TOPIC: Advertising

What types of advertising/marketing is everyone using?

I currently use the basics:

Business cards
Brochures
Website
HI internet search engines
Professional networking - Linkedin - ActiveRain
Blogs

I've tried in the past:

Door hangers - zero results - complaints from homeowners and HOA
Targeted direct mail - poor results
Google ads - poor results - very expensive

Will
I do the same as you, and I also have had real estate agents that put out there own brochures and I avertise on them exclusively as well.

I should have stickied this topic months ago to the top of this thread... So I just did Check out www.homeinspectorpro.com/inspector-forum...562-Marketing-Ideas/ for a ton of great ideas. Of course this might be a good place to discuss the success of those methods.

I live in a very rural area, so my take is a little different, but we are slowly catching up with the rest of the world!!

Weekly advertisement in area shopper style newspaper. So-so results, get a calll every few months. Quit doing that last summer.

Discount vouchers through realtors. Work great, use them all the time. Realtor feels like they are really providing client  with something. Each realtor in my area also has a HARD copy of mny sample report sitting at the front desk. While they are waiting to talk to someone, there is my  report, so when inspector time comes, my name is fresh in the  mind.

Bulletin boards....Place my card on every one I see. Most restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations have these, they actually work great in my area.

Tried direct mail with almost zero response. Tried form letters, postcards, discount coupons, informative pieces, you name it.

Monthly e-newsletter to past clients. This one is awesome. They already know how well you performed for them. The newsletter keeps you fresh in their memory, so when they hear of someone buying a home, they recommend you almost immediately. I probably book 2 or 3 a month from this program.

My internet traffic had been picking up slowly over the last 4 months from my website, now that I switched to Dom, it is even better. Speaking of that, I just got my first DIRECT inspection through the new site yesterday. Got my name from a list from the realtor. Only two of us had a website. Checked mine out and called to book the inspection, didn't need to look at the other guys. So that was way sweeeeeeeeeeeet!!

Yellow pages.........never had any luck.

The advertising on my truck does wonders too. Make sure your number is READABLE. I receive calls while I am driving all the time. Get it professionally done, and you will not regret it. I have an extended cab pick up and had the rear window and the small rear side windows done, as well as bug shield. Get the perf kind though, you can see right through them from inside.

Those are just some ideas on what does and does not work for me.

OOOOH OOOOH one more. My wife works for a large company in the area, and they have an electronic exchange for the employees only. Any business can advertise, but it is only visible to employees. If you offer some type of discount the ad is free. So, I offer 10  bucks off and that ad  runs 24/7/365 with 6000 people in my area looking at it almost daily. That one is good for me to. Check with the larger companies in your area and see if they offer sommething like this. Might pay off.

"OOOOH OOOOH one more. My wife works for a large company in the area, and they have an electronic exchange for the employees only. Any business can advertise, but it is only visible to employees. If you offer some type of discount the ad is free. So, I offer 10  bucks off and that ad  runs 24/7/365 with 6000 people in my area looking at it almost daily. That one is good for me to. Check with the larger companies in your area and see if they offer sommething like this. Might pay off."

That's beautiful Ian...

I've got to find a friend to get me in a system like that.

Karma for you!

These are the main ones I use too.

Business cards
Brochures
Website
HI internet search engines
Professional networking - Linkedin - ActiveRain
Blogs (need to use more)


Since I've started my business I've had zero results with marketing to Realtors.  I get all my business (approx 5 inspections a month) via the web or my site.

I have recently started using yard signs.  At $6 a sign, you cant beat it!  I hope it pays off!!!  www.signs365.com/