Category: Business Tips

Too Many Red Flags? When to Turn Down a Questionable Client

November 23, 2021

Being a small business owner, it’s important to build a large referral base to avoid stalling out. However, sometimes you’ll have to weed out certain customers that have become a hindrance. It can be hard to turn someone down, especially if you’re new to the industry, but it’s something every business owner has dealt with. Here are some early warning signs that you may think twice about signing on with a customer. They don’t communicate well or at all. You can tell a lot about a person based on their communication style, and it won’t take long to figure them out. It’s usually easier to get an understanding of someone over the phone than it is through text or email. You’ll be able to detect certain tones they use with you and how they’ll treat you should you work together. But even digital conversations can raise some red flags. If they take forever to respond to calls or emails, expect immediate responses from you, or try to reach you at inappropriate times, they might have unrealistic expectations of you. While you want your customers to feel like a priority, it shouldn’t come at the expense of other relationships. They want

Crawl Space Safety: What to Know Before Heading In

November 16, 2021

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Performing a complete home inspection means you could find yourself in some tight spots, one of these being the crawl space. Like the attic, crawl spaces can be intimidating, since you don’t know what’s in there until you look for yourself. While you want to inform your clients of any dangers in their new home, you also need to prioritize your safety. Crawl spaces can be full of hidden dangers. Crawl spaces are one of the most forgotten and neglected spaces in a home. Chances are most homeowners have only been in their crawl space a few times (if at all), and likely only for emergency maintenance. In most cases, you’re essentially going in blind, and there are a variety of dangers you can encounter: Each home can vary in terms of what you might encounter in the crawl space. In older homes, you may need to prepare for a more deteriorated underside with rotting wood and substandard framing. If you’ve noticed animal signs around the home, it’s a safe bet you’ll encounter something furry or slimy in the crawl space. Always use your best judgement and your SOPs. First

Millennial Home Buyers Overcoming Obstacles

November 9, 2021

By Adam Kiesel, NPI, Inc.’s Digital Marketing Assistant This past year’s housing market can be best compared to a high-octane car race. Short listing times along with people itching to go from renter to owner made for a hot seller’s market. Millennials were one of the major players, throwing their hats into the buyer’s ring and quickly snatching up homes. As the markets begin to slow down and level off, millennials are trying to keep their footing and overcome some of the hurdles they’ve faced. Don’t Look at the Label Millennials can often times be judged simply because of their age. They may be written off as too young or too inexperienced to accurately navigate the housing market. The reality is that they’re one of the more informed buyer groups. Millennials make up nearly 40 percent of the homebuying market, meaning they’re not going away, they’re only growing in number. In fact, most older millennials are repeat buyers and aren’t uninformed about the process. While it’s easy to assume, doing so could lead you down the wrong path when it comes to serving this group. What They’re Buying Like every buying group before them, millennials have their own wants and

Leverage Your Yelp Listing for a Better Reputation

October 19, 2021

By Zach Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s SEO and Marketing Specialist Collecting reviews for your business is essential to attracting new customers. Over 90 percent of consumers use online reviews in their final decision on a business. That means you can never have too many, especially too many positive ones. In addition to collecting reviews via Google and Facebook, Yelp offers another outlet for your customers to rave about the good work you’ve done! Yelp is as popular as ever. A somewhat common misconception is that Yelp has slid into the background behind Google. Yelp is still as relevant as ever, with nearly 200 million visitors to the site every month. 28 million of those unique users come through the Yelp app. As popular as Google has become, Yelp comes in at a close second for the most popular review platform. Nearly all “Yelpers” choose to spend money with a business they find on the site, so not having a listing means you’re missing out! You want a listing you have access to. In addition to not letting business pass you by, you don’t want someone else to control your listing. Yelp allows users to create a listing with your business’s information,

Should You Use TikTok to Market Your Inspections?

October 12, 2021

By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Communications Specialist If you’re already active on social media or know someone who is, chances are that you’ve heard of the hit social media app TikTok. The video-sharing app boasts 689 million active users worldwide, and pulls in more than one billion video views a day. While it started out with a mainly younger audience, TikTok has attracted people from all different ages and industries. TikTok Fast Facts TikTok has been around for a little over five years, but it really started taking off in 2018. Users can upload videos ranging from a few seconds to three minutes about any topic they’d like. Whether you’re sharing your favorite recipe or your classic movie collection, eye-catching material can take off and reach thousands of other users. The main base of TikTok’s users are younger, mostly in the pre-teen to early twenties demographic. Average users can spend up to an hour on the app each day scrolling through content. In their Q4 in 2019, TikTok saw over 300 percent revenue growth as the billion-dollar company continues to expand. Real Estate and TikTok Because of TikTok’s rising popularity, many businesses are using it as another marketing tool.

