsylvania. Featured inspectors listed 4th. For Missouri,featured inspectors listed 7th. just below NACHI events. For Florida, listed 3rd.
Enter home inspector for Pennsylvania. NACHI site is listed 7th on sidebar under sponsered links. For Missouri,NACHI's site is 5th under sponsered links and 17th. for featured inspectors just below NACHI events. For Florida, NACHI's site is listed 6th under sponsered links and NACHI's site is 6th on main page as an add for the convention. Searched through the first 6 pages and found no link to featured inspectors in Florida. Sorry guys  
Nick, I dissagree with the fact that most would search for CERTIFIED but in any case NACHI is still not number 1.In fact, of all the research ASHI is still listed FIRST no matter how you search.
If you truly want to do something for the members, get NACHI members to show up as #1 in every state no matter what terminollgy people use to seek the services of a home inspector.
IMO, ASHI still leads the way and NACHI still has a long way to go. Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't most people choose the first one listed the majority of the time????
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
You are wrong. I'll correct you: Study after study show that consumers choose the second listing down more than the first. Actually I find myself doing this when performing Google searches for stuff unrelated to home inspections.
Perhaps someone who understands psychology can explain.
Anyway I wish we were #2 when you search for the phrase "certified home inspector" but we're not.
Also... lead generation does not equal sales by any means. Especially online where many inspectors have junky slow websites or worse yet none at all. I can't imagine an online consumer going away from the computer to call an inspector for more information (studies show it rarely happens) especially at night when it is assumed the inspector is not in anyway (studies show most searches are performed at night). They will only call after they have made a short list from information found on the inspectors website.
Also... most home inspection websites, like most brochures, UN-sell. See http://www.nachi.org/brochure.htm although I couldn't find a study for this one  but the rules for creating a brochure that sells can be adapted to websites too.
Also... NACHI's powerful lead generation only gets clients to your site, after which the site has to be good enough to encourage them to contact you (eventually by phone). Online inspection scheduling or any online scheduling is not widely accepted or trusted by consumers yet (sorry, I can't find the study I read about this one either but it is intuitive knowledge... you can confirm with any inspector who offers online scheduling). Anyway, assuming we get them to one of NACHI's lead generators, which gets them to visit your site, which is a good enough site to get them to call you... you still have to convert: http://www.nachi.org/convert.htm
As I said... lead generation does not equal sales.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Don’t take a study’s word for it… do your own…
Ask your friends and family then post here. It would be interesting.
"When you do a Google search do you click/choose the very first link?"
"What phrase would you type in a search to find a good home inspector?"
"When online, would you go to the phone to find out more information about an inspector, or would you rather visit their website?
"What time of day do you perform most of your searches... day or evening?
You should also ask your friends and family to look at your brochure and visit your website.
Feedback from actual consumers is even better and should be sought.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
He made this post BEFORE my recent posts were made here. Members can confirm. I didn't want to say who posted it without his permission but members should visit this similar thread going on in the members-only section. They are talking about what it takes to make a website work. Interesting and some good advice there.
One member on the thread has a website and gets no work... the other has a website and gets swamped. I'm jumping over to that thread to explain why and what members can do to get more work from their site... meet me there... bye bye.
Originally Posted By: mtimpani This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
The find an inspector link on the NACHI homepage should be the first and foremost thing that realtors or customers see. They should not have to look and figure our home page out. That should be a separate LARGE button to click on.
Originally Posted By: gsutterfield This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
gromicko wrote:
This quote was made today by a member of NACHI on another thread in the members-only section of this message board. I just found it.
I've had over 60 inspections in just over a year directly from FindAnInspector. I believe that those of us with web sites have much more success than those without.
He made this post BEFORE my recent posts were made here. Members can confirm. I didn't want to say who posted it without his permission but members should visit this similar thread going on in the members-only section. They are talking about what it takes to make a website work. Interesting and some good advice there.
One member on the thread has a website and gets no work... the other has a website and gets swamped. I'm jumping over to that thread to explain why and what members can do to get more work from their site... meet me there... bye bye.
Nick
How many times will you continue to do this  
When I joined NACHI almost 1 year ago your sales pitch listed free mouse pads, and implied that I could expect to receive calls from prospective clients via Findan Inspector etc. NACHI also promoted Nations Hazard Ins. at the same time. Now we can get the mouse pads, but at a cost. Now we can get more leads, but must pay for our own web site. No need to mention NH as that fiasco cost me quite alot.
I hope you will understand that many of us were relying on NACHI to help us with our business without the added expences now suggested. I also hope you will realize that many of us do not have the funds available to buy the mouse pads,own a web site etc. I'm sure I am not the only HI who is financially strapped at this time but obviously only one of the few willing to admitt it.
By the way, I received my membership renewal notice just the other day. Is there a grace period for paying those or will I be dropped as a member on a given date????
