Unique Selling Propositions for Home Inspectors

by Nick Gromicko

There is no shortage of home inspectors. With a simple internet search, a homebuyer will be
instantly flooded with options. What will make homebuyers choose you over your
competitors? Having a unique selling proposition (USP) can make all the difference.
A unique selling proposition is something that makes your business stand out from the
competition. In short, it’s a differentiator that sells you.

There are four parts to a great USP:

1. It should be unique, of course. A state or provincial home inspector license is not.
   Why? Because every home inspector in a jurisdiction that issues licenses has a
   license. Every home inspector has a nose, as well. So, telling your potential clients
   that you are licensed is no more a USP than telling them you have a nose.
2. It should provide third-party confirmation. Simply using text to make the claim that you
   are a thorough home inspector is meaningless. Why? Because we can all claim
   anything we want about ourselves. I could claim to have an 850 credit score. But a
   lender will want to hear from a reporting agency. An archetypal “seal of approval” from
   a third party works best to provide this confirmation.
3. It should profess that your inspection service is the best. Offering the option to pay by
   credit card, for example, doesn’t. Why? Because it doesn’t speak to the quality of
   your service. Accepting VISA and Mastercard is like offering weekend appointments.
   It’s a nice convenience but doesn’t address the most important factor... inspection
   competence.
4. It should be instantly understandable. On average, Americans buy homes only once
   every 11.9 years. Few will know what “I abide by InterNACHI’s SOP” means.
   Homebuyers don’t research inspectors much before making a choice. Upon viewing
   an inspector’s website or brochure, consumers spend less than five seconds deciding
   to hire or to look further. Five seconds is not a lot of time. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. If you were in
   a one-round boxing match that lasted only five seconds, you had better throw your best
   punch quickly. A good USP must be understandable, but also instantly
   understandable.

The ultimate USP for a home inspector is “Certified Master Inspector®” or CMI®. First off, it’s
unique. Only 4% of home inspectors are Certified Master Inspectors®. It’s issued by a third
party: the Master Inspector Certification Board. It speaks to the quality of the actual
inspection service.

And, finally, consumers immediately have a feel for what those three little words mean. It’s
instantly understandable. The Certified Master Inspector® professional designation causes
more consumers to stop searching once they find a CMI®, and it allows CMIs® to command
higher fees for their inspections. Certified Master Inspector®... It works.

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