Jim Morrison Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 I guess it's more like PR than marketing, but... Last week a (highly technical) client told me that he got a list of good home inspectors from his attorney and apparently Googled each of us to death. He decided to hire me, he said, because Googling my name turned up my activity on this forum and thought that it showed a higher level of dedication to our profession. I'm not sure that's exactly accurate, but it's a nice piece of extra compensation for participating here. Thanks Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Great!!! Send the 90% finder's fee to The Inspector's Journal, Kenmore, WA 98028 OT - OF!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caryseidner Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 That'll probably help you regain interest in this forum![:-party] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Ouch! [b)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Several years back, I had an inspection where the buyer had found me through the normal channels (his sister's daughter's boyfriend's mother had used me) but his agent had never heard of me. So the agent googled me and found my activity here. In particular, she found one post in which the original poster was asking for advice about how to deal with an agent who kept interrupting his explanations. I suggested he grab the agent by the ears, smack her forehead down on the table and leave her semi-concious in the corner for the remainder of the inspection. When I arrived at the inspection, the agent greeted me and told me that she wanted to make it REALLY CLEAR that she had NO intention of interrupting me while I was talking. Later, as I was going over the report with the buyer she piped up with a question but then stopped mid sentence and threw her hands up over her ears. There's a moral in here somewhere. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Jim, Now you have to go back and read all your old posts so you can insure that you come across as consistent. Man...what a task. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resqman Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 It was reported on another forum that someone googled a particular topic and the topic was being discussed on the forum. The forum came up as one of the google hits and the posting was only 24 hours old. While we may tend to think of TIJ as a semi-personal discussion being held at the back of a bar among friends, it is available for all the world to view. Your clients may be googling you and your company. What you say and how you say it could help them decide to choose you over your competitors. Good grammer, coorect spelling, knowledgeable responses, and a friendly demeanor will reflect well of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtblum Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Originally posted by resqmanGood grammer, coorect spelling, knowledgeable responses, and a friendly demeanor will reflect well of you. So will being an honest, decent, human being, and not holding back from saying what you believe in, for fear of loosing a buck. You know. Like your grandfather taught you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I had a client mention that he was Googling keywords relating to a specific concern about the home he was considering purchasing. He ended up here and liked a response I posted to a question pertaining to a similar issue. He then spent several hours reading other topics. He mentioned there was a lot of smart folks here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Well, I admit I was "caught" on TIJ several years ago by a client. I kinda liked it! Since then I have changed my attitude just a bit and really do not temper anything I write here. I have been more careful about posting photos and would encourage all other posting inspectors to do the same. Recently there was a whole series of photos with negative comments for all of us that made me uncomfortable - because that was/is someone's home. I've often wondered why Joseph Ferry, esq has not commented on that aspect of this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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