<span class="hide-blog-title">The Franchise Informant</span>A resource for National Property Inspections and Global Property Inspections franchisees, aspiring entrepreneurs and real estate professionals.https://npifranchise.com/Blog/PostsHow To Break Into A Male-Dominated Industry As A Female Entrepreneurhttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1571/how-to-break-into-a-male-dominated-industry-as-a-female-entrepreneurBusiness Tips,Franchise,Marketing,Social MediaTue, 12 Dec 2023 20:44:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HOW TO BREAK INTO A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY AS A FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> December 12, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=franchise">Franchise</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/small-business">small business</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/motivation">motivation</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/networking">networking</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entrepreneur">entrepreneur</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Celeste Black-Harr, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Recruitment Coordinator</em></span></p> <p>The glass ceiling is a concept that describes an invisible barrier that limits advancement in the workplace for certain groups. For women who look to find a foothold in male-dominated industries, working to overcome stereotypes can make glass ceilings feel very real. The great thing about the glass ceiling metaphor, though, is that glass begs to be shattered.</p> <p>Breaking into a male-dominated industry as a female entrepreneur can feel daunting, but underrepresented voices who build a platform in their industry have an opportunity. They will not only benefit those that follow in their footsteps, creating a more accessible pathway in the future, their unique background and perspectives will also benefit the entire industry.</p> <p>Of course, if finding success in a male-dominated industry was easy then everyone would do it. While every industry has their own unique quirks and obstacles, there are a few considerations that are particularly worth taking into account for female entrepreneurs getting ready to break through.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Find A Functional Support System</span><br /> Reliable contacts are important to establish for anyone entering into any industry, but identifying these people are even more important for women who are looking to establish themselves in a male-dominated industry. First, let’s talk about finding a strong mentor.</p> <p>A mentor is someone with experience in the industry who is willing to impart advice, assist in navigating hurdles (which are inevitable!), and act as an advocate. Ideally, this should be someone who has encountered similar obstacles so, if possible, women should find other women who have found success to act as their mentor. Although male mentors will give invaluable insights on how to grow within the industry (and female entrepreneurs should absolutely seek out male mentors), developing relationships with women who have already walked their path and have direct experience of their unique challenges should be a top priority.</p> <p>Unfortunately, finding a female mentor in a male-dominated industry is by no means easy, and in all likelihood, that single perfect business owner who is capable of answering each and every question along the way won’t exist. This is why we recommend finding a support “system” rather than a single mentor. Network, network, and then network some more to find an ally that knows the industry, then maybe find a female mentor who has found success in a <em>different</em> male-dominated industry, another person who excels at managing a large team, and yet another mentor who is a master on social media</p> <p>Much of advancing in any industry involves getting to know the right people and establishing that reliable network of confidantes and advocates. For women entering a traditionally “male” space, an <em>us vs. them</em> can only distract from the great aid that women <em>and men</em> can provide while establishing a successful business.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Disprove Negative Stereotypes</span><br /> Next, one important question that female entrepreneurs have to consider before stepping into a male-dominated industry is this: <em>Why is this industry male-dominated?</em></p> <p>If you struggle to come up with a good answer, this might be a good opportunity to reach out to one of your industry contacts to get their take and perspective. Maybe the industry has just been slow to catch up to modern sensibilities, or something about the industry doesn’t generally appeal to female entrepreneurs, or perhaps there are persistent stereotypes that present an unfair hindrance to success. In the case of this last issue, women can work to dispel stereotypes with a few intentional steps.</p> <p>Let’s start with an example: according to the <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.pdf" target="_blank">US Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>, 1.1% of plumbers were women in 2022 (the most recent available year). Although this profession has one of the most extreme male/female divides, many of the trades are similarly dominated by men, and this has a negative effect on an average person’s perception of competency for people in the trades. Another way to say this might be, if every plumber that a homeowner has ever worked with has been a male, they may have a subconscious assumption that men simply know more about home plumbing systems than women.</p> <p>For a woman who’s looking to open her own plumbing business, it is possible that a prevailing stereotype that makes her seem less competent than she is leads to less business than she would have otherwise gotten. The solution to this problem? To put it simply: prove the stereotype wrong.</p> <p>In the past, this was much more difficult since female entrepreneurs would have to convince clients and customers to give them a shot, do a great job, then hope word-of-mouth spreads enough to get their business humming. Today, there are more opportunities to put one’s skills on display:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Gather Google / Facebook / Yelp Reviews</strong> to put satisfied previous customers’ experiences on display. Clients that hold to a negative stereotype of women in a certain industry will have to adjust their thinking if they find their business has hundreds of glowing reviews and spectacular ratings across the board.<br /> <br /> <em>To learn about review gathering strategies for small businesses, read more <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/5-strategies-to-get-more-reviews-for-your-small-business">here</a>!</em><br />  </li> <li><strong>Post Video Tutorials</strong> to act as an authority on industry-related topics. Whether hosted on social media or on a business website, videos where prospective clients can hear you speak intelligently about your industry and services and see you exercise your expertise themselves serve as an excellent advocate for your capabilities.<br /> <br /> <em>Did you know that videos can also be a great inclusion in email campaigns? Here are <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/everything-you-need-to-know-to-make-your-next-email-campaign-a-success">a few tips</a> to make your next email marketing campaign a hit.</em><br />  </li> <li><strong>Seize Opportunities to Teach</strong> in front of clients, referral sources, and even industry peers. These situations are, of course, more situations where you can put your skills and knowledge on display, but they are also opportunities to further break down unhelpful stereotypes. Whether at a child’s school career day, at a conference, or at a BNI group meeting, speaking as a representative of your industry in these public settings can work wonders to place yourself as an authority figure and even build your own confidence in your abilities.<br /> <br /> <em>If you’re interested in refining your public speaking skills, take a look at our thoughts on the subject! If you’re interested in refining your public speaking skills, take a look at <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/5-tips-to-improve-public-speaking-as-a-small-business-owner">our thoughts</a> on the subject!</em></li> </ol> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Don’t Change Yourself - Change The Industry</span><br /> Finally, there may be an impulse to act a certain way, or to change behavior in order to fit into the box of what sort of person has succeeded in the industry in the past. For many women, this can be a tempting impulse when entering into a male-dominated industry, but this instinct may not be the best. Just because women haven’t been prevalent in a male dominated industry doesn’t mean they can’t be, and it also doesn’t mean the odds are stacked against them.</p> <p>Innovations that transform industries often come from those with unique backgrounds, or from perspectives that were previously absent from that field. Women that lean on their unique strengths and discover their own way of conducting business are far more likely to find a <em>better</em> way of doing things than if they only emulate what’s been done before. While there is wisdom in sticking to what’s proven to work, having the bravery to try something new is what separates industry leaders from the pack.</p> <p>Taking home inspections as an example, a large portion of the job involves developing relationships and working with real estate agents - a profession that is 66% female (according to the <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.nar.realtor/women-in-real-estate#:~:text=Demographic%20Characteristics%20of%20REALTORS%C2%AE&text=66%20percent%20of%20all%20REALTORS,percent%20of%20sales%20agent%20licensees." target="_blank">National Association of Realtors</a>). Although property inspectors also skew male, there may be a considerable advantage to women who enter into the home inspection industry due to their own ability to appeal to real estate agents.</p> <p>Whether there are inherent untapped advantages in an industry or opportunities to innovate, women who take on the challenge of breaking into a male dominated industry should do so with great anticipation. Another thing that comes naturally with the breaking of things like glass ceilings: it’s bound to turn heads.</p> <p><em>One fantastic benefit of an NPI franchise is access to a nationwide network of mentors and industry professionals with decades of experience and a desire to innovate. To learn more about the benefits of partnering with National Property Inspections, receive your <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">free info packet</a> today!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Additional Images/Authors/author-photos_celeste-01.jpg" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Celeste Black-Harr, <em>Recruitment Coordinator</em></span><br /> With a background in customer service and office administration, Celeste joined National Property Inspections, Inc. in 2022. Her experience in customer service is the driving force behind helping all new franchise owners get started and developing those strong business relations! In her daily role as Recruitment Coordinator, Celeste onboards new NPI and GPI franchises from across the United Stated and Canada.</div> </div> 1571What Is The Benefit Of The Name National Property Inspections?https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1570/what-is-the-benefit-of-the-name-national-property-inspectionsFranchise,Marketing,Social MediaTue, 05 Dec 2023 20:34:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THE NAME NATIONAL PROPERTY INSPECTIONS?</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> December 5, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=franchise">Franchise</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/inspection-industry">inspection industry</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/small-business">small business</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/linkedin">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/digital-marketing">digital marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Michael Trimble, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Content Marketing Coordinator</em></span></p> <p>When starting a new business, entrepreneurs work hard to create a clear plan for growth. While there are many exciting things that come with establishing a business’ processes, brand image, and marketing strategy, owners tend to spend a lot of their energy early on avoiding common pitfalls. One of the most important pitfalls to avoid, of course, is choosing the wrong business name.</p> <p>Names are hard, whether you’re naming a new business venture or your child. For many entrepreneurs, launching a new business is very similar to having a new baby, as they work through the trials and tribulations that come with learning to operate in a new industry. While a person’s opportunities may not be markedly different whether they were named John or Albus, a business name can mean the difference between success and failure.</p> <p>National Property Inspections is a tried and tested name in the property inspections industry, which means inspectors that partner with NPI can see benefits prior to performing even a single job. To get a better idea of why National Property Inspections works so well in its industry, let’s first review what is important when choosing a business name.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Why Is A Business Name Important?</span><br /> Business names are intended to accomplish quite a bit. First, a business name needs to set appropriate expectations to its intended audience. What does the business do? What are the business’ values? What can be expected when working with this business? If a name is too vague or imprecise, clients may misunderstand the business’ focus, either passing them over in favor of a competitor, or inquiring for services that aren’t offered.</p> <p>Next, a business name needs to draw in clients! Names can do this by being particularly unique or memorable, or they might do this by evoking a sensation of professionalism or prestige. Depending on the industry, goofy names may be appropriate to appeal to a particular audience, whereas another industry that prioritizes expertise, safety, and high profile investments would be wise to stick with something more professional.</p> <p>Finally, a name must be easy to remember. Sometimes names that include invented words can be memorable after getting established and gaining widespread recognition, but prospective clients need to be able to easily look up a business after hearing it off hand. This means that keeping a name relatively short and full of everyday words is best for discoverability online, and for easier recollection. (Per the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, memorability and simplicity are two of the most important factors that make a great business name. You can read more of their thoughts on the subject <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/startup/great-business-name-traits" target="_blank">here</a>!)