My Reputation as an Inspector Is So Good, I Shouldn't Have to Market

by Nick Gromicko

Some inspectors believe that they are so good (technically) at what they do that their reputation should be all that is needed to keep a steady stream of inspection jobs coming in. This thinking can be true in many industries, but not the home inspection profession.

Yes, it is an advantage to have a long, strong history and a good reputation for quality… but it’s less of an advantage for home inspection companies than other businesses. The reason has to do with the fact that nearly all of your clients are new – new to using you. Buying a home is a rare event for most people, so your clients aren’t hiring you each week. A recent study by LendingTree showed that as of 2018, the median duration of homeownership in the U.S. is 13.3 years. That means that even if your clients use you on every home they ever buy… your own clients are only hiring you once every 13.3 years!

Now, compare this to, let’s say, a pizza shop. According to Technomic’s 2018 Pizza Trend Report, 43% of Americans eat pizza at least once a week. The reputation a pizza shop has for producing a quality, tasty product is much more important, as most customers are repeat customers. They are already familiar with the product they are buying. All the pizza shop has to do is maintain their good reputation to keep their customers returning. With home inspection customers, that just isn’t true, which is why you have to tell them about your product – the inspection service you offer, and why it’s good. In other words, you have to market.

Helpful links:

marketing.nachi.org
www.InspectorMedia.com
www.nachi.org/now
www.BizVelop.com
www.CertifiedMasterInspector.org/power