The Marketing Tool That Keeps on Marketing

What are real estate agents reading while waiting for you to finish the home inspection?  Make sure it isn't the sports page! Give them something interesting to read.  Fill this 3-ring binder with some of the following:

• Home maintenance book "Now that you've had a home inspection..."
• Multiple copies of the article What Really Matters.
• A copy of $10,000 Honor Guarantee.
  
• A copy of Pre-listing Inspections.
• A copy of How Agents Can Reduce Their Liability
• A copy of Free Negligent Referral Protection
  
• A copy of InterNACHI's Code of Ethics.
• A copy of InterNACHI's Standards of Practice.
• A copy of InterNACHI's Continuing Education Policy.
• Copies of your educational certificates of completion.
• Your marketing literature, flyers or brochures.
• A copy of your InterNACHI certificate.
• A copy of your E&O insurance certificate (if you carry insurance).
• A copy of your state license (if your state issues them).
• Copies of a few reference or thank-you letters from past clients. Examples.
• A copy of Is Your Inspector Blind?
• A home inspection glossary.
• The seller inspections sample letters.
• A copy of a sample home inspection report.
• A copy of My Promise.

Make sure one of your flyers or business cards is actually taped to the inside cover.

Do not include anything that indicates that you are a "Candidate" or "Associate" member of any other inspection association. These derogatory terms will work against you (especially on the internet). Many agents blacklist associates and candidates.

The words "International Association of Certified Home Inspectors" alone have strong marketing value. This is especially true with agents who are unfamiliar with you or seller's (listing) agents. The binder itself says a lot about you and your inspection service.

Some members have created labels on their own color printers that say "Please Read" or include their contact info. It is not difficult to match the label's color to the blue of this professional 3-ring binder. However don't personalize the outside too much. You want the outside to appear to be a general reference from a national association.

If you notice the real estate agent sitting down, offer this binder to read. If you notice the real estate agent taking an interest in it or if he/she asks to take some of the literature in it, offer the entire binder to take and keep.

Permit sellers to read through them too. Most sellers are also buyers and you may get another inspection.

Nick's Tip:

The time, energy, and cost of producing nicely packed binders makes them too expensive (unless you form a family assembly line) to give out to sellers in hopes they use your services on the buying end. Sellers can potentially only give you one inspection at most. However, real estate agents will give you many inspections. Let them have the binder to keep. It is too nice for them to throw away and appears to be an office reference (because it is from a national association, not a specific inspector). It will likely be kept on their office book shelf or in their real estate office library surrounded by other real estate agents. So make sure at least one of your business cards or flyers is taped to the inside cover.

Advanced Tip:

If you are leaving the binder at a real estate office, take a marker and write "DO NOT THROW OUT" over the back white check mark. Write it a little sloppy and at an angle over the check mark. I won't explain why...just trust me on this one.

To order visit Inspector Outlet.