13 Creative Ways to Grow Your Home Inspection Business

Running your own home inspection business is a tough job. Marketing your services might be the last thing on you mind. Even if you are short on time, there are still things you can do to generate new leads and grow your business. To help you get started, we have put together this list of 13 marketing ideas for home inspectors.

1. Provide great customer service. Marketing only works when you are committed to delivering a great service. As a home inspector, this means showing up on time, providing accurate information, and getting back to your customers quickly with the inspection report. When you do a great job, people will help spread the words about your business organically.

2. Keep brochures and business cards on hand. Don’t leave the house without a few business cards in your pocket. You never know when you are going to run into a prospective customer. You don’t have to have a large budget either. You can design and print your own flyers at home. All you have to do is buy some paper. If you need new business cards, there are many affordable business card websites.

3. Build relationships with other real estate professionals. As a home inspector, it can help to develop relationships with other professionals in the real estate industry. Just getting your name out there can help generate interest around your companyl Don’t hesitate to stop by an open house and introduce yourself to the listing agent. It doesn’t hurt to know real estate agents, appraisers, and general contractors.

4. Send out an email newsletter. Sending out a newsletter can be a great way to keep in touch with your existing customer base. The newsletter does not have to be overly complicated. This is a great place to provide advice and share your knowledge on a variety of home improvement topics. It’s important to remind your past clients that you still exist. Just sending a quick note very few months can be an effective marketing strategy.

5. Attend local networking events. Although networking websites can be helpful for some, there is no real substitute for shaking someone’s hand in person. By attending a local networking event, you can get valuable facetime with other local business owners. Make sure to take a few business cards with you. Someone may need their home inspected in the near future.

6. Try out a pay-per-call lead service. Any home inspection service can benefit from buying calls. You can purchase leads for both commercial and residential inspections. When business is slower in the offseason, using a pay-per-call service is great way to get the phone ringing again. If you miss a call, make sure to call the prospective customer back as soon as possible. You will improve your chances of winning the job by following up quickly.

7. Improve the SEO of your company’s website. With better SEO, your home inspection company’s website is more likely to rank higher in the popular search engines. When someone in your area does a search for “local home inspector” or “home inspection services near me”, you want your website to show up at the top of the results page. There are several different ways to improve your website’s visibility online. Writing great content about the home inspection process is one potential strategy. Making sure your company’s website is optimized for tablets and mobile devices is another good idea.

8. Put an ad in the local newspaper. Running an ad in the local paper is a good way to gain additional exposure for your business. The ad can be very simple. You will want to include an image or graphic in the advertisement. This could be a picture of your company’s logo or maybe even your headshot. There should also be an easy way to contact you. If someone does need their home inspected, what is the best way to reach you? The ad should include your phone number, email address, or company website.

9. Try offering a coupon. Offering a special discount is a very simple way to attract new customers. For example, you could offer a free mold test or lead paint inspection with any regular home inspection. Something simple like this can really help you stand out from other home inspectors in your area.

10. Use your vehicle as a marketing tool. This is a great idea for full-time home inspectors! A vehicle wrap is an excellent way to promote your home inspection service, even when you’re off the clock. Everywhere you go, people will see your car and think of your business. If you are not ready to commit to a full vehicle wrap, you can add a smaller ad for your business to your vehicle. Stickers and magnets can be added to the front passenger door or windows of almost any car or truck.

11. Pass out fun promotional items. People love free stuff. After every home inspection you finish, you can leave something behind with your company’s name on it. It should be something that people will use or see often. It could be a coffee mug, hat, bag, tape measure, or refrigerator magnet. The next time they need a home inspector (or know someone who needs a home inspector), they will know exactly where to find your contact information.

12. Join an association of home inspectors. There are several large professional associations for home inspectors. Many of these large, national organizations have local chapters that hold regular meetings and events. This is a great place to build relationships with other home inspection professionals. Additionally, membership in one of these organizations also helps to demonstrate your credibility and professional expertise to your clients.

13. Buy leads from a lead generation service. There’s only so much one person can do in 24 hours. If there is no time in your schedule to pass out flyers or write an email newsletter, buying leads is a great way to jumpstart the growth of your home inspection company. Buying home inspection leads is quick and easy. You decide what type of leads you want and how much you are willing to spend each month. The lead generation company does the rest of the heavy lifting. When there’s a lead in your area, the prospective customer’s contact information will be sent directly to you via text message or email.