</p> <p>With some of these basic standards outlined, let’s see how NPI stacks up!</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">NPI Cuts Straight To The Point</span><br /> National Property Inspections is a name that cannot easily be mistaken for something else. In the home inspection industry, there is a high potential for clients to mistake a poorly named property inspection business for a construction company, electrical or HVAC company, or even a private detective’s office. Reducing the potential for confusion is paramount for any business owner who wants to reduce wasted time and unneeded frustration with mistaken clients.</p> <p><em>National Property Inspections</em> is a property inspections company, and one of the premier names within the industry across the United States. All of this is easily understood in three simple words, and this efficient, direct naming style subconsciously tells clients that they can expect the same from this business’ service: efficient professionalism, and a premier quality that stands up to scrutiny.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">NPI Opens The Door For Commercial Inspections</span><br /> The next thing that the NPI name does for its franchisees that’s different from many property inspection business names, is it doesn’t immediately force them into the box of home inspection. If you’re a home inspector who has ever tried to break into the world of commercial property inspections, you may have experienced the stigma that commercial referral sources have towards home inspectors.</p> <p>While this is surely frustrating, the stigma isn’t entirely unwarranted. The truth is that commercial properties require a unique skill set and involve a different scale that most home inspectors simply aren’t used to. This leads those that need to coordinate commercial inspections to commonly look elsewhere for their needs. <em>National Property Inspections</em> doesn’t include the word “home” in its name like many in the industry, which inherently allows more freedom for franchisees to diversify.</p> <p>Commercial property inspections can be very lucrative, and since NPI offers special commercial training and commercial job opportunities through its National Accounts, <em>National Property Inspections</em> uniquely positions its franchisees to excel in this field.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">NPI Works Well On The Digital Front</span><br /> One major unexpected struggle that new business owners face while naming their new company is digital compatibility. Businesses excel when they can be reached easily, and the best way to do this is to be present in every location that their client base is looking. This, of course, starts with securing your business’ domain name, then branches out to claiming pages on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, Yelp, etc.).</p> <p>Consistency across all platforms is important to reduce confusion among your clients, and is an essential practice for businesses that want great SEO (search engine optimization). Another benefit of franchising with NPI is that our marketing helps you set up all of these profiles, securing your business’ name right out of the gate so that you can focus on building your audience and refining your skills.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">NPI Has 35+ Years Of Industry Name Recognition</span><br /> Finally, <em>National Property Inspections</em> has built a reputation of quality in the property inspection industry that spans over 35 years! With experienced and talented business owners stretching across the United States, NPI is a well-known brand that is already recognizable for its integrity and high-caliber service. Although new franchisees haven’t necessarily been active as a home inspector as long as NPI’s most tenured professionals, using the NPI name means that one of the most respected entities in the industry vouches for your abilities and your character.</p> <p>To answer the old question: “What’s in a name?” Clearly, there’s quite a bit!</p> <p><em>If you’d like to learn more about how National Property Inspections continues to innovate and stand out in this industry, contact our <a class="color-secondary" href="”mailto:marketing@npiweb.com”">recruitment team</a>. Want to learn more about the benefits of franchising with NPI? Collect your free info packet <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">right here</a>!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Additional%20Images/Authors/author-photo_michael-trimble-01.jpg" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Michael Trimble, <em>Content Marketing Coordinator</em></span><br /> A graduate of the University of South Dakota, Michael has a B.A. in International Studies and English. With a background in research and writing, Michael contributes to NPI’s corporate marketing team as a copywriter and content strategist.</div> </div> 15705 Cost Effective Marketing Strategies For Small Businesseshttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1567/5-cost-effective-marketing-strategies-for-small-businessesBusiness Tips,Marketing,Social MediaTue, 14 Nov 2023 19:43:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">5 COST EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> November 14, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/money-management">money management</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/email-marketing">email marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Sydney Bailey, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Marketing Director</em></span></p> <p>Seasoned business owners know that every industry experiences ebbs and flows. There are times when the phones are constantly ringing and the calendar is packed. On the flip side, there are stretches where work is more scarce. It’s often during the slow seasons where cutting back on expenditures is a natural impulse, but business owners should be careful not to handicap their marketing efforts.</p> <p>Marketing is critical for reaching new clients and keeping your business top-of-mind for your established referral sources, so you should be hesitant to cut your marketing spend when business is down. With that said, there are ways you can be more intentional with your marketing budget. If you find yourself limited on funds, here are a few cost-effective marketing strategies worth exploring. </p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Refine Your Communication Skills</span><br /> Standing out from your competition is critical when business slows down. For some owners, explaining to prospective clients exactly what sets their business apart can be difficult. While effective marketing and networking can make your phone ring, it won’t do much good if the person answering the call doesn’t conduct themselves with enough confidence to actually book the job. </p> <p>With this in mind, business owners and office staff should take the time to rehearse their delivery over the phone and in person. Practicing with friends, family, and other trusted confidants can build assurance for business owners who aren’t used to conversing in these environments, and although some personality types may be perfectly comfortable closing a sale, feedback through this process can lead to further improvement and increased closed rates. </p> <p>Closing a sale is a skill that can be acquired and enhanced just like any other. For inspectors, don’t assume that a client understands the process of a standard home inspection. Figure out a way to explain in layman’s terms what you’ll do on the property, how long it will take, and when they can expect their report. Mapping out the experience like this should help establish trust early, and it’ll lead to more jobs! </p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Rediscover Email Marketing</span><br /> Email marketing continues to be one of the most effective marketing outreach strategies across all industries, and the great thing about email? It’s free! Review past campaigns and make some updates by refreshing the messaging, think of catchy new subject lines, or try adding a new promotion. </p> <p>One thing to keep in mind with email marketing is that outdated emailing lists can tarnish your email’s sender reputation. This could result in your messages being sent to spam folders. Be sure to regularly update your email list by removing defunct addresses and adding any new ones gained through networking. To learn more about making a great email marketing campaign, read on <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/everything-you-need-to-know-to-make-your-next-email-campaign-a-success">right here</a>. </p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Try Out a Timely Promotion</span><br /> Speaking of promotions, coupons and discounts are a tried and true way to bring in clients who might be on the fence for a product or service. We understand that the last thing business owners want to do in a slow season is discount their services. However, what’s better? Booking a job at a $50 discount or booking no jobs at all? If business is slower, create urgency by launching a limited-time promotion. </p> <p>If you have a new service, create a campaign explaining its relevance to your local area or tie it to an upcoming holiday. Although business owners should never devalue the importance of their services, promotions with a clear message and an expiration date can work by bringing attention to your lesser-known services. </p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Refresh Your Social Media</span><br /> Next, social media is an area that tends to fall off quickly whenever business owners get busy, but building an audience base here can be valuable for reinforcing relationships and generating attention strategically. The other nice thing about managing social media is its cost: posting on social media is another task you can do for practically free! </p> <p>To step up engagement on social media, consider posting pictures of your team on the job or generate an educational infographic about one of your services. Studies show that people connect to a business when they see peoples’ faces, and infographics are known to quickly grab attention. If you’re interested in taking an easy first step, here are some things to consider about <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/upgrading-your-social-media-marketing-with-videos">producing videos</a> for social media. Just don’t get hung up on making every second perfect! Homemade pictures and videos can feel authentic, making your business come across as more trustworthy and approachable. </p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Make Use of Your Satisfied Customers</span><br /> Customers Finally, business owners who have already impressed their customers can rely on their past track record to bring in new clients. In short: call attention to your 5-star reviews! </p> <p>Too many businesses neglect their Google and Facebook business pages, but a high four- or five-star business with tons of reviews instills so much more confidence than a competitor with a low score. Build it into your wrap-up process for every job, and make it easy for clients to leave a review, then re-post those positive reviews on social media and display them on your website. Satisfied customers can become advocates for your company with just a few steps, and luckily, we’ve already discussed <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/5-strategies-to-get-more-reviews-for-your-small-business">some great ways to get reviews</a> with more consistency!</p> <p><em>There are so many ways to continue marketing for little to no cost - and this list is by no means exhaustive! For more ideas on expanding your marketing strategy, reach out to the <a class="color-secondary" href="”mailto:marketing@npiweb.com”">NPI marketing team</a> today.</em></p> <p><em>Did you know that NPI franchisees benefit from weekly blogs, expert website design, top notch SEO, marvelous email marketing, eye-popping graphic design, and personal one-on-one coaching (just to name a few things)? Learn more about the benefits of franchising with NPI by requesting your <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">free info packet</a>!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Additional%20Images/Authors/author-photos_sydney-01.jpg?ver=K8BsXAplR-IfRPbOmaYoRw%3d%3d" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Sydney Bailey, <em>Marketing Director</em></span><br /> Sydney specializes in creative marketing strategy and project management. In her current role, she leads the NPI marketing department in implementing new initiatives to increase business for franchisees in our network. With experience in art direction, public relations, and brand development, she also served as the organization’s in-house graphic and web designer during her first five years with NPI. Sydney continues to support our franchisees on a daily basis with their overall marketing strategy needs.</div> </div> 1567Marketing Insights: The Importance of Finding Your Audiencehttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1559/marketing-insights-the-importance-of-finding-your-audienceMarketing,Social MediaTue, 31 Oct 2023 15:26:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">MARKETING INSIGHTS: THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 31, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/client-satisfaction">client satisfaction</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/money-management">money management</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/linkedin">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/digital-marketing">digital marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/paid-search">paid search</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Zach Vesper, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Senior SEO & Marketing Strategist</em></span></p> <p>Any experienced marketer, when speaking about how to grow a business and reach long-term goals, will preach on how important it is for a business to find its audience. For many business owners, this might sound a little strange. After all, shouldn’t entrepreneurs be looking to find as many clients or customers as possible in order to convert on leads and maximize their sales?</p> <p>Of course this is true! But this doesn’t mean that the best marketing strategy is to speak to everyone all at once. Imagine you’re making a speech in a massive auditorium. For most people, the more people there, the more difficult it will be to capture everyone’s attention. If too many people are there, the audience further in the back will struggle to see you, and even the most expensive sound equipment will start to fail, leaving your message completely unheard to many.