By Bill Erickson
Whether you’ve recently entered the inspection business or you’re a seasoned pro with NPI, you may have heard us talk about the benefits of introducing CE courses into your marketing plan. At NPI corporate, we’re always working to get new courses approved in your state, and for good reason: CE courses are one of the best face-to-face marketing tools in your arsenal, giving you more quality interaction with real estate agents.
What’s the deal with CEs?
NPI’s proprietary CE courses are designed to fulfill real estate agents’ continuing education (CE) requirements. When you market yourself as a CE instructor to the agents and realtors in your area, you’re providing a service they need to further their careers. You’ll be invited to present your course to groups of real estate agents, and while these groups vary in size depending on your area, it’s common to see groups of 15 to 20 agents or more sign up for a CE course—you should seize your chance to get their attention!
What special skills do I need to teach CEs?
None! We give you all the materials and direction you need to run a successful CE course. Combine our presentations with your expertise as an inspector, and you’ll have a winning combination. If you’re not much of a public speaker, you should still give it a shot—everyone’s a little nervous at first, and some of our most successful CE instructors have been in your shoes, too.
Why teach CE courses?
Think of it as giving something of value to the agents that you want to work with. When you teach real estate agents about the process of property inspection, you help them navigate this unfamiliar territory and get better at what they do. When they use the information you provide, they make a good impression with buyers and sellers, and their business grows; when their business grows, so does yours.
Teaching CE courses also helps to instill agents’ trust in you as a service provider. You won’t have a better chance to show off your skills in person with a more captive audience. By demonstrating your knowledge and friendly, helpful personality, you can show agents that you’re the type of person they can feel comfortable referring their clients to. Establishing trust paves the way to conducting business together.
How do I start teaching CEs?
Before you hold a class, check with Bill Erickson to determine:
When you start preparing to teach a specific class:
Ready to get started with CEs?
If you’re ready to teach CE courses and want more information about the NPI courses available in your area, contact Bill Erickson at 800.333.9807, Ex. 19.
