Lol! Kind of like “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t convince him to locate the Main Water Shutoff Valve in the report so his client knows how to turn it off in case of emergency”.
It’s an excellent marketing tool. It’s a client confidence builder. It’s a bona fide guarantee.
Market YOUR business any way you see fit. Me? I’m a newbie inspector but a seasoned builder. I’ve spent a lot of time building a web site and getting it SEO’d to page 1 on the Google, I’ve spent weekends going to open houses on meet-n-greets. I’ve pulled up every favor from every Realtor friend I have and every Realtor I know. What has worked BEST? I don’t know. I’ve had some success with all of 'em. All approaches involve the “Buy Back” program. The “Buy Back” sure the hell doesn’t hurt! It’s a conversation starter. Conversations lead to sales. Sales lead to more sales. Maybe YOU don’t need new sales - because your network is established or the market in your area is different than my area? I’m competing against maybe 4-500 other inspectors that serve my area. Some do one inspection a month and others do 3 a day. Me? I’d LOVE to average one a day and am working to that end. This works for me. So do what works for you and quitcherbitchin!
Nick,
I noticed the ad clicks over to an alphabetical listing of participating inspectors. Is there a way for that list to be searchable by area served? That would be a more useful list to anyone looking for an inspector.
Thanks,
Which forum would that be?
I’ll work on that Steve… good idea.
You don’t know? I’m not sayin’ cuz the other guy loves it when we talk about him. Even bad publicity is good. And I don’t want to be in a screenshot.
Ohh, the Dark Side BB?
You know. :twisted:
My only issue here is that often in the past have had the Brokers office third party marketers ( leeches ) call and offer to put me in the Brokers newsletter as a preferred Inspector and the general consensus among good and vetted professional members here is that it is called pay to play and 100% unethical.
So by advertising only NACHI members that (pay to play) such as Buy back subscribers and members that pay out the retirement fund to get a cute CMI logo it is the same thing we all hate.
How is this any better?
I suppose if the NACHI logo and fact members are more involved and interested in the profession was at forefront at least being a NACHI member would have some weight in the Re community.
Why not help push local chapters and help keep them alive Nick by telling Agents to make sure the Inspector is *active in education participation and the local community network of Inspectors.
All local chapter members must also be NACHI members as well so they go above and beyond.
You can further push the local angle by listing all the state approved courses and mention Agent CE at the same time… Hmmm…there is your response.
No comments on your program or any of Nates, just interesting to see his opinions on yours.
Looks like your buddy thinks highly of your program…
RecallChek user gets a FULL PAGE ad in REALTOR Magazine...…
Jim
Interesting Jim.
Straight from the Thorn.
“but it ended up being only for members who pay $5 per inspection for the “Buy Your House Back Because our Inspectors Miss Major Stuff” guarantee.”
Don’t let that get out.
Oops, too late.
If I cared about marketing to agents I would write the ad up for you, but I don’t market to agents at all thus it’s not my battle.
That all being said I do see the side of the fence very clearly where you are breaking your own code of ethics again to those that d not pay you to participate in it.:
The InterNACHI member shall not engage in any act or practice that could be deemed damaging, seditious or destructive to InterNACHI, fellow InterNACHI members, InterNACHI employees, leadership or directors.
Jim
The “Well Buy Your Home Back” Guarantee works equally well with consumers. It lets them know that if they hire you, you are so confident in your abilities that you’ll make this borderline preposterous offer. It really works well.
Remember, a warranty has a negative connotation. A warranty is something you need when things go wrong. Conversely, a guarantee has a positive connotation. A guarantee is promise that something isn’t going to go wrong.
When the reporter asked Joe Namath if his team would win Super Bowl III, he didn’t reply “If we lose, I’ll provide a limited warranty that reimburses you for 1/2 the cost of your popcorn and peanuts.” Joe Namath replied “I guarantee it!”
As for your statement about it being an ethics violation because not everyone participates in it, all I can say is that I’m sure glad you aren’t in charge… LMAO. We wouldn’t have a radon course because not every member offers radon. We wouldn’t have insurance discounts because not every member carries insurance. We wouldn’t offer logo design services, because some members like the logo their wives designed for them. We wouldn’t have a Texas SOP course because not all our members live in Texas. We wouldn’t have sold 2 million “Now That You’ve Had a Home Inspection” books because not all members offer that book. We wouldn’t proctor the exam approved by Florida for pre-licensing because not all our members want a Florida license. We would have to cancel the Vegas convention because not everyone wants to come to Vegas for an inspection convention. InterNACHI would have almost nothing for members.
