2 July Keeping Up to Date as an Entrepreneur July 2, 2024 By Melisa Rana Business Tips, Franchise business growth, entrepreneur, hiring, money management, motivation, small business, training 0 KEEPING UP TO DATE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR July 2, 2024 | Inspection Tips, Business Tips, Social Media, Franchise | inspection industry, training, business growth, motivation, entrepreneur, email marketing By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.'s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator When running a business, owners work extremely hard to find their unique strategy for consistent success. Winning over a share of the market takes time and plenty of energy, but one common pitfall that entrepreneurs frequently encounter is losing that initial fire to learn and experiment. Too often, professionals find a comfortable place in their industry and then fall further and further behind while competition follows trends and implements what works into their businesses. So, what’s the solution? How do small business owners stay up to date in their industry? In the home inspection industry, some may point towards licensing requirements in each state as a solution, but this doesn’t resolve the problem for a couple of reasons: Home inspectors in licensing states may only be motivated to take continuing education (or CE) classes to meet their state’s requirements. This means that many inspectors in these states do the bare minimum to get by, and no more. Many states don’t require home inspection licensing at all, which means that inspectors in these non-licensing states often either don’t have the motivation or don’t see the purpose of taking CE courses to further their knowledge. Ultimately, keeping up to date with your industry has to start with an internal desire to improve your services and elevate your business. Required courses will not cut it! So, for any property inspectors out there who want to keep their business practices and their personal knowledge on the cutting edge, let’s discuss a few of the top strategies. 5 Ways to Stay Up to Date in the Home Inspection Industry 1. Take Continuing Education Courses Beyond meeting their standard state licensing requirements, home inspectors should make it a priority to regularly take CE courses as an investment in themselves and in their business. Seeking certifications in commercial inspections or specialty training (like stucco inspections) will not only expand the services that an inspector can offer, they expand understanding of building science altogether. Even periodically re-taking courses that cover subjects that have been previously mastered can provide valuable insights on how modern building practices may have caused things to change. Earning advanced certifications is just another way that a home inspector can establish their credibility to new clients early on and ultimately drive more business. Note: Another great measure for any business’ credibility is their star-rating on Google! Here are a few strategies you can use to earn more Google reviews for your business. 2. Join Industry Communities Whether you choose a national industry association like InterNACHI, ASHI, or CAHPI in Canada (who all also offer various CE opportunities), a local REALTOR association, or a franchise (like National Property Inspections), finding a community of like-minded professionals is absolutely crucial. Many inspectors will point to their own experiences in the field as their best teachers since every home presents new potential defects and unique solutions to their specific problems. Networking groups can expose inspectors to people of different backgrounds they never may have met otherwise. Most importantly, they can reveal which trends are becoming prominent much more quickly to those within their communities. For learning about new marketing strategies, new tools, and new industry standards, these communities are what separate good inspectors from great ones. 3. Subscribe to Newsletters Information has become more and more accessible as the years have passed, and today there are tons of great newsletters, YouTube channels, and even podcasts that provide free, high quality content on a regular basis. Small business owners have a wide selection of sources for marketing and business management content creators, but here is a quick selection of some of my favorite building science sources The Build Show Network Construction Instruction @ReimagineBuildings on YouTube @ThisOldHouse on YouTube For more podcasts on business development, marketing, and the home inspection industry, check out our previous recommendations! 4. Dedicate Yourself to Research Clearly, there are many different sources of knowledge that inspectors can tap into to stay ahead of the competition, but the real key is a personal dedication to learning. Those who use their resources to find an answer to something odd they’ve encountered in the field will find that their ability to retain that new knowledge is much better than those who rely too much on their mentors. While developing a relationship with someone you can reliably call or contact to discuss findings that have you stumped is certainly valuable, let this be a reminder not to become too reliant on that support system! Sometimes, professionals just need to flex their research muscles. Business owners that develop a good process for research will see their time investment pay off in dividends! 5. Stay in Touch with Your Clients As a final thought, although home inspectors will certainly be more aware of their industry than their clients, tracking client perception and satisfaction is key for growth. If long-time clients or referral contacts have started working with someone else, the reasons for that change can provide insights on your region or the industry as a whole. If you’d like to improve your communication with clients and business partners, consider establishing your own email newsletter, investing in social media, or even hosting a client appreciation event. Keeping up to date with the industry can be tough, but those that employ a few of these strategies should have an easier time keeping up with their competition. If you’d like to learn more about what resources you gain by franchising with National Property Inspections, you can grab a free info packet today! About the Author Jon McCreath, Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator A former NPI franchise owner and real estate agent, Jon joined the NPI corporate team in 2019. With his inspection expertise and foundation in classroom instruction, Jon teaches and mentors new franchisees during their two-week training course in Omaha. He also handles technical support calls during and after office hours and guides franchisees through the state licensing process. Comments are closed.