</p> <p>In the same way, marketing to a massive audience tends to be expensive, and a business that chooses to market in this manner can often see their message lost, becoming indiscernible as it competes with too many other businesses for attention. Instead of wasting money, time, and energy on expansive marketing, businesses should focus on finding their <em>niche audience</em>.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">What is a <em>niche audience</em>?</span><br /> A niche audience is a highly specific audience that consists of people who are uniquely in need of a business’ services or products, usually identified through intensive research as well as a good amount of trial and error. Small businesses that are looking to maximize the value of their advertising budget particularly benefit from identifying their niche audience because it usually translates to more conversions per dollar spent.</p> <p>When targeting a smaller audience, marketers don’t have to keep their messaging as generic in an attempt to avoid alienating parts of their audience. In fact, the action of bringing up information that’s hyper-specific to a niche audience is more likely to be memorable, increasing brand recall, inspiring more engagement, and building overall loyalty.</p> <p>In short, modeling marketing collaterals and campaigns to a specific audience is easier, more effective, and much more likely to leave a long-lasting impact. On the other side of the equation, consider what can happen when advertising reaches an audience that doesn’t find the service relevant to them (such as when men see ads for women’s hair products, or when dog owners see ads for cat food). These situations can lead to some frustration from the unintended audience, and worse, many accidental clicks on your ads from those who aren’t actually interested in what you’re selling. Since the cost of many paid ads are based on the number of clicks you get and not actual leads or conversions, this situation also results in a waste of your ad spend.</p> <p>In many ways, finding a niche audience is the key to effective marketing, but identifying this group can be difficult, requiring plenty of time and a strong understanding of a business’s industry.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">How do you find your niche audience?</span><br /> One great way to start identifying your niche audience is to develop an audience “persona,” or the ideal customer for your business. Consider their demographic information, their age range, gender, education, and income level, then get as detailed as possible. Not only does creating this picture allow for a clearer target when writing website copy or designing advertising graphics, many forms of advertising can filter out individuals who don’t fit into these demographics.</p> <p>In addition to this, businesses can use their existing audience to find commonalities based on website and social media analytics. Do your most frequent customers match your “ideal customer”? If not, this could either be because you’ve misidentified your niche audience, or there’s a key group you’ve been overlooking.</p> <p>After completing these two steps, consider what your most direct competition is doing. How do their marketing efforts differ from your own, and what strategies seem to garner the most success? By knowing who they are “speaking” to, businesses can be much more intentional in their marketing, increasing their profits by spending less money and speaking to fewer people.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">How do you market to a niche audience?</span><br /> With a specific audience in mind, generate social media posts, infographics, videos, and other web content tailored for their interests, culture, or humor in particular. When it comes to focusing efforts on social media, businesses should seek to inhabit similar spaces that their niche audience occupies, partnering with other tangential businesses, or possibly influential local creators.</p> <p>With tailored content, expect more reviews and engagement online - then be sure to respond to these interactions and react to feedback. Improving your product or services specifically for this key audience becomes much easier when conversations open up through these channels.</p> <p>One note of warning! Although unlocking a new audience or a key niche audience can be exciting, it’s important that businesses don’t forget to try to branch out from time to time into new audiences. Marketing to a niche audience is important to gain traction, but entrepreneurs can see their business become stagnant if they never break out of their comfort zone. Experimentation and research should always be embraced by business owners looking to <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/surefire-strategies-to-increase-your-market-share">increase their market share</a>.</p> <p><em>To further strategize how to start your next campaign, contact your <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">NPI marketing team</a> to get the discussion rolling! Curious about the resources gained when franchising with NPI? Click here to get <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">your free info packet</a>.</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/zach-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-152018-130" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Zach Vesper, <em>Senior SEO & Marketing Strategist</em></span><br /> Zach brings twelve years of content marketing and nine years of search engine optimization (SEO) experience to the NPI in-house marketing team. His areas of expertise include building marketing plans that increase franchise sales, optimizing web content for search, crafting effective paid search campaigns, reputation management, and content strategy. Zach is always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google and considers this the most important and enjoyable aspect of his job.</div> </div> 1559Black Hat SEO: Why You Should Avoid It As A Small Business Ownerhttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1540/black-hat-seo-why-you-should-avoid-it-as-a-small-business-ownerMarketing,Social MediaTue, 29 Aug 2023 14:48:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">BLACK HAT SEO: WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID IT AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> August 29, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Zach Vesper, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Senior SEO & Marketing Strategist</em></span></p> <p>When running a small business, there are many facets of building a company that entrepreneurs will encounter for the very first time. Building relationships and developing marketing strategies are difficult tasks on their own, but business owners need to perform those actions all while ensuring that they have a viable, valuable product to offer their clientele. Needless to say, small business owners have a lot on their plates, which is why it’s important to find the right kind of help in areas where experience or knowledge might be lacking.</p> <p>One major area where small business owners are likely to be limited in their knowledge is SEO. Business websites that haven’t had the benefit of being reviewed by someone experienced with SEO are at a major disadvantage when it comes to online visibility, but there are many so-called “experts” who offer help that could ultimately set a business back considerably. To get an idea of why SEO is so important and how unethical optimization tactics can end up hurting your business, let’s discuss “Black Hat” search engine optimization.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?</span><br /> Small business owners can have a great talent for customer service, but businesses that struggle to reach their customers will always have a difficult time getting their foot in the door within their market. This is where SEO comes into play.</p> <p>Put simply, search engine optimization (known commonly as SEO) is the practice of making things like websites and website content more easily discoverable on the internet through search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo. The best actions that can boost a website’s SEO include relevant keyword research, meta description tags, and quality content that answers user’s queries. When solid SEO-improving principles are implemented, business websites will naturally (or “organically”) rank higher in Google searches over time, leading more clients and customers to find their information.</p> <p>These strategies are the most effective, but they can be too gradual for some. Small business owners who are looking for quicker results and are willing to cut corners might find themselves trying out other strategies known as “Black Hat SEO.” Black Hat SEO practices might provide short-term benefits, but business owners who implement these strategies are sure to regret them down the road.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">What is Black Hat SEO?</span><br /> “Black Hat SEO” is a term that calls back to old westerns that quickly split its ensemble into “good guys” (characters with white hats), and “bad guys” (characters with black hats). In the same spirit, SEO practices are largely divided by experts between ethical strategies (White Hat SEO), and the strategies that attempt to game the system or indulge in suspect motivations (Black Hat SEO). Here are a few examples of common Black Hat SEO tactics to watch out for:</p> <p>While this strategy may have worked well in the past, search engines have become much more capable of detecting content that isn’t of a high quality, or isn’t very reader friendly, which is often the result with sites that use keyword stuffing. Keyword targeting is an important part of good SEO tactics, and creating strong content is a better way to boost website traffic in the long run.</p> <p>Again, search engines have become more savvy nowadays. Even if this trick isn’t caught immediately and a website is artificially boosted, you should expect a hefty penalty once the hidden text is identified. When considering keywords, the best strategy is natural, organic incorporation into existing content, rather than using these manipulative Black Hat tactics.</p> <p>As can be expected, search engines have caught up with this dishonest tactic and are able to negate any benefits from these types of backlinking, and will penalize sites that engage in link farming. The best way to build up valuable backlinks is to develop and host relevant, helpful content that is worth referring to.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Keyword Stuffing</strong> involves an unnatural overuse of targeted words or phrases that you are trying to rank highly for. For example, “When you're looking to buy a <strong>home</strong>, a thorough <strong>home inspection</strong> is essential. Ensure that every corner of your potential new <strong>home</strong> is <strong>inspected</strong> by a professional. From basement to attic, <strong>home inspections</strong> provide peace of mind. Don't overlook the value of a <strong>comprehensive home inspection</strong>; it's crucial for any <strong>home buyer. Home inspection services</strong> are indispensable.” In the past, these spam-heavy strategies could manipulate search engines like Google into ranking a webpage higher than it normally would have for the selected terms.</li> <li><strong>Hidden Text</strong> is somewhat similar to keyword stuffing in that it involves placing targeted words or phrases unnaturally throughout a webpage. In this context, however, text will be placed in odd areas on the page, and their colors will be changed to make them completely unreadable or “invisible” for any website visitors. This might sound silly, but back in the day, this strategy allowed search engine crawlers to read and factor in these hidden keywords to boost rankings, without detracting from the reader’s experience like with keyword stuffing.</li> <li><strong>Link Farming</strong> refers to websites that are made only for linking back to other content, usually in exchange for money. Backlinks are important for websites to accrue over time since they are similar to a recommendation for that website’s content. When many reputable websites create links to your content, then these sites are saying that your information is valuable and worth directing their own audience towards.</li> </ul> <p>Many marketers and marketing groups are known to reach out to small business owners promising that they can positively impact their online SEO, increasing their website traffic, and boosting their ranking on Google. However, these marketers often employ Black Hat SEO tactics that are designed for quick, impactful results which will later be severely penalized by Google and other search engines. Automated systems and Google’s manual review teams search out unethical SEO practices, and will often pull an offending website’s ranking far lower than where it started or completely remove it from results.</p> <p>Business owners should be very wary of working with so-called SEO experts who make big promises, as they will become much harder to work with once their results have backfired. Instead, try working with people who have established a relationship of trust and a verifiable track record of SEO success.</p> <p><em>Looking to improve your online rankings? Contact <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">NPI's marketing team</a>! Want to learn more about the benefits of purchasing a franchise with National Property Inspections? Get your <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">free info packet</a> today!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/zach-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-152018-130" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Zach Vesper, <em>Senior SEO & Marketing Strategist</em></span><br /> Zach brings twelve years of content marketing and nine years of search engine optimization (SEO) experience to the NPI in-house marketing team. His areas of expertise include building marketing plans that increase franchise sales, optimizing web content for search, crafting effective paid search campaigns, reputation management, and content strategy. Zach is always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google and considers this the most important and enjoyable aspect of his job.</div> </div> 1540Standing Out From the Crowd with Content Marketinghttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1519/standing-out-from-the-crowd-with-content-marketingBusiness Tips,Marketing,Social MediaTue, 18 Jul 2023 19:30:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD WITH CONTENT MARKETING</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> July 18, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/digital-marketing">digital marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/email-marketing">email marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/linkedin">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/youtube">Youtube</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/paid-search">paid search</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Michael Trimble, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Content Marketing Coordinator</em></span></p> <p>Converting leads into actual customers can feel like an uphill battle at times. Business owners are tasked with finding an audience who might use their services, explaining why their service is relevant to that audience’s needs, and then providing enough evidence to prove that their services are more worth their audience’s time and money than the competition’s. Navigating all of these hurdles as one person is daunting, but owners should know that there is a workable solution.