So by advertising only NACHI members that (pay to play) such as Buy back subscribers and members that pay out the retirement fund to get a cute CMI logo it is the same thing we all hate.
How is this any better?
From This month’s REALTOR Magazine runs InterNACHI’s Buy Your Home Back Guarantee ad. - Page 4 - InterNACHI Inspection Forum http://www.nachi.org/forum/f13/months-realtor-magazine-runs-international-association-certified-home-inspectorss-buy-your-home-back-guarantee-ad-101404/index4.html#post1336399#ixzz3adsBczpW
I agree they are similar. They are optional ways to increase revenue. The “Well Buy Your Home Back” Guarantee is similar to the Certified Master Inspector professional designation in that they both cause consumers who hold your inspection brochure or land on your inspection website to instantly come to believe that they found the most competent inspector in town. If you think they make you money (and they do)… take the money. You don’t have to take the money, it’s just lying there for you to pick up if you want it. It’s optional additional revenue.
No one participating in it hates it or CMI. What are you talking about? Inspectors love both programs.
How many CMIs have explained over and over and over how much money their CMI has made them? I can pull hundreds of such comment from this message board (and we only have 1,000 CMIs). It’s the same comments over and over “CMI paid for itself many times over.” How is that hate?
How many times have I offered to personally buy back any Certified Master Inspector’s CMI designation? In the entire history of CMI, not one CMI has ever been willing to part with it. Not one. If CMIs hated CMI… they’d sell it back. CMIs choose to keep their CMI designation. What’s that say?
I don’t understand your “retirement” comment. You do realize that CMI makes money for CMIs. It almost sounds like you mistakenly thought CMI costs inspectors money. If I thought for a second that the Certified Master Inspector professional designation cost CMIs money, I’d find the tallest building in Boulder, Colorado, jump off the roof, and slice my throat on the way down. CMI makes CMIs a lot of money. It allows CMIs to convert more consumers into paying clients and allows CMIs to command higher fee structures = more money from more clients. They Buy Back Guarantee does the same. They both really work well.
Great then I can count on free designation as part of my membership in NACHI correct ?
After all I already qualify …oh wait I did not pay extra pay to play ].
So basically it is now a tiered association like ASHI correct ?
You have often stated ‘It is only a marketing gimmick’ which means only useful as fluff and thus equivalent to selling hot air which in the future can be used by competitors as an example of NACHI being a Psuedo association with no real meat to it other than hyperbole.
Guys who are wet behind the ears seem to get the logo with ease while those with more experience and better inspecting skills but feel no need to spend Vacation money on it are thrown under the bus while the very association they pay dues to pushes lessor qualified persons to the public.
ASHI bases there tier system on inspections while NACHI does the same but based on how deep one is willing to spend.
Yes that is Pay to Play] and Yes to many it is unethical .
Marketing is great but please lets not turn Home Inspectors into shills .
When/where have I ever said that??? You show evidence to backup your charge and I’ll pay for your CMI designation ($2500).
ASHI!? LOL! I can’t help you with your questions about ASHI. ASHI had a 20-year head start on InterNACHI and lost the race. While they dishonorably awarded their highest certified membership designation based on the passing of one “minimum standard” NHIE exam that many states use to license newbies fresh out of school… InterNACHI created the most approved, accredited educational system in the world for the inspection industry: http://www.nachi.org/approved.htm , made every course free to members, launched the most powerful marketing programs that inspectors could only dream of, and released so many membership benefits that inspectors can’t keep track of them all: www.nachi.org/benefits.htm
Why would I care what any other association does or thinks? InterNACHI is arguably the best-run trade association (in any industry) in all of human history.
Wait, I think I finally might have figured out what you are saying. Correct me if I’m wrong. You’re saying that ASHI members don’t get access to www.nachi.org/benefits.htm because they don’t pay InterNACHI dues? In other words, you are saying that InterNACHI is “pay to play” because if you don’t pay dues you don’t get www.nachi.org/benefits.htm
Yeah, I guess you’re right.
I did not purchase it when it was $500 or grab it when being given out to guys for free but thanks for the offer .Is that good to anyone help ?]
Taking a day off if you include doing two reports off ] tomorrow from burnout so maybe will try and find it somewhere but I was thinking the buy back thingy which you have stated numerous times is a gimmick.
Hard to find evidence here as the search feature sucks.
Go ahead Nick type CMI into the search box and see what happens…lol