Two Weeks’ Notice: Making the Leap from Employee to Business Owner

October 5, 2021

By Celeste Black-Harr, NPI, Inc.’s Recruitment Coordinator Going from your current job to starting your own NPI franchise is both an exciting and delicate process. If you’ve thought about making the leap to being your own boss, you may have a rough draft of your exit strategy already. But there are certain steps that you should include to make sure you cover all your bases before you leave. Here’s what you need to know. Begin to save money to supplement your income. In the months leading up to your departure, start setting aside funds in a business savings account. It’ll take a bit before your new business is fully up and running, and there’ll be some costs you’ll incur as well. You want to be sure that you’re covered and able to support yourself until your franchise becomes your main income source. Creating a budget and a billing schedule will help you save smarter. Figure out what you already spend on, what the essentials are, what you could possibly cut down on for a short time, and what’s left over to stretch your income even further. You should also discuss with your financial planner how you can save without putting

Allowing Clients on Inspections: A Do or Taboo?

September 28, 2021

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator If you ask an inspector their thoughts on allowing clients to follow along on inspections, chances are that you’ll get one of two different answers. One camp will say that it’s necessary for clients to be present, while the other will argue that it can create more headaches for you. You might have even run into this conundrum yourself trying to decide where you stand on allowing visitors on inspections. So which route should you take? Weighing the Pros First, let’s start by taking a look at the benefits of allowing clients to tag along. Home inspectors can be criticized for their work because not everyone understands it. Sometimes a customer gets confused because of how an item is described in a report or you didn’t inspect something they think you should. Allowing a buyer to come with you on the job can help clarify the scope of your inspection. They’ll see what it is you do and how you do it, giving them the knowledge to better understand your final report. This can also help prevent allegations of you damaging the home during your inspection. Weighing the Cons Now

What Does It Take to Become a Young Entrepreneur?

September 21, 2021

By Sammi Marcellus, NPI, Inc.’s Recruitment Coordinator More and more, younger generations are breaking apart from the traditional workforce to go out on their own. Nearly 30 percent of millenials own a small business, and 20 percent of them rely on it as their main income source. Have you thought about venturing out on your own? Here are our best tips for young entrepreneurs. While entrepreneurship may be intimidating, it’s also extremely rewarding. Ask Yourself: What Do You Want? Before starting your own business, decide what you want to accomplish. Perhaps it’s getting more free time. Or you might not enjoy office life and sitting behind a desk all day. Maybe it’s simply the prospect of making more money. Whatever your reason, it’s important you have your goals figured out before you begin your business venture. Don’t Think You’re Too Young Like we mentioned earlier, more millenials and even Gen Zers are walking away from the office to do their own thing. But one phrase often uttered by doubters could hold you back: “You’re too young.” Don’t think of it as an obstacle, but rather an advantage! Some of the best success stories come from young business owners that utilized

What Your Marketing Team Offers

September 14, 2021

By Sydney Arp, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Specialist & Designer As NPI and GPI franchisees, you have access to more resources and materials than your independently-owned competitors, and one of the best assets (we may be biased) is your very own dedicated marketing team. You don’t have to worry about vetting a company and spending thousands on questionable marketing tactics. You already have the qualified professionals you need in Omaha, and we are solely dedicated to your success. So, what exactly does your marketing team do for you? Custom ContentNo request is too big or too small! From digital pieces that you can post on social media to brochures or fliers that you can have locally printed, your NPI marketing team will bring your idea to life. Maybe you want to leave your customers something to remember you by and increase your referrals. A custom ‘Homeowner’s Booklet,’ complete with repair estimates, maintenance checklists, and review links, is a great added value! (Contact our team to see a sample booklet.) If you want to raise awareness about a giveaway you’re doing, some well-written copy and eye-catching graphics will get the job done. Your options are virtually endless, so don’t hesitate to reach

How Recording Inspections Could Help You

September 7, 2021

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator When you think of the professions that utilize video cameras, home inspections might be far down on the list. Emergency services, loggers, and bartenders can be seen wearing cameras to record their shifts. Even cyclists and other motorists have found that cameras are useful, especially for insurance purposes. So, how do they make sense in the home inspection industry? Controlling Risk as Much as Possible There are different forms of risk you have to try and control as an inspector. Scammers, personal injury, and legal action are just a few of the common risks you might come across. Of course you can’t completely erase risk, but taking the right steps greatly lowers it. Making sure that you have the right insurance provider is just one step that goes a long way in protecting you. Now, inspectors are finding that recording inspections is helping in instances where further details are needed. Visuals in Report WritingThere’s no doubt that photos in a report are necessary to have. Whether it’s for your own notes or to point out a defect, they give a clearer picture of what’s going on. Maybe you’ve had to