</p> <p>Content marketing is the life-blood for every business’ online activity, and more often than not, entrepreneurs that don’t have a good handle on their content marketing tend to have trouble engaging their clients. This is no reason to be intimidated, however. Small business owners have the opportunity to learn the gist of developing a content marketing plan in no time. But first, let’s discuss a few essentials.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">What is Content Marketing?</span><br /> Every social media post, blog article, infographic, and video tutorial released by a business is a form of content marketing. While content marketing can come in many, many different forms, they all have a shared intention to ultimately promote the use of a business’ products and/or services.</p> <p>Just as converting a sale isn’t a one-step process, though, different forms of content marketing are better suited to tackle supporting business from different angles. A home inspector has a set of tools for different situations, and a content marketer has different types of content that excel for different purposes. For a couple of examples:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Social Media</strong> is not so new to marketing anymore, and this category can really be divided further into different platforms for different uses (LinkedIn to target professionals, TikTok to target Gen Z, and Facebook or Instagram for Millenials). Social media marketing is a valuable way to initiate direct contact with an audience, which builds familiarity and trust.</li> <li><strong>Blogs</strong> have the power to increase traffic to a business website and they can drive a brand’s authority within their industry. Natural, organic website traffic is important for new clients and customers to discover a brand. Blogs provide many benefits for online business, learn more <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/5-ways-that-blogs-boost-your-small-business">here</a>!</li> <li><strong>Email Marketing</strong> is distinct from blogs in that they are great at reaching an existing audience in particular. Some industries do have success using email marketing to reach out to new clients as well, but content like newsletters that are delivered through email campaigns are great for keeping a business top of mind. In industries where ongoing relationships lead to the majority of business interactions, email marketing is king.<br />  </li> </ul> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Goals of Content Marketing</span><br /> Marketers with a wide skill set in content creation will have access to these previously mentioned “tools” and many more. Their knowledge of when and how to use them is what can really elevate a business above their competition. Regardless of which medium they select, all forms of content marketing will work towards the same collection of goals to benefit the business overall.</p> <p>First, content marketing needs to show a business’ client-base exactly how their company is different from the other guys. Maybe a business’ services are of a unique, premium quality, or maybe remarkable customer service is a business’ calling card. The messaging employed in content marketing should match up with the business’ overall design philosophy to create an easily recognizable and distinct <strong><em>brand</em></strong> that clients will remember when their services are needed.</p> <p>After clarifying the details that differentiate the business, good content marketing is designed to reach and engage a specific audience. Strong marketers will find a way to bring their content to their desired audience, whether they are most easily reached on Facebook, through email, or they spend their time on TikTok. Experimenting with new platforms and recording how those platforms perform in regards to engagement and conversion rates are important to develop a lasting content marketing plan.</p> <p>With an identity and location in mind, marketers can focus on generating the actual content. Overall, people like to work with people who are capable, reliable, and trustworthy, so a business’ content marketing should work to reflect these attributes. Though content marketing can do a lot of heavy lifting in these regards, business owners should always remember that they are often the face of their company. When their actions work against their business’ brand or are contrary to these positive attributes, their marketing content will likewise fall flat.</p> <p>Following these guidelines is the first step toward developing a content marketing plan. Of course, business owners shouldn’t expect to accomplish a comprehensive content marketing strategy all on their own, however. Every successful entrepreneur should be supported by a first-rate team. To learn more about helping new hires become invaluable team members, <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/from-rookie-to-asset-tips-for-training-new-employees">click here</a>!</p> <p><em>NPI franchisees have the benefit of using a brand backed by 35 years of excellence! Request a <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">free info packet</a> to learn more about starting your own property inspection franchise, or reach out to our <a class="color-secondary" href="recruitment@npiweb.com">recruitment team</a> today!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Additional%20Images/Authors/author-photo_michael-trimble-01.jpg" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Michael Trimble, <em>Content Marketing Coordinator</em></span><br /> A graduate of the University of South Dakota, Michael has a B.A. in International Studies and English. With a background in research and writing, Michael contributes to NPI’s corporate marketing team as a copywriter and content strategist.</div> </div> 15195 Strategies to Get More Reviews for Your Small Businesshttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1510/5-strategies-to-get-more-reviews-for-your-small-businessMarketing,Social MediaTue, 30 May 2023 18:02:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">5 STRATEGIES TO GET MORE REVIEWS FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> May 30, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/client-satisfaction">client satisfaction</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Zach Vesper, <em>Senior SEO & Marketing Strategist</em></span></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p>Let’s say you’re heading out to eat in an unfamiliar city. You want to try something unique and high-quality, but searching online leaves you with an endless list of options. Mood and taste will certainly come into the picture, but how do you make your final choice? Check the reviews.</p> <p>Across all industries that rely on pulling in new clients and customers consistently, online reviews are crucial for instilling confidence in service quality. Adding positive reviews on websites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp improves where small businesses rank on Google and increases overall visibility through SEO. According to marketing analysts at <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/whos-managing-your-online-reviews/288123#:~:text=88%20percent%20of%20consumers%20trust,business%20with%20%22excellent%22%20reviews" target="_blank">Entrepreneur.com</a>, 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. To start improving upon your online advocacy channels, here are some great strategies for getting more reviews online.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Ask For Reviews In Person</strong><br /> Though it may seem obvious, inspectors should get into the practice of asking for reviews in person at the end of their inspections. Especially when clients seem satisfied with their experience, direct them towards your Google and Facebook to leave feedback while explaining how much reviews help your business. Clients are more likely to leave reviews if they are simply prompted to do so, but the biggest hurdle that might dissuade them from leaving a review is when the process seems too difficult or time-consuming.<br /> <br /> Owners should make leaving a review as easy as possible by providing direct links to their Google or Facebook business page. In addition, marketing materials with QR codes can be customized to make the review process easier than ever. Incorporate asking for reviews at the end of your closing process, and you’ll start seeing more reviews naturally. <br />  </li> <li><strong>Ask For Reviews Through Email</strong><br /> Once your clients start hearing that consistent reminder to leave reviews, you can follow up after the fact in a number of different ways. Email campaigns that are focused on gathering reviews from your core client base is a great place to get started!<br /> <br /> Emails can capitalize best on ease of experience since they can feature simple single-click buttons that take your audience directly to your Google, Facebook, and Yelp pages. In these campaigns, it can also be useful to remind your clients that their reviews don’t need to be too long or complicated! Expressing their experience in simple terms, even through just a few short sentences will be substantially beneficial to your business!<br /> <br /> In addition, links to your business website (which should be included in all of your campaigns) can feature past reviews and display calls to action, prompting your website visitors to leave additional reviews. When your website, your email campaigns, and your social media are all working together, positive reviews can come in from all angles. <br />  </li> <li><strong>Ask For Reviews Through Social Media</strong><br /> Speaking of social media, occasionally prompting followers to leave feedback is another great way to access your existing audience for your business’ benefit. Though you should be sensitive to not spam your audience with self promotion or overly “sales-y” content too often, odds are that your followers already hold a positive opinion of your services. Again, direct links in these social media posts should be added so that your audience is burdened with as little effort as possible in this process. They are doing you a favor, after all!<br /> <br /> Another method of promoting reviews on social media is by sharing five-star reviews either through custom graphics or through various services that can automatically convert reviews into social media posts. Followers who see that other positive reviews receive a shoutout may be incentivized into doing the same for a bit of extra interaction. Social media platforms are all about interaction, and all indications suggest that it’s through a responsive policy that businesses appear more human and likable online.<br />  </li> <li><strong>Invite Reviews By Being Responsive</strong><br /> This brings us to how you should operate directly on your review platforms. Best practices on Google, Facebook, and Yelp are to always craft a response to every review received - whether they are good or…not so good. One-star reviews are something that no business owner wants to see–not only does that mean a client or customer was dissatisfied with their service, but it can seem like a big red flag telling future potential clients to “turn away, now!” The truth is that one-star reviews aren’t always as bad as you think.<br /> <br /> Some have suggested that a perfect five-star score can actually appear suspicious, and that most clients actually expect imperfect review histories. 1-star reviews provide an opportunity for your business to publicly display how you handle disagreements and, when conducting yourself with professionalism and maturity, a strong 1-star review response can actually be a boon for your business!<br /> <br /> According to online review software company <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.reviewtrackers.com/reports/online-reviews-survey/" target="_blank">Reviewtrackers</a>, 45% of consumers actually said that they are more likely to visit a business if they respond to negative reviews. Consistently providing good service and being responsive to reviews will motivate clients to leave positive reviews and, over time, you can build your sterling online reputation.<br />  </li> <li><strong>Provide Excellent Service</strong><br /> Finally, the most important motivator that contributes to more positive (five-star) reviews is simply doing your job well! SEO experts at <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/#how-many-consumers-write-reviews-and-for-what-types-of-experiences" target="_blank">brightlocal.com</a> explain that the number one reason why consumers leave a positive review is that they feel the business went “above and beyond” the expected service. Although all of the previously mentioned strategies are sure to help bring in more reviews, they will work much more effectively when supported by top-of-the-line service.  <br />  </li> </ol> <p>For more help building your online marketing strategy, reach out to your <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">Omaha marketing team</a>. today! If you’re interested in learning more about franchising with NPI, get your <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">free info packet</a>.</p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/zach-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-152018-130" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Zach Vesper, Senior SEO & Marketing Strategist</span><br /> Zach brings twelve years of content marketing and nine years of search engine optimization (SEO) experience to the NPI in-house marketing team. His areas of expertise include building marketing plans that increase franchise sales, optimizing web content for search, crafting effective paid search campaigns, reputation management, and content strategy. Zach is always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google and considers this the most important and enjoyable aspect of his job.</div> </div> 1510Technologies That Are Innovating Home Inspectionshttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1502/technologies-that-are-innovating-home-inspectionsInspection Tips,MarketingTue, 25 Apr 2023 15:20:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE INNOVATING HOME INSPECTIONS</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> April 25, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=inspection-tips">Inspection Tips</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/inspection-industry">inspection industry</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/time-management">time management</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-growth">business growth</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/goggle">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/digital-marketing">digital marketing</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Jon McCreath, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Training Director</em></span></p> <p>The home inspection industry is a far different animal than it was just a decade ago. With new toys and tools designed to provide more thorough and precise services, home inspectors have the potential to elevate their product to higher levels than ever before. While adopting new technology can be viewed as intimidating or overly expensive compared to the value added to a single inspection, home inspectors should consider how much these tools can separate themselves from their competition.