Glenn Wharton Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 All, A buddy (from up north) and I are kicking around the idea of putting together a one day (8 Hour) seminar on Marketing, Customer Service and Handling Disputes. It is a lot to cram in, but who can afford to give up 2 days? Our reasoning is simple. Most new inspectors do not know how to market and many mid-experience guys have not learned good customer service or how to turn lemons into lemonade. The stuff provided by national companies is (in my experience) too generic and theoretical. Most of the inspectors that I talk too in Texas have never taken a marketing class. Many act like marketing is beneath them. So we are asking ourselves: If we give it will anyone care enough to come? [:-magnify If we do it, how many of you think that we could scare up enough guys to fill a room and cover our expenses, experience and time? Call it 20-30 guys. And what would a fair charge be? Since I am relatively new to this site, here is the background: I am a former Army officer (bring on the jokes) and have been an inspector for 12 years. I owned a franchise in the beginning, but that thankfully went away. I have conducted over 5000 new and resale home inspection. I have trained 10 guys, all of whom are still in the business and doing well. A few are now competing against me, but that is the way it goes. I am also a state approved CE instructor for HIs and REAs. My buddy has been in the business 17 years and has done over 8,500 inspections. He has trained better than 25 guys and written several training courses. He is also a state aproved instructor. We are both big on diplomacy AND sticking to our guns. It is a balancing act, but if you pull it off, you can be very successful. Feel free to throw in some comments on things you wish someone had told you when you started. Thanks for the input in advance. We really want to make this immediately useful and entertaining. Let me have both barrels. [:-wiltel] Why re-invent the wheel when you can just steal good ideas from someone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul burrell Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Go for it. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Advice: Don't treat your customers like recruits.[:-slaphap. Paul Burrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 As Paul said, Go for it. Keep in mind that home inspectors are an odd bunch of opinionated individuals. As for teaching a marketing class, I would keep it short and to the point. If you want folks to know who you are, you have to get out and press the flesh. You must meet everyone with a smile and a business card. For every 100 cards you handout you should expect about 3-5 calls or 3% to 5% return on your advertising. This would just about cover marketing for most solo inspectors! I don't see folks traveling a great distance for a class like this or paying a great deal of money. On a local basis it might work or if you teamed up with a state or national organizations chapter meeting. You would need to be sure that you also get the hours approved for CE in the state(s) and the various national associations. If the hours are not approved for CE, I doubt anyone would sign up. As for the cost. Many national trainers get around $1500 - $2000 a day plus expenses including airfare and lodging. I would say that you could market a class like this for about $75 to $125 if the hours would count for CE. What you are wanting to do is already being done at the ITA Show in Vegas; ASHI InspectionWorld Conference, and I believe at the NAHI Conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul MacLean Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 If you're not aware of Mike Crow, I'd be surprised. Anyway you can check out your competition at: http://www.mikecrow.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Ahern Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 You all know that in the Great Commonwealth of Massachusetts we do things better differently. By law Listing R E Agents can not recommend HIs to the buyers. In a perfect world, it would follow that we should not market to these folks.[:-banghea We now have "BUYERS BROKERS" entered in to the mix. It is OK to market to the "BUYERS BROKERS"?These are the same folks![:-banghea It is hard to tell sometimes when you should be the hammer or the nail I'm not sure a seminar could solve our problem. Jack Ahern Needham on the Charles Bridgton,Maine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
member deleted Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Has anyone ever attended Mike Crow's Seminar? -Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Originally posted by Kevin A. Richardson Has anyone ever attended Mike Crow's Seminar? -Kevin Anyone that has attended his seminar is now a millionaire and wouldn't bother to chat with the hoi polloi on this forum. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Charlie B. has, if you want to look up his profile and contact him. I don't think he's quite up to millionaire yet. [] Brian G. Still Working on It Myself [:-indiffe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlieb Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 Originally posted by Brian G. Charlie B. has, if you want to look up his profile and contact him. I don't think he's quite up to millionaire yet. [] Brian G. Still Working on It Myself [:-indiffe Three things to say on the subject. 1. The program has made a Huge difference in my volume and bottom line. 2. It's hard to do a good job (sleep good at night) and grow. But it is happening. There are still plenty of 1 inspection agents but the list of agents that want the client to recieve what they are paying for continues to grow. 3. Mike has a open breakfast meeting Sunday morning after the conference. Charlie B. PS 4. Soul selling is not required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Wharton Posted January 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 Yes, I know Mike. If he helped you great. Mike is a good inspector and businessman, I just do not like his advertising campaign. The statistical probability of ever becoming a millionaire from running an inspection company is real low. I think his advertising message (for his course) is not entirely supportable. If he simply marketed based on his record, he could probably still fill a room. That said, I wish him well. One of my guys attended and enjoyed it. Mike does know how to market. He has a bunch to offer. My philosophy has always been to take several cources to glean the most I can. I did that in the Army and I still do it. The reason simple (and always true): No one person has the answer, but lots of people have a piece. My plan is for something a bit less expensive than Mike and then to advise after the class. Thanks for the input. Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLRambo Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 Been doing this right at 28 Yrs. I've got tons of PR. 1st ASHI inspector in 300 mile circle. In past 12 yrs - over 68 newspaper articles; 2 radio show interviews; 4 TV features; several magazine articles; teach CE classes for HI's, appraisers and realtors. But was starting to lose ground to newbies - especially cheap newbies. Took Mike's 3 day class and pulled 1 idea alone that jumped me from 380 inspections a year to 759 the next year. Try it - you might like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tneumann Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 759 inspections solo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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