Everything You Need To Know To Make Your Next Email Campaign A Success

November 22, 2022

By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Senior Communications Specialist All business owners know the power of email marketing to capitalize on leads and convert sales, but the numbers are striking. According to Litmus’s “The CMO’s Guide to Email Marketing,” email marketing has the highest return on investment across industries, averaging $42 for every dollar spent! Though these numbers fluctuate depending on the industry, it is no secret that email marketing can be incredibly powerful. However, sometimes it can be tough to figure out how to get started. Whether this is your first email marketing campaign, or your fiftieth, here are some ways to make your next campaign a hit! 1. Identify Your GoalWith any monetary investment, small business owners should always consider how each dollar spent will lead to growth. Goals for a single email marketing campaign can be more than just securing more business. Campaigns can be geared towards increasing your brand recognition within a specific demographic, community, or area that might be underrepresented. Alternatively, a campaign could focus solely on gathering feedback on your business with previous clients, or introduce you client base on a new or underutilized service. Whatever your goal, identify it as a starting point, and

How to Make the Most Out of Your Indeed Job Ad

November 15, 2022

By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Communications Specialist Making new hires is always an exciting venture. Either your business is growing, or you’re ready to fill an important vacancy to satisfy a need. In this position, it is important to know how to hire right and make the best use of the tools at your disposal. In the inspection industry, it can be difficult to find qualified individuals to add to your team. We have found that personal referrals from industry professionals (such as real estate agents or other inspectors) tend to result in the most successful hires. But when these contacts aren’t providing many leads, it may be worth trying Indeed. Indeed is a popular job-finding platform, recording over 250 million unique visitors each month, and hosting over 150 million resumes. With such impressive traffic, Indeed provides a great opportunity to get your job ad in front of a large audience. However, there are a few things to consider to ensure you get the most out of your investment with Indeed. Screener QuestionsA frequent experience that employers can have when working with Indeed is a barrage of applicants. Too many options are better than too few options, but many

4 Ways to Create a Positive Work Culture for Your Small Business

November 8, 2022

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach As your small business grows, you may find yourself in a position to hire additional employees, expanding your team and delegating duties as far as your finances allow. While growth is exciting, it also comes with its own set of problems. A successful small business owner must also become a successful team manager. They impart their vision for their business to new team members, who must become productive workers and genuine brand advocates. After making your new hires, you need to earn their loyalty and create an ideal environment for them to operate as optimally as possible. This, of course, all hinges on the quality of your work culture. Do your employees dread work, or do they look forward to it? Are they willing to make concessions when times are tough, or will they back out when they are most needed? Consider these tips to strengthen your company culture and develop a family-like atmosphere that makes work something to look forward to. According to a Globoforce study, happy employees are 85% more efficient in their work and stay in their positions twice as long. Although it might be common sense, sustaining a team

Pre-Inspection Agreement: Why They’re ALWAYS A Must-Have

November 1, 2022

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator In establishing a successful inspection franchise, there are so many things to worry about. From learning how to best market yourself and your services, to offering the best possible product, new inspectors have plenty of areas that can command their attention. In these moments, it is important not to overlook the standards and the basics of the business. One standard process that you should never skimp out on is the pre-inspection agreement. Let’s review the pre-inspection agreement and its unique importance. BackgroundA pre-inspection agreement is a standard form which outlines standards, scope of work, and expectations for an upcoming property inspection. There are many reasons why this form has become a stock-standard part of every inspector’s business plan, but of particular note are the liability protections that they provide. Although no inspector intends to find conflict with a client, a disagreement is likely to come up at some point. The pre-inspection agreement is the rule-setter that keeps every inspection fair and clear. Some basic aspects that a pre-inspection agreement describes include: ConsiderationsSome inspectors are more strict than others with how they administer and handle their pre-inspection agreements. Some inspectors may

