At a recent continuing education class, I was speaking with some other home inspectors, and one of them asked the group what was the one trait that made them successful. Most of the group gave predictable answers, touting their experience or explaining how thankful they were for their good fortune. I didn’t provide an answer at that moment, as I couldn’t …
Become the Authority
I am fascinated by the possibilities of digital marketing. It enables us, as small business owners, to vastly extend our marketing reach without breaking the bank. However, the sheer number of options available to us can seem overwhelming: Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, the list goes on and on. I’ve spent a good bit of time researching the various marketing methods …
Our Own Worst Critic
One of the key ingredients to running a successful business is having a marketable product, something ready for public consumption. It’s impossible to have business success without one. To have the best shot at running a productive business, our product must meet a few basic requirements: it must be something that is not only profitable enough for the business to …
Being Respected or Being Profitable
As business owners, we often find ourselves faced with important decisions that are going to affect the future success of our business. And all too often, those decisions involve choosing between something that we know is right or something that we know will be profitable. We’re either going to gain someone’s respect, or we’re going to make a bunch of …
Fake It ‘Til You Make It
Everyone had a first time. We’ve all suffered through our first day of school, that first dance, the first time we had a date, our first kiss, and eventually, our first home inspection. Some of us remember each of these experiences in vivid detail, while the rest of us try to block them from our memories. Whether they were good or …
In Home Inspector We Trust
I recently received a phone call from a home inspector who was frustrated by an incident that had occurred on his most recent inspection. This inspector is relatively new to the profession, and he contacts me often, as I enjoy serving as a mentor to help guide him along in his journey to developing a success inspection business. He was irritated …
Three Stress Points for Home Inspectors
Everyone wants be be faster at their job. Even professional home inspectors, who are typically very detail oriented and spend time looking in every crack and crevice of a home, would like to work more efficiently. We’re under a lot of stress during the on-site inspection process, with everyone involved wondering when we’re going to be done looking around (and …
Working on Your People Skills
Think about the last time you spent an evening at a restaurant with some good friends. Was it an enjoyable experience? Can you remember all the details? How nicely was the food presented? How professional was the service? How clean and comfortable was the restaurant? Was the noise level acceptable, enhancing the meal? Overall, did you have a pleasant experience, and will you …
Some (of the) People. Dealing with Unhappy Clients
There’s an old saying that applies to customer satisfaction in your business. Is says that if you make an honest effort, you can please about 90% of your customers. Of the remaining 10% of your customers, it will take twice as much effort to please half of them. Of the remaining 5% of your customers, it will take twice as much effort …
Is More Always Better?
When I was younger, I always thought that I was going to grow up to be a professor. I don’t know where that career choice idea originated, but it was there, nonetheless. (I’m still not sure about the part where I grow up, as my wife would certainly debate that idea.) But it seems like my career path was always …