</p> <p>Many trending home inspection tools not only add increased accuracy to their inspection reports, but they can cut down on the time it takes to perform an inspection considerably. As any small business owner knows, additional time means more opportunity to market or book additional jobs, leading to more revenue. Read on to learn more about some of the advanced, industry-changing tools that every home inspector should consider adding to their toolset.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Drones, Robots, and Scopes</span><br /> The first major category of tools that can elevate a home inspector’s value are those that offer increased access and mobility. Tools like aerial drones and crawling robots give home inspectors the ability to view areas that were previously too dangerous to get to, or even inaccessible in the case of tight crawl spaces or overly steep roofs.</p> <p>InterNACHI’s <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.nachi.org/sop.htm" target="_blank">Standards of Practice</a> describes a home inspection as “...a <strong>non-invasive, visual</strong> examination…” of a home or property. Since a quality home inspector is defined by how well they can see defects within a property, tools like drones and robots that extend their sight are highly valued by the most successful professionals in the industry.</p> <p>Another tool that allows additional vision for home inspectors are scopes, which are small cameras attached to retractable, flexible cables. These scopes allow home inspectors to access areas too narrow for crawling robots such as piping or chimney flues. Sewer scopes, in particular, can be an enticing add-on service worth incorporating into a home inspector’s marketing plan.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Thermal Imaging Cameras</span><br /> In coordination with the previous tools and devices mentioned, thermal imaging cameras have radically changed what property inspectors are capable of finding during an inspection. Thermal imaging cameras are capable of detecting the differences of surface temperatures within an area, depicted through a color-coded range with colder colors reading as blue and hotter colors as red.</p> <p>With thermal imaging technologies, home inspectors can locate water leaks, potential mold, electrical issues (such as faulty outlets, circuits, or electrical panels), and even possible pest activity. When attached to drones or crawlers, home inspectors can see more, in more areas than ever before, and with more detail than ever more.</p> <p>The key to unlocking all the benefits of utilizing a thermal imaging camera only comes after proper training and experience, however. The wealth of information that the camera provides to home inspectors is only valuable if they can correctly interpret the information, after all. In particular, thermal imaging cameras pair well with tools like moisture meters that allow inspectors to confirm their readings.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Client Communication and Coordination Software</span><br /> Finally, maybe the biggest change that’s continuing to revolutionize the way home inspectors conduct their business is the advancements in software. Client communication has never been as seamless and user-friendly as it is today, with online schedulers and the option of automatic reminders for appointments sent directly to clients’ emails or phones.</p> <p>With the right processes in place, home inspectors can develop a consistent flow of automatic review requests as well, setting a consistent feedback loop in place to platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp. By collecting more reviews, home inspectors can expect more online visibility for new clients and agents, a wider net for developing relationships, and more business. For business owners that haven’t yet adapted to these new advancements in the industry, they risk losing ground and presence in spaces that are continually increasing in market relevance.</p> <p><em>At National Property Inspections, our team keeps a close eye on market and industry trends so that we can set our franchisees up for success. To learn more about starting a franchise with NPI, <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">schedule a meeting</a> with our recruitment team today!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/jon-blog-05.jpg" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Jon McCreath, <em>Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator</em></span><br /> 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.</div> </div> 1502How Keeping Your Website Fresh Will Boost Your Small Businesshttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1479/how-keeping-your-website-fresh-will-boost-your-small-businessBusiness Tips,Franchise,MarketingTue, 28 Mar 2023 19:41:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HOW KEEPING YOUR WEBSITE FRESH BOOSTS YOUR SMALL BUSINESS</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> March 28, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=franchise">Franchise</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Sydney Bailey, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Marketing Director</em></span></p> <p>A website is absolutely crucial to a small business’s long-term success. Especially in saturated industries and competitive markets, business owners should take advantage of every opportunity they have to get noticed. While setting up a modern, engaging website is a great start towards online relevance, it’s only step one when it comes to making a lasting impression on the web.</p> <p>To get the most out of your small business website, business owners should regularly check in and update their site to keep it relevant. For the best strategies to achieve a consistently fresh and impactful website, here are a few website strategies every small business owner should pursue.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Keep Your “About Us” Up To Date</span><br /> When setting up your “About Us” page, it’s always best to collaborate with an experienced copywriter to ensure that you’re properly highlighted as an expert in your field. Specific details about your professional background and certifications can inspire trust and credibility.</p> <p>With your background and related achievements correctly detailed, your About Us page is also your opportunity to humanize your team and establish a rapport with your client base on a more personal level. Share a bit about your favorite hobbies, your family, your participation in charitable events, or your interest in local activities. Stories (and ideally pictures) related to these more personal events are what converts your brand from an ambiguous, distant business entity to a real person who is active in the local community.</p> <p>Frequently review your About Us page to see how it can be updated to accurately reflect who you are! Also, be sure to update this section with any new employees as soon as possible. Your clients and agents will appreciate being able to recognize the inspector they end up working with.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Integrate Customer Reviews and Testimonials</span><br /> Prospective clients and agents visit your website in order to determine whether your services are likely to meet their expectations. While a well-designed webpage might keep them from clicking away, you’ll need to find additional ways to build their trust if you want to convert them from just a visitor to a paying client.</p> <p>Customer reviews, testimonial quotes, and video testimonials are amazingly effective when it comes to establishing that you are a capable professional and the best choice for inspections in your local area. Well-written website copy and claims can only get you so far. When previous clients and voices from outside your business start advocating for your services, those are the types of stories worth featuring front and center.</p> <p>Reviews from Google, Facebook, and Yelp should be published on your front page, and you should continue to update these areas as you receive more positive feedback for your work. Likewise, badges and awards related to your industry work should be displayed proudly and updated whenever you receive new recognition. Your website is the headquarters of your online presence. An outdated page citing awards from decades ago might make you seem inactive, and it could even indicate to potential clients that your quality is dropping.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Perform Regular “Check-Ups”</span><br /> Finally, while you should have a dedicated team setting up and assisting with your website, take ownership of this area of your business. Thoroughly review your website at least once per year to make sure regularly scheduled updates haven’t broken any links and that your services and credentials are up to date.</p> <p>Feel free to experiment with your website to find the best ways to present your services and your team to an online audience! As always, reach out to your marketing team for any help brainstorming or implementing changes. Email <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">marketing@npiweb.com</a> at any time for help with website customizations!</p> <p><em>Every National Property Inspections franchise owner gets unlimited access to a dedicated, full-time marketing team that aids in any online or in-person marketing endeavors. To learn more about what you gain from franchising with NPI, <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">free info packet</a> today!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Additional Images/Authors/author-photos_sydney-01.jpg?ver=K8BsXAplR-IfRPbOmaYoRw%3d%3d" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Sydney Bailey, <em>Director of Marketing</em></span><br /> Sydney specializes in creative marketing strategy. In her current role, she leads the marketing department in implementing new initiatives to increase business for NPI and GPI franchisees. With experience in brand development, public relations, project management, and art direction, she also serves as NPI's in-house graphic and web designer. Sydney supports our franchisees on a daily basis with all of their print and digital design needs. Have an idea about a new campaign? Sydney will turn it into a reality!</div> </div> 14795 Ways that Blogs Boost Your Small Businesshttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1470/5-ways-that-blogs-boost-your-small-businessMarketing,Social MediaTue, 07 Mar 2023 21:23:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">5 WAYS THAT BLOGS BOOST YOUR SMALL BUSINESS</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> March 7, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-growth">business growth</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Michael Trimble, <em>Content Marketing Coordinator</em></span></p> <p>The internet is a wonderful, terrifying place at times. In an age where any fact is available at your fingertips in a moment, we’ve all dove down a rabbit hole and become an “internet expert” at some random topic. What you may have noticed are the encyclopedia-like libraries of information found on blogs. More and more, businesses are investing into blogs, informing and entertaining their audiences with these dedicated monthly, weekly, or even daily articles. Today, blogs are everywhere, but why have they become so standard? Let’s discuss the benefits that blogs bring to small businesses.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Blogs Attract Traffic</span><br /> For many businesses, jobs and clients can be largely generated through personal relationships and referrals. Those interactions are great, but businesses that excel in just face-to-face marketing could be missing out on a lot of business if they neglect their website and social media. An attractive, informative, and user-friendly website will draw in new clients organically, and blogs can build upon that organic traffic.</p> <p>The numbers don’t lie. According to <a class="color-secondary" href="https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5014/study-shows-business-blogging-leads-to-55-more-website-visitors.aspx" target="_blank">Hubspot</a>, a leading voice in marketing and sales, businesses that utilize blogs receive 55% more visitors to their websites than businesses that do not. If you’re looking to build your online presence and direct attention to your website, blogs are a powerful tool to consider.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Blogs Help SEO</span><br /> To discuss briefly how blogs boost traffic, it’s important to understand SEO. SEO is an acronym you’ve likely at least heard of in passing - it stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it’s a shorthand term used to discuss how online tools like Google direct their users. Google’s algorithms are set up to try and find the best answer for a user’s search, and it does this in a few ways that blogs can capitalize on.</p> <p>When used strategically, blogs can address topics and questions that are at the top of your ideal clients’ minds, making your content easier for them to find when they search. When you add fresh content to your website through regularly updated blog posts, this can also signal search engines to crawl and index your site more often. Finally, “Dwell Time” is a term used in reference to the amount of time a visitor spends on your website. Things like videos and relevant articles will capture visitors’ interest and time longer than other content - and more time spent tells Google that your website provided a good result to their query.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Blogs Build Trust</span><br /> Relevant and well-written blog posts work to strengthen your brand and your credibility as an expert in your field. If a visitor finds your website and discovers a wealth of valuable, accurate information (rather than exclusively sales tactics), they will be more likely to trust you with their business or with their referral.