5 Podcasts to Grow Your Small Business

October 25, 2022

As a National Property Inspections franchise owner, you are one part inspector, one part marketer, one part entrepreneur. Needless to say, there can be a lot on your plate. To stay on top of the competition and to become the best leader in your industry, it might be valuable to find a podcast to help you on your way. Today, experts are freely offering their years of experience and personal stories to listeners through an easily consumable medium. Here are a few podcasts that could help you grow your inspection business! 1. Home Inspector Podcast by InterNACHIAverage length: 1-5 minutes, with an occasional “webinar” podcast that can be between 1 and 3 hours.Releases: Twice a day every weekday. As inspectors, a great starting point podcast is the Home Inspector Podcast by InterNACHI. The majority of releases are extremely short, sometimes with no introduction at all. These topics briefly explain how to perform a specific task relating to property inspections. The Home Inspector Podcast is a great option for inspectors looking to brush up on their knowledge or looking for quick, easy review material. The webinar releases are obviously much longer and seem to be direct uploads of online classes and

Test Taking Strategies

October 18, 2022

By Jon McCreath, Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator As an inspector, there are plenty of licenses and certifications that require strong test-taking skills in order to succeed. Perhaps the most difficult examination out there for inspectors is the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE). Everyone tests differently, and some people have a tougher time when tasked with demonstrating their knowledge in scenarios where the stakes are high. Here are a few techniques to consider for setting yourself up for success in high-pressure exams: Study the MaterialNothing beats good preparation, but what is good preparation? Slowly moving through covered material can be difficult and time consuming, which is why many resort to cramming. Cramming is the technique of covering a wide range of topics in a very small amount of time, typically right before a test or exam. According to one study, 72% of students felt that cramming was more beneficial than evenly spacing their study time. Despite this belief, this same study found that methodical studying was more beneficial to 90% of the study’s participants. Cramming can be a helpful review tool, but when reliably retrieving information in a high-pressure setting, slower, evenly-spaced studying leads to more consistent results. In short,

Entrepreneurship 101: How to Set Your Employees Up for Success

October 4, 2022

After a brief pause to enjoy the sun and hit the beach, we return to our Entrepreneurship 101 series. Here, we outline some of the best tips for running your franchise like a seasoned pro. In our first entry we discussed how to lead your franchise, and in our second entry we covered the best hiring practices. Now that you’ve got a new batch of employees, it’s time we made them into rockstar members of your company. Here’s how you can put your team on the fast track to success. Start Strong New hires have a lot to think about. They want to prove their competence, they want to give off a positive social impression, and they want to ensure they made the right choice for themselves in accepting their new position. It can be a stressful time! As an owner, a manager, and your team’s leader, it’s your job to walk them through an onboarding process that instills confidence for everyone on the team. First things first, set clear expectations so that your new employee knows what success looks like. Start with the basics. What does their first week look like? Their first month? Give them a clear picture

Entrepreneurship 101: How to Hire Right the First Time

July 19, 2022

To see continued growth and development in your business, you may consider growing your team. To ensure that you’re hiring the best individuals for your needs, here are three crucial questions to ask during the interview process. What to Ask: What do you know about the company? What Their Answer Reveals: This question is one of the most telling regarding whether the applicant has done their research on NPI. If the applicant knows nothing about the company, or provides incorrect information regarding NPI, it’s a no go! What to Ask: What about inspection interests you? What Their Answer Reveals: Answering this question correctly is very important in this industry, as it’s essential to look for people pursuing this position for career purposes rather than just a regular job. Those who are not able to provide a clear answer to this question should set off alarms for you. What to Ask: When would you be able to start? What Their Answer Reveals: If the applicant implies that they can start right away with little to no regard for their current employer, it’s another red flag. At minimum, a two weeks’ notice should be provided. After all, how you get them is

Entrepreneurship 101: How to be an Effective Leader

July 12, 2022

As a National Property Inspections franchise owner, you’re so much more than just an inspector. You’re an office manager, a marketing coordinator, an accountant, a boss, a mentor, and a teacher—just to name a few. In our Entrepreneurship 101 series, we’ll cover leadership traits and tips specific to running a successful inspection empire. As part of a national network, your resources as an NPI inspector are plentiful, and we’re excited to share what we’ve learned about effective leadership in our industry. Lead By ExampleAlthough it may sound cliché, it’s important to align your business goals with your mindset. Even if you’re currently a one-man show and don’t have plans to hire in the near future, getting into a leadership mindset will help you elevate your thinking to that of a boss. After all, being a leader is not about being front and center. True leadership comes in the form of behind-the-scenes hard work and dedication. To be successful in your business, it’s vital to have goals set for where you want to see yourself in the next year, along with a plan of action for how you hope to achieve your goals. In the pursuit of your goals, it’s helpful