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
We broke the story, had the Chief Investigator come to our NACHI Chapter meetings, had government officials warn you on our message board, and posted a huge warning on http://www.nachi.org/insurance.htm long before this guy was even formally charged, let alone convicted. We also publicize regular updates on this topic. I don’t think we could or should do more here, but we’ll keep trying.
Mousepads: Numerous members who have tried them have reported being swamped afterwards. They really work and we have the unanimous testimony of those members using them to point to as proof. We also put out thousands of our own mousepads. I think NACHI's offer to subsidize up to 50% of a member's purchase is outrageously generous. I don't think we could or should do more here, but we'll keep trying.
Websites: NACHI worked hard to have the largest website in the industry http://www.nachi.org/site-comparisons.htm with the 5.5 million hits per month http://www.nachi.org/stats and the most popular message board http://www.nachi.org/mb and has internet dominance http://www.nachi.org/domains.htm and owns thousands of covert sites and is building real estate sites that generate leads for members...all bought and paid for by NACHI. NACHI also pays click thru fees to MSN, AltaVista, and Google http://www.nachi.org/google.htm Our Google bill alone is $2,000.00 a month at 5 cents a click thru. NACHI also pays for sponsored sites. NACHI also runs two huge lead generators http://www.InspectorSEEK.com and http://www.FindAnInspector.US NACHI also recently bought 717 more home inspection websites http://www.nachi.org/moredomains.htm and NACHI pays for local Chapter websites. I can't imagine that a home inspector with a website wouldn't want to join NACHI for the site-promotion alone! I don't think we could or should do more here, but we'll keep trying.
Originally Posted By: Guest This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
gromicko wrote:
Nearly all home-buying consumers type the same phrase into www.google.com when looking for a home inspector:
Certified Home Inspector or Certified Home Inspectors
I wish I could take credit for this but I can't. Consumers have a mind of their own. Terms like "licensed", "insured", "registered", "qualified", and "professional" are not given much credit in the mind of consumers. It might not be fair to ASHI but most consumers over value the adjective "Certified" and I couldn't be happier.
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Searches done in October 2004
Count Search Term
549 certified home inspector
159 national association of certified home inspector
68 certified new jersey home inspector
54 how to become a certified home inspector
40 nj certified home inspector
35 florida certified home inspector
27 arizona certified home inspector
Folks, that's total nationwide.
Here's some other numbers:
Searches done in October 2004
Count Search Term
13858 home inspector
1498 professional home inspector
1102 american society of home inspectors
1025 become a home inspector
810 home inspector training
649 arizona home inspector
607 home inspector school
549 certified home inspector
509 home inspector course
498 national association of home inspector
413 home inspector insurance
401 florida home inspector
369 houston home inspector
349 home inspector madison al
344 home inspector license
343 home inspector huntsville al
320 nj home inspector
320 texas home inspector
275 the knowledge and expertise of a professional home inspector
274 licensed home inspector
252 home inspector association
248 new jersey home inspector
245 illinois home inspector
237 home inspector certification
235 find a home inspector
233 home inspector tool
216 atlanta home inspector
209 michigan home inspector
202 home inspector salary
201 home inspector training online
184 home inspector class
181 becoming a home inspector
178 home inspector career
166 home inspector efinder
163 home inspector jobs
160 wisconsin home inspector
159 national association of certified home inspector
155 home inspector directory
153 bergen county home inspector
151 california home inspector
151 mass home inspector
150 home inspector georgia
144 the home inspector service to the purchaser is primarily o
137 home inspector massachusetts
134 home inspector software
130 american home inspector
127 maryland home inspector
118 chicago home inspector
118 phoenix home inspector
115 ct home inspector
113 florida home inspector license
108 ohio home inspector
104 ontario association of home inspector
103 home inspector licensing
102 fort home inspector worth
102 professional home inspector training
99 home inspector error and ommissions insurance
99 orlando home inspector
98 tampa home inspector
95 arkansas home inspector
93 dallas home inspector
93 indiana home inspector
91 home inspector locator
88 home inspector manual
88 ontario home inspector
87 home inspector colorado
86 ga home inspector
86 oregon home inspector
85 national home inspector examination
84 american home inspector training institute
84 chandler home inspector
84 professional home inspector manual
84 home inspector minnesota
84 home inspector training services
83 essex county home inspector
81 home inspector ny
81 online home inspector services
80 san diego home inspector
80 home inspection e o insurance
80 home inspector in georgia
79 north carolina home inspector
79 connecticut home inspector
78 nc home inspector
77 georgia association of home inspector
77 passaic county home inspector
76 morris county home inspector
76 katy home inspector
75 california diego home inspector san
72 south carolina home inspector
72 independent home inspector
72 home inspector naples
71 home inspector exam
69 alabama home inspector
69 az home inspector
69 pa home inspector
68 certified new jersey home inspector
68 national home inspector exam
67 oklahoma home inspector
67 home inspection toronto
66 home inspector nh