</p> <p>The key here is to provide informational content. If someone visits your website and finds a solution to their issue (no matter how simple), your brand’s positive image is strengthened. Further entertaining posts can convey a level of humanity and relatability that businesses tend to lack. In person relationships are great, and blogs can provide some of that personality to clients that you haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Blogs Provide Networking Opportunities</span><br /> Speaking of relationships, an underrated potential within blogs is the opportunity to network. Backlinks are links on other websites that direct people back to your website and are great for SEO. These come along organically over time if your posts are well-written, relevant, and insightful. However, you can also use your quest to gain backlinks for relationship-building.</p> <p>If a collaboration makes sense, reach out to tangential businesses and offer to exchange blog posts, with a follow link to each others’ websites. This gives a great opportunity to start conversations, educate a new audience, and introduce your company to a new potential client base.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Blogs Have Staying Power</span><br /> Finally, while it’s vital to keep your blog up to date with frequent new content, each blog post should also be seen as a long-term investment into your website. <a class="color-secondary" href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-lead-generation-analysis#sm.0000atacqo1t6cp9xvx1rqpuytfs7" target="_blank">Hubspot</a> reports that over 90% of leads resulting from blogs come from older posts. As time goes on, your blog posts will gain authority and ranking as visitors discover them. Well-written posts that feature evergreen content will have a positive effect on your business for years to come.</p> <p><em>If you are interested in writing a post for our blog, contact us at <a class="color-secondary" href="marketing@npiweb.com">marketing@npiweb.com</a>. If you would like to learn more about what our marketing team does for every NPI franchisee, request a <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/learn-more">free info packet</a> today!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Additional Images/Authors/author-photo_michael-trimble-01.jpg" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Michael Trimble, <em>Content Marketing Coordinator</em></span><br /> A graduate of the University of South Dakota, Michael has a B.A. in International Studies and English. With a background in research and writing, Michael contributes to NPI’s corporate marketing team as a copywriter and content strategist.</div> </div> 1470Best Ways to Ask for Reviewshttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1251/best-ways-to-ask-for-reviewsBusiness Tips,Marketing,Social MediaTue, 15 Jun 2021 16:55:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">BEST WAYS TO ASK FOR REVIEWS </span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> June 15, 2021 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/networking">networking</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-growth">business growth</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/Google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/Google-My-Business">Google My Business</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Zach Vesper, <em>NPI, Inc.'s SEO and Marketing Specialist</em></span></p> <p>It can’t be stressed enough how essential review gathering is to forming a strong presence for your business online. Living in the digital age, you have to take advantage of it or risk being left behind. Especially as younger generations, namely Millennials, are hitting the age where they’re ready to buy a home, reviews are a necessity. If it’s been a while since you’ve marketed for reviews or if you haven’t ever started, here are a few ways to get the ball rolling.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Why do you need to stay connected? </span><br /> So how important are reviews in someone’s final decision? Great question! <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/tips-on-marketing-to-millennials">While Millennials do tend to be more plugged in</a>, the general statistic for people that make a choice on who to do business with based on reviews alone is <strong>over 90%</strong>. Over 80% trust them like a personal recommendation, and nearly 70% decide whether you’re a quality business in as little as 3 reviews. That means you don’t have much time to make a great first impression. Not only are positive reviews important, but stockpiling them is as well. If you only have low-star reviews, a handful of reviews, or none at all, it could cause potential clients to pass you by in favor of an inspector that appears more experienced.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Ask with a personalized note. </span><br /> While technology helps in a lot of ways, a certain sense of connection is lost. A handwritten note can add that missing appreciation along with that personal feel. Thank the customer for choosing you and let them know how much you value their business. Also mention how you’d be happy to work together in the future! They’ll feel like they’re a priority in your business, creating a strong customer relationship.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Get a verbal commitment. </span><br /> People are much more likely to follow through on something after you ask for their word. If you can, get a customer to verbally promise that they’ll leave you a review. It’s a simple psychological trick that makes people do what they say they will! Getting a clear answer will mean you aren’t left in limbo as well. You won’t have to waste time worrying about whether or not they’ll leave you a review, which takes focus off your business.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Automate your review process when possible. </span><br /> To make the process smoother and take one more thing off your plate, automation is your best friend. It’ll take care of the guesswork of tracking what’s been sent out and what still needs to be. You can set up notifications that’ll allow you to see when you get a new review to quickly respond to it. Maintaining an active listing is a great way to put your best foot forward!</p> <p><em>Are you interested in automating your review process? Contact Zach Vesper at <a href="mailto:Zach.Vesper@npiweb.com">Zach.Vesper@npiweb.com</a> to learn more!</em></p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/zach-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-152018-130" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Zach Vesper, <em>SEO and Marketing Specialist</em></span><br /> Zach brings more than six years of SEO experience to the table, making him your go-to web optimization specialist--he knows how to help your website reach the first page! He's always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google. Zach is a film buff, an old-fashioned connoisseur and an avid reader of science fiction. When he’s not working, he’s hanging out with his wife, Stepha, and basset hound, Frank.</div> </div> 1251The Benefits of Having a Site Bloghttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1238/the-benefits-of-having-a-site-blogBusiness Tips,Marketing,Social MediaTue, 18 May 2021 15:07:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A SITE BLOG</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> May 18, 2021 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/Google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/small-business">small business</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-growth">business growth</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/networking">networking</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/Facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/digital-marketing">digital marketing</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Adam Kiesel, <em>NPI, Inc.'s Digital Marketing Assistant</em></span></p> <p>Nowadays, it seems every business, no matter its size, has some sort of blog. In fact, there are over 600 million active blogs across the world. These cover topics on everything from sports, to clothing, and lifestyle advice just to name a few. With as popular as blogging has become and will only continue to be, let’s take a look at the question, “What can blogs do for you?”</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Pump Up Your SEO </span><br /> Search Engine Optimization or “SEO” is a major part of your business marketing plan. You want to get the most out of your website to appear higher in the search results to get customer traffic to your page. A blog is one simple and effective way to help you inch closer to the top of the SEO summit. Search engines use fresh content to determine where to place a page in the results. Having a blog that’s updated on a consistent basis provides that fresh information to index you above your competition. Also, including keywords in your blogs will make them more relevant to customer’s searches.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Incorporate it Into Social Media </span><br /> Keeping your social accounts up-to-date is just as important as keeping your website fresh. Blogs provide you with another resource you can use for your posts. All you need to do is copy the link to the article, come up with a quick caption, add some relevant hashtags, and post! Your followers will be able to easily share the blog to their own pages, essentially giving you free marketing exposure. If you write about a relatively uncommon topic, it can get a great conversation started around your business.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Establish Yourself as an Industry Expert </span><br /> Being a licensed inspector, you have extensive knowledge of a home’s components that the average person might not. You can showcase your education by writing a blog on a topic that’s useful to homeowners and agents. It could be a subject relative to your current market or a breaking industry news story. Having first-hand experience means that readers will be more likely to trust what you’re saying and how it pertains to them. Clients will have confidence in knowing they made the right choice to go with a knowledgeable inspector.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Use it for Future Reference </span><br /> While it’s best to share your newest blogs, sometimes it’s beneficial to refer to an older one. This type of evergreen content focuses on items that don’t change often, therefore making them relevant for longer. If you get a question from a customer about one of these topics, you can include a link to its blog with the other information you give them. Keeping your old articles archived like this creates a library full of useful tips for your clients.</p> <p> </p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Send Us Your Blog Ideas! </span><br /> At the NPI home office, we’re always looking out for new ideas to blog about. If you have an idea you’d like to see, don’t hesitate to send us an email at <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">marketing@npiweb.com</a>! All we need is some basic information from you on the topic to get started. You’ll be credited in the story so that you can use it for your own marketing purposes!</p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/adam-05.jpg" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Adam Kiesel, <em>Digital Marketing Assistant</em></span><br /> Adam's responsibilities on the NPI, Inc. Marketing Team include content creation for our websites, blogs and social media accounts. He also works on informational items to be sent to current and prospective franchisees. Adam joined the staff at NPI in 2020.</div> </div> 1238Integrating Google Posts on Your GMB Listinghttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/888/integrating-google-posts-on-your-gmb-listingBusiness Tips,Marketing,Social MediaTue, 27 Oct 2020 19:30:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">INTEGRATING GOOGLE POSTS ON YOUR GMB LISTING</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 27, 2020 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-growth">business growth</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google-my-business">Google My Business</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Zach Vesper, <em>NPI, Inc.'s SEO & Marketing Specialist</em></span></p> <p>Your Google My Business listing plays a key role in growing your business, and it’s important to know how to get the most out of it. There are many nuances with a GMB listing, but knowing each aspect will help with converting clicks to clients. One underused feature that Google offers for listings is the “Posts” section.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">What the Post Feature Does </span><br /> Integrating the Google Posts feature on your listing gives you a more well-rounded business profile. Along with linking to your web page and providing updated hours, posting on your GMB lets clients know what you’re up to. They get a better understanding of the work that you do by seeing it come directly from you. Being able to communicate effectively through Posts acts as an ice-breaker between you and a customer before you even meet.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Google Posts + SEO </span><br /> You’ve probably heard how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) contributes to customers finding your business through Google Search. Having the Posts feature enabled on your listing will increase traffic to your site and boost your SEO ranking. Google likes to “reward” those that are active on the site, and posts is a great way to let them know you’re making an effort to use all of your GMB’s features to their full potential.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Creating Content </span><br /> When it comes to creating the post itself, Google allows you to upload videos, photos and even GIFs. You should tie these visuals into a memorable message. There are a variety of topics that make for eye-catching posts, but here are four top choices:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Announcements</strong>: These can be used to inform customers about changes to your business procedures. Accompanied with a well-designed graphic or photo, an update about your business will let people stay informed. </li> <li><strong>Deals</strong>: Everyone loves a discount, and posting about a deal on your listing is sure to garner attention. Specify the details of the special you’re running, and include either a link to follow or a coupon to print out. </li> <li><strong>Events</strong>: Whether you’re hosting or going to an event, a Google post can attract additional attendees. Let them know the details, and possibly provide a way to RSVP. It’s good to post follow-up reminders about upcoming events as well. </li> <li><strong>Products or Services</strong>: If you want to show off a new product you have or service you’ve added, a post is the perfect place for it. Clients will see you’re a growing company, and will be inclined to learn more.<br />  </li> </ul> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Creating an Effective Post </span><br /> <a class="color-secondary" href="https://support.google.com/business/answer/7390603?hl=en" target="_blank">Google has a list of tips</a> to follow when you’re creating a post. Staying within these guidelines is sure to get you the most out of your listing.