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Anyone using YouTube?


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Is anyone using YouTube to promote their business? It seems like a great opportunity and the price is certainly right. Not too many things are truly free, but so far, YouTube is. I'm very familiar with how YT works. I've been uploading personal videos for a while now, but would of course open a different account for anything inspection related.

The problem I see is putting out something that doesn't make you look bad. With things so slow, I surf YT quite a bit. So much inspection related stuff is so bad, you have to wonder what they were thinking. I just ran across this one, which is jaw dropping bad. Warning - don't be drinking a beverage at 1:12, at 2:00 and beyond, or you'll surely spit it all over the monitor.

[utube]

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The guy below must be slow too, because he's branched out into being a marketing consultant. In addition to needing improvement on his presentation and delivery, he doesn't seem to realize that he contradicts himself in the videos, by not heeding his advice on what to say if someone asks what you do for work.

[utube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD3n84MQkac" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344">

[utube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyy3-ZxrIZ4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344">

I've also run across many customer testimonials. I don't recall seeing one where the home buyer came across as relaxed and not appearing to be reciting something scripted. Ken Compton uses YT for this also. What comes to mind when seeing those videos is Stepford inspectors.

So is anybody doing it effectively?

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Tip: If you are going to make a finger or thumbnail the star of your show, pick one you haven't recently whacked with a hammer!

As for the content....EEEEK!

The second guy seems about as organized as his shelving, which is appropriate as he has the personality of a wood plank. I'll bet he's a real hoot at a party. [:-yawn]

The internet is both an amazing tool and a place where tools are amazing.

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Rob:

Your link didn't work, but I found the video:

[utube]

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At first, I wondered why you posted a video of a stoned-out-of his-mind moron, but then I checked out who posted it. It was the 'Piece of Mind' inspector, David Lelak. It's unfriggin' believable that an inspector would mix that in with his 'professional' videos. Check out his video below, where his 'customer', the real estate agent gives a glowing, you-got-your-nose-far-up-my-ass testimonial. Someday a plaintiff's lawyer is going to find that and salivate. At least he finally corrected 'piece of mind'.

[utube]

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Rob:

Your link didn't work, but I found the video:

[utube]

" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344">

At first, I wondered why you posted a video of a stoned-out-of his-mind moron, but then I checked out who posted it. It was the 'Piece of Mind' inspector, David Lelak. It's unfriggin' believable that an inspector would mix that in with his 'professional' videos. Check out his video below, where his 'customer', the real estate agent gives a glowing, you-got-your-nose-far-up-my-ass testimonial. Someday a plaintiff's lawyer is going to find that and salivate. At least he finally corrected 'piece of mind'.

[utube]

" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344">

One of nicky's finest.

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  • 6 months later...
  • 5 months later...

[utube]

" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344">

This one of mine maybe really bad but it might make you laugh.

[utube]

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Preston sandlin

http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com

http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com

http://www.charlottenchomeinspector.com

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I liked the second one. What a great idea! As a guy, I hate to use this word too often, but it was cute.

On another note ..... From your Youtube profile:

About Me:

I have bee peforming Home Inspections in the Charlotte NC area for over 14 years performing 23,458 home inspections.

Holy cow! That's well over 1,500 inspections per year. Where do you find the time to make videos? Seeing the amount of business you have, I guess it pays to ensure that "Goldie gets her sale".

Me, I'm happy doing 1/6 the volume you do and not having to give a thought to satisfying Goldie.

Edit

I see you deleted the post with the first video. How come?

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This one of mine maybe really bad but it might make you laugh.

They're not bad, they're funny.

I think you should make another, where the nice young couple fires Goldie when they realize how rapacious and manipulative she is. Then they realize that they can buy a home all on their own without Goldie.

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This one of mine maybe really bad but it might make you laugh.

They're not bad, they're funny.

I think you should make another, where the nice young couple fires Goldie when they realize how rapacious and manipulative she is. Then they realize that they can buy a home all on their own without Goldie.

LOL[:D]

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I'm still trying to work through the idea that the gentleman did 5-6 inspections a day, 6 days a week, for 14 years, without ever taking a vacation.

It's a multi-inspector firm. Looks like he has 7 guys in the picture on his web site.

That solves that mystery.

Then I guess he ought to change "I have bee[sic] peforming[sic] Home Inspections in the Charlotte NC area for over 14 years performing 23,458 home inspections" to "We have been performing Home Inspections in the Charlotte NC area for over 14 years, performing 23,458 home inspections."

Small point, but it makes a difference.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Tim here with my first post.

We have been using video both on and my site as I feel it does lend credibility if done well as has been already demonstrated.

My web guy set up a custom channel on YouTube for me which looks much more professional than the standard blank ones and it is designed to match my site so they work together. Here is a couple of videos from my site. And check out the YouTube Channel.

Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/losangeleshomeinspec

http://www.youtube.com/user/losangelesh ... VfGWkraDzQ

Here is our cute video. The goal is to be entertaining while showing the value for our services.

Tim

Los Angeles Home Inspection, San Diego home Inspection, Riverside Home Inspection

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  • 5 months later...

Well, for what it's worth, I have my first video on YouTube. It's got some problems, such as the audio levels not being consistent, but overall I'm pretty happy with it. I shot the video Thursday at a vacant house. I scoped it out Monday when I set the radon monitor. I intended to leave the camera in the basement and position myself at the crawlspace opening, doing the shoot before the inspection, while I was still fresh as a daisy. Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed that an insulated metal duct cut the clearance down to about a foot. I could barely squeeze though and it wasn't big enough to frame the shot anyway - plus, I got there later than I had planned.

After the buyer left, I lugged my stuff through the main crawlspace, through a narrow tunnel and positioned myself in the far crawlspace. I set the camera up in the tunnel. By then it was about 6:30 pm and I wasn't fresh as a daisy. I was dirty, sweaty and somewhat disorganized with my thought process. I hemmed and hawed a lot. I know I'll never have a career in TV broadcasting.

When I played the raw video for my wife and stepdaughter, they both had the same reaction - uncontrollable laughter. That wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting.

[utube]

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Joe,

I think I would have hired a pretty model to come crawling out of that space and have her say something like; "If I would have hired Joe to do the inspection, I wouldn't have had to get into this crawl space, he does that for you and takes pictures that show up on the report. He's such a swell guy!" then show your logo with a voice over of all your services and services areas.

I am not very photogenic and the camera adds weight (my case, lots of weight). I think drawing the looker to your services is more important then seeing you in an uncomfortable position.

But, you did get something out there, way ahead of me. I have let to figure out how to get the Facebook page I started for my business get noticed.

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Now Ezra, if I could afford to hire a pretty model, I sure as heck wouldn't be futzing around with homemade videos. Of course, even if I could afford a pretty model, I doubt my wife would understand: "honey, I swear, it's just business".

I agree about the uncomfortable position. In my original intended location, I would have had only my torso showing. Being fully exposed where I ended up doing it, I look like an overstuffed sausage in the coveralls.

Now on to figuring out this Facebook thing. Since I now have my short URL, it's time to do something with it.

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I give you a lot of credit for reaching outside your comfort zone and trying some new things. You've motivated me to up my marketing efforts, and I truly appreciate that.

My only criticism would be that you did your entire pitch with a respirator on your forehead. The straps look like Goofy's ears, and if I wasn't so impressed by the effort I'd have laughed too.

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