</p> <ol> <li>Determine the content of your post, whether it be an event, giveaway or special offer. Think about what you want your customers to do in response to your post. </li> <li>Make sure that all your videos and photos are high quality, and in the correct format. </li> <li>Keep your titles short and to the point. Per Google’s information page, they allow “4-5 words, or around 58 characters in your title.” </li> <li>Your descriptions can be longer, but Google still recommends keeping things under 300 characters. </li> <li>Wrap things up with a call to action for the customer.<br />  </li> </ol> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Keep Posts Current </span><br /> The default length a post will stay on Google before it’s archived is seven days, but you can set a date range to keep it up longer. As you swap out different offers, remember to update whatever postings you’re running. Regularly check to see if the information is accurate or needs to be changed within the description and on any graphics you have. If you have posts that link to pages on your site, test that the links still work properly.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Track Your Posts </span><br /> Knowing how well your advertising is doing as a small business owner is crucial. If you don’t adjust your plan to match your target audience, you’re basically stuck in the mud. <a class="color-secondary" href="https://support.google.com/business/answer/7439496?hl=en&ref_topic=7343035" target="_blank">Google shows you your post’s analytics</a>, which in turn allows you to fine-tune your approach. See what your customers like, and keep putting it in front of them. About half of business owners don’t know how to fully utilize GMB Posts, if they know about them at all. This is just one small trick you can use to stand out from your competition.</p> <p> </p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Start a home inspection business with National Property Inspections.</span><br /> Are you interesting in starting a home and commercial property inspection business? Visit <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.npifranchise.com/">npifranchise.com</a> for more information, or call 1-800-333-9807.</p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/zach-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-152018-130" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Zach Vesper, <em>SEO and Marketing Specialist</em></span><br /> Zach brings more than six years of SEO experience to the table, making him your go-to web optimization specialist--he knows how to help your website reach the first page! He's always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google. Zach is a film buff, an old-fashioned connoisseur and an avid reader of science fiction. When he’s not working, he’s hanging out with his wife, Stepha, and basset hound, Frank.</div> </div> 8883 Things You Need to Know About Online Reputation Managementhttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/125/3-things-you-need-to-know-about-online-reputation-managementBusiness Tips,Marketing,Social MediaFri, 17 May 2019 14:39:24 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">3 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT </span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> May 17, 2019 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/client-satisfaction">client satisfaction</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/small-business">small business</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a></p> <p class="emphasis-primary"><em>By Stepha Vesper</em></p> <p>Managing your online reputation across social media platforms and review sites is a crucial part of being a small business owner in our tech-savvy, Google-driven marketplace. It’s also one of the most challenging. Here’s how you can streamline your approach to online reputation management and get the most out of your customer feedback.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">1. Consistency is key.</span><br /> Like most things related to owning a small business, consistency is the key to successful online reputation management. Once you have all of your social media accounts set up and a good system for posting on a regular basis, monitoring your reputation is something that should always be at the back of your mind. Setting up Google alerts and being on top of your email notifications is a great place to start when it comes to overseeing activity. Make it a habit now so that you don’t struggle with squeezing it in when business picks up. And if you find yourself spending an hour or more a day on reputation management, consider hiring a part-time employee.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">2. Respond to all negative reviews - and preferably positive ones, too!</span><br /> Receiving a negative review is tough, and we can’t promise it’ll get any easier as time goes on. Criticism, especially in a public arena, can leave us all feeling defensive, angry and confused, but putting aside your own feelings and posting a polite response is one of the best things you can do for your online reputation. Remember, your response isn’t just for the disappointed client. It’s for anyone who happens to come across your page in the future, and you’ll want to make it known that you’re a polite, professional and helpful small business owner with your customers’ best interests in mind. We recommend taking it a step further and responding to both negative and positive reviews. As a bonus, Google gives those businesses that respond to reviews a boost in ranking.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">3. Be patient - building up a strong online reputation takes time.</span><br /> There’s no such thing a as a quick fix for your online reputation. It takes time to build a following on social media, gather client reviews or achieve a higher star count once a negative review has hit your account. Never turn to fast solutions, like soliciting fake reviews or diverting negative reviews away from major review sites—these are against terms and conditions. Know that there’s nothing you can’t overcome in terms of your online reputation. Countless giant corporations with household names have worked past major reputation roadblocks and come out the better for it.</p> <p> </p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">The corporate team at National Property Inspections can help you succeed in the business. </span><br /> For franchisees who'd like help with reputation management or crafting a response to a customer review, don't hesitate to contact the NPI <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">marketing team</a>! For those interested in starting their own home inspection franchise, call Julie Erickson at 1-800-333-9807 x 24. We help you build your business from the ground up.</p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="http://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/stepha-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-142624-157" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Stepha Vesper, <em>Marketing Communications Specialist</em></span><br /> Stepha has more than five years’ experience in marketing, content creation, SEO and copywriting. Her favorite part of her job is assisting franchisees with their digital marketing strategies so they reach their goals that much faster. When she isn’t at work, Stepha is going on adventures with her basset hound, Frank, and husband, Zach, perusing used bookstores, reading or writing.</div> </div> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /><meta name="twitter:site" content="@npifranchise" /><meta name="twitter:creator" content="@npifranchise" /><meta name="twitter:domain" content="National Property Inspections, Inc. - npifranchise.com®" /><meta name="twitter:title" content="3 Things You Need to Know About Online Reputation Management" /><meta name="twitter:description" content="Here’s how you can streamline your approach to online reputation management and get the most out of your customer feedback." /><meta name="twitter:image:src" content="http://npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Social/3thingsyouneedtoknowaboutonlinereputationmanagement-09.jpg?ver=2019-05-17-093842-083" />125The Pros and Cons of Paid Searchhttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/65/the-pros-and-cons-of-paid-searchMarketing,Social MediaFri, 29 Mar 2019 14:38:55 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">THE PROS AND CONS OF PAID SEARCH</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> March 29, 2019 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/digital-marketing">digital marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">google</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/paid-search">paid search</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">By Zach Vesper, <em>NPI, Inc.'s SEO and Marketing Specialist</em></span></p> <p>When it comes to digital advertising for your business, you’re not short on options. One choice many business owners overlook, for a number of reasons, is paid search. The major player in paid search is Google, and their Google Ads platform makes it easy to reach your ideal audience and increase your marketing ROI. We’ll break down the pros and cons of starting a campaign with Google Ads and help you decide if paid search is right for you.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Pro: Paid Ads Can Extend Your Reach</span><br /> Above all other digital marketing methods, Google Ads can help you achieve better market saturation, increase your brand recognition and put your business in front of your perfect customers. With a Google Ads campaign, you can choose exactly who sees your ads and when they see them, and you can even target your audience by geographic area to make sure you’re not showing ads in places that aren’t relevant for your business.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary"><span style="color:#990000;">Con: There are No Guarantees</span></span><br /> Like any other aspect of digital marketing, your results with paid search will be based on how thoroughly you perform your initial keyword research and how often you experiment with things like fresh ad copy. Paid ads aren’t a “set it and forget it” kind of tool—instead, you should be testing and optimizing consistently to achieve the best results. If you write one ad, set it to run and never look at it again, you shouldn’t be surprised when you don’t see a return on your investment.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Pro: They Reinforce Your Credibility</span><br /> The world’s top companies use paid search every day to put their products and services in front of customers, so Google Ads come with built-in clout you can use to increase your credibility, too. When someone searches for your services and sees your ad at the top of page one, along with your <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/the-6-biggest-mistakes-you-could-be-making-with-your-google-my-business-listing1" target="_blank">Google My Business listing</a> and solid organic ranking, this sends a clear message that your business is the one they want.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary"><span style="color:#990000;">Con: Paid Search Can Be Expensive</span></span><br /> Depending on how competitive your industry is, paid search can end up being an expensive addition to your digital marketing plan. Platforms like Google Ads charge on a “per click” basis, meaning you pay every time a potential customer clicks your ad to visit your website. Each keyword you target has its own average “cost per click,” or CPC, which shows you what you should expect to pay. This can range from a few cents to $20 or more per click, so establishing your most lucrative keywords while keeping potential costs in mind becomes especially important.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Pro: Paid Ads Can Yield Excellent ROI</span><br /> When you manage to hit the sweet spot of relevant keywords, enticing ad copy and ideal audience targeting, paid search can yield some of the best ROI of any digital marketing method. With other traditional marketing methods, you can only cast a wide net and hope to catch a few fish, which ends up inflating your budget for little return. Google Ads, on the other hand, lets you share your message with exactly who you want, with no wasted effort.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary"><span style="color:#990000;">Con: They Take Time and Patience</span></span><br /> With paid search, you have the ability to make the most of your digital marketing budget, but the results aren’t instant. If you approach it without taking the time and effort to create a winning campaign, you’ll lose money without a lot to show for it. With thoughtful planning and a sound strategy, though, you’ll more than likely find that paid search is a valuable tool to take your business to the next level.</p> <p>If you’re a current NPI franchisee thinking about adding paid search to your digital marketing strategy, we’re here to help! Give us a call at (800) 333-9807 or email <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">marketing@npiweb.com</a> for more information.</p> <p> </p> <p>If you’re interested in starting your own NPI property inspection franchise, you can request a free info packet <a class="color-secondary" href="/learn-more">here</a>.</p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/zach-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-152018-130" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Zach Vesper, <em>SEO and Marketing Specialist</em></span><br /> Zach brings more than six years of SEO experience to the table, making him your go-to web optimization specialist--he knows how to help your website reach the first page! He's always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google. Zach is a film buff, an old-fashioned connoisseur and an avid reader of science fiction. When he’s not working, he’s hanging out with his wife, Stepha, and basset hound, Frank.</div> </div> 65The 6 Biggest Mistakes You Could be Making with Your Google My Business Listinghttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/45/the-6-biggest-mistakes-you-could-be-making-with-your-google-my-business-listingMarketing,Social MediaFri, 27 Apr 2018 16:02:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">THE 6 BIGGEST MISTAKES YOU COULD BE MAKING WITH YOUR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS LISTING</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> April 27, 2018 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=marketing">Marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=social-media">Social Media</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google-my-business">Google My Business</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/seo">SEO</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/digital-marketing">digital marketing</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/business-website">business website</a></p> <p class="emphasis-primary"><em>By Stepha Vesper</em></p> <p>Google processes more than 40,000 searches every second–that’s 3.5 billion searches a day! Needless to say, your Google My Business listing is a key piece (if not THE key piece!) of your digital footprint. Below, we’ll tell you the top six mistakes business owners make with their listing as well as the best ways to optimize Google My Business for happy customers and maximum return.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Not Choosing the Right Category</span><br /> When you first create a Google My Business account, you’ll be prompted to select a category for your business from a drop-down menu. While this tiny task is easy to brush aside, choosing the wrong category has less-than-tiny consequences.</p> <p>That’s because the category feature is one of the primary ways Google accurately indexes your listing in local search results. Accidentally selecting the wrong category can “hide” your business from the right customers and confuse anyone who comes across your listing. If you set up your Google My Business listing years ago, it’s more than worth it to re-confirm your category choice.</p> <p>Google does allow you to add multiple categories to your business listing, but keep in mind that order matters. If you perform multiple services, you’ll want to add the category you do the most business in first, then follow with the other services you offer. This will create a hierarchy for Google’s algorithm and boost your chances of coming out on top.</p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6"> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Having the Wrong Photo as Your Cover Image</span><br /> If you update and add to your Google My Business photos on a regular basis, great job! There are just a few things to keep in mind to get the most out of your efforts, starting with the cover photo.</p> <p>The cover photo is the main image that shows up for your listing in Google search results. That means it’s essentially your first chance at making a great impression on potential customers. You’ll want to make sure that your cover photo is high-quality and highly relevant. Either a professional picture of you or one that relates directly to what you do on a daily basis is best.</p> </div> <div class="col-sm-6"><img src="http://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/Additional Images/google-my-business-blog-624x416.jpg?ver=2019-03-12-132850-897" style="margin: 20px 0 20px 0" width="100%" /></div> </div> <p>If you have any photos that could be better, now is a great time to replace them. Since Google+ is incorporated with your listing, make sure that any photos you post are up to snuff and highly relevant to your business.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Having a Duplicate Listing</span><br /> Regrettably, Google makes it relatively easy to unwittingly create a duplicate Google My Business listing. Most often, this happens when you move, forget the account or password associated with the listing or simply can’t recall making one years prior. But despite the ease with which you can create a new account, duplicate listings remain one of the biggest don’ts of all when it comes to your Google My Business listing.</p> <p>Duplicate content of any kind will drive down your ranking significantly. If Google detects multiple listings with similar information, there’s a big chance your business will suffer the same fate. Multiple listings also confuse customers, and sometimes reviews end up split between the two. Trust us—it’s far better to have 20 reviews on one listing than it is to have 10 on one and 10 on the other.</p> <p>If you have multiple listings, the best course of action is to contact Google directly. That way you won’t have to guess about whether you’re taking the right steps toward getting that second listing removed. You’ll also have a better chance of getting the issue resolved quickly.</p> <p><strong>NOTE:</strong> Wait times for Google representatives can vary, depending on time of day and several other factors. We recommend setting aside an hour for the task of calling in and speaking to a rep.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Not Keeping Your Information Up-to-Date</span><br /> This one is a no-brainer. You should always keep your phone number, hours, services and any promotions you’re offering up to date on your Google My Business listing. But this one extends to other platforms your business might be listed on as well.</p> <p>Google’s algorithm is designed to pick up on consistency for your business across platforms. That means that your address, phone number, services and hours should be an exact match across your web presence. This includes street abbreviations versus spelling out words and including country codes versus not including them. The best practice is to have other platforms, like Yelp and Facebook, match your Google My Business information exactly. You should also make sure your business name matches exactly.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Not Directing Reviews to Your Listing</span><br /> Nothing speaks to the success of your business more than glowing testimonials from your very own customers. The best way to set your business apart from your competitors’ and rise to the top of the local 3 pack is to have the best and the highest number of reviews under your listing.</p> <p>Pushing review numbers up can be surprisingly challenging, and it all comes down to busy day-to-day life. Meaning unless you give them a friendly nudge, there’s a chance your customers won’t make time to review your business, no matter how happy they are with your services. Sending them an email with a link to your Google My Business listing, a kind word and an invitation to leave feedback can go a long way. Remember, incentivizing reviews in any way is against Google’s Terms of Use, so you should never offer goods or discounts in exchange for a review.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Responding to Reviews the Wrong Way</span><br /> Getting critical feedback is never a great feeling, but there are ways to handle it gracefully and still come out on top in future customers’ eyes. For one, if you have several reviews, a lower rating or two can actually legitimize your business. No one is perfect, and most people understand that a bad review once in a blue moon is realistic for any business. Best of all, you can respond to any review and show clients that you have their best interests in mind.</p> <p>When responding to a negative review, it’s important to never get defensive. Whether your customer is painting a clear and accurate description of their inspection results or not, your main objective in your response is to demonstrate that you hear their feedback and care about their satisfaction. Resist the urge to insult or correct the customer or to type a long-winded explanation of exactly what happened. This is between you and your client, and politely stating that you’ll reach out to them privately is your best bet when it comes to reaching a resolution. In fact, many customers will actually change a review to a higher star count if they feel you’ve heard them out and treated them with respect.</p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="https://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/stepha-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-142624-157" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Stepha Vesper, <em>Marketing Communications Specialist</em></span><br /> Stepha has more than five years’ experience in marketing, content creation, SEO and copywriting. Her favorite part of her job is assisting franchisees with their digital marketing strategies so they reach their goals that much faster. When she isn’t at work, Stepha is going on adventures with her husband, Zach, perusing used bookstores, reading or writing.</div> </div> 45Your 5-Step Guide to Handling Customer Complaintshttps://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/47/your-5-step-guide-to-handling-customer-complaintsBusiness TipsWed, 04 Apr 2018 16:06:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">YOUR 5-STEP GUIDE TO HANDLING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> April 4, 2018 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts?Category=business-tips">Business Tips</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/client-satisfaction">client satisfaction</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/small-business">small business</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/google-my-business">Google My Business</a>, <a href="https://npifranchise.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/facebook">Facebook</a></p> <p class="emphasis-primary"><em>By Zach Vesper</em></p> <p>When you’re running your own business, it’s inevitable—there are some people you just can’t please. To make things worse, these customers are almost three times more likely to leave you a review online than happy customers who had a great experience.</p> <p>As scary as they seem, bad customer reviews have their place in the online reputation ecosystem. For example, a business with nothing but rave reviews can seem suspicious, because people live in the real world and expect to see some customer complaints. In this way, the occasional bad review can lend credibility to your overall rating on sites like Google, Facebook and Yelp.</p> <p>The real trick is understanding how to handle bad customer reviews when they do appear. If you react to them the right way, they’ll make your business look more professional and trustworthy. Here are the things you’ll need to remember when you’re addressing a negative review about your business.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">1. Enhance your calm.</span><br /> As soon as you see a complaint appear on a review site, your first impulse is probably to get defensive. You believe in what you do and provide a great service that people love, so bad reviews tend to cut right to the heart. It’s completely natural to want to take these things personally, but the best thing for your business is to be as cool and collected as you can be. Don’t respond right away when you’re angry or upset, because often you’ll regret what you say in the heat of the moment. Also, don’t assume that what you say now can be changed later—treat your reply like it’ll be set in stone.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">2. Understand their perspective.</span><br /> Once you get your emotions in check, start thinking about the problem from your customer’s perspective. Do they have a point? How would you feel if you were in their situation, and what would you want someone to do for you to resolve the problem? Use their review as an opportunity to identify areas of your business that could use improvement. Don’t take it personally if you get multiple complaints about the same issue—instead, treat this as incredibly valuable information that you can use to grow.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">3. Acknowledge their problem.</span><br /> After you’ve come to understand the problem from your customer’s perspective, you need to communicate in your response that you’ve heard their criticism and want to come to a resolution they’re happy with. This won’t be possible with some people, but the vast majority will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to hear them out and are responsive to their concerns. To others reading the negative review and your response to it, this approach goes a long way in displaying your professionalism and integrity.</p> <p>Now what if the bad review is totally off-base? In cases like this, you’re responding more for the benefit of other potential customers reading your reviews. You should explain your perspective clearly and succinctly, always maintaining an even-handed tone. At the end of your reply, you should invite them to contact you directly if they have any further concerns—this will show others that you’re willing to maintain open communication with every customer to resolve their issues.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">4. Offer a quick resolution.</span><br /> Sometimes an upset customer won’t be happy until they get a full refund, but it’s not likely to come to that. Most upset customers are reasonable people, and they’re defused easily when they see that you’re willing to listen to them, solve their problem and offer some kind of concession for their trouble. Whether you offer them a discount for a future service, a free upgraded warranty or something else that’s valuable to them, they’ll walk away feeling like you care about them. This is the best way to turn an angry customer into an advocate for your brand.</p> <p>Here’s an example of a perfect response to a negative review that accomplishes everything we’ve talked about above:</p> <p><i>“I’m so sorry to hear that you are less than satisfied with your NPI/GPI service. I take constructive criticism very seriously and would love the opportunity to right my wrong. You can expect a phone call from me so we can further discuss your concerns. Again, I apologize that you are unhappy with your inspection and look forward to getting in touch with you soon.”</i></p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">5. Move on with your life.</span><br /> Once you’ve crafted and delivered a professional response that solved your customer’s issue, you have to learn not to dwell on it. The bottom line is that bad reviews happen to the best of us, and they’re not the end of the world. As long as you handle customer complaints with composure and understanding, you’ll come out with a clearer idea of what your customers need so you can deliver even better service in the future.</p> <p>If you’re a current NPI franchisee, we’re always here to help you craft professional responses to customer reviews! Get in touch with us at <a class="color-secondary" href="mailto:marketing@npiweb.com">marketing@npiweb.com</a> for one-on-one help.</p> <p> </p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Looking to start a National Property Inspections franchise?</span><br /> Request your free, no-obligation info packet at <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.npifranchise.com/learn-more">npifranchise.com/learn-more</a>.</p> <p> </p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-3"><img src="http://www.npifranchise.com/Portals/npicorp2/Assets/Blog/zach-05.jpg?ver=2019-03-11-152018-130" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-sm-9"><span class="emphasis-secondary" style="font-size: 130%">About the Author</span><br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Zach Vesper, <em>SEO and Marketing Specialist</em></span><br /> Zach brings more than six years of SEO experience to the table, making him your go-to web optimization specialist--he knows how to help your website reach the first page! He's always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google. Zach is a film buff, an old-fashioned connoisseur and an avid reader of science fiction. When he’s not working, he’s hanging out with his wife, Stepha.</div> </div> 47