Category: Business Tips

Making Your Business Stand Out Against a Large Competitor

June 1, 2021

By Bill Erickson, NPI, Inc.’s Executive Vice President As a small business owner, you’ll be going up against competition of all sizes as you work to grow and achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself. While you might have the confidence that you can take on companies closer to your size, it can be intimidating to try and tackle a larger, more established firm. But that doesn’t mean you should shy away from the challenge completely. Here’s what you can do to take on the “giants” in your industry. Get Your Name Out An easy way that you can get started with growing your business is getting your name out to as many potential clients as you can. Attend open houses, stop by real estate offices, work your social media profiles, and give out fliers or business cards advertising your name and company. For instance, a great way to spread the word about your new franchise is to attend community events. You’ll make lots of new connections and people will get to know you on a more personable level. Putting a face to your name helps break the ice with clients so that they’ll be more likely to remember you.

When and How to Part Ways with an Employee

May 25, 2021

By David Stamper, NPI, Inc.’s President & CFO As a business owner, you’ll be faced with making tough calls almost every day. Perhaps one of the most challenging of these is having to let an employee go. It’s difficult, and oftentimes uncomfortable to deal with, but it’s a choice that you’re forced to make for the betterment of your business. There could be any number of reasons you have to let someone go from quality of work to personal problems. So how should you go about parting ways with an employee? EvaluationBefore you make a final decision, you should review the employee’s past work and reports. You can also refer to any comments from other employees and even customers to hear secondary opinions and identify any common problems. You might find that the issues started recently and aren’t an overall indicator of their temperament or their work performance. If you find that work has only been slipping recently, it might be more appropriate to speak with an employee directly. There could be some underlying personal issue that’s impacting their work. It’s always best to get your facts straight and then take the next step. Collect Relevant Documents To protect yourself

The Benefits of Having a Site Blog

May 18, 2021

By Adam Kiesel, NPI, Inc.’s Digital Marketing Assistant 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?” Pump Up Your SEO 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. Incorporate it Into Social Media Keeping your social accounts up-to-date is just as

How Should You Handle Price Shoppers?

May 4, 2021

By Roland Bates, NPI, Inc.’s Founder & CEO Everyone loves to save money where they can. We clip coupons, pinch pennies, and always keep an eye out for a great deal. As a business owner, you’ll more than likely deal with this situation regularly. At first it can be a bit of an annoyance, but as you encounter it more, it turns into frustration. It’s hard to find the right balance between helping clients out and completely undercutting your business. So how should you deal with super savers in your industry? Don’t completely shut them off at first. While you can definitely walk away from a deal that isn’t in your best interest, don’t turn away shoppers right away. Success as a home inspector relies largely on how you treat longtime and prospective clients. Being too brash can give you a negative reputation that could make future clients look somewhere else. Although you may be dealing with your umpteenth price shopper of the day, repeating the same information, it could be their first time speaking directly with an inspector. Keep them talking to understand what their situation is and what they’re looking for. Even if you don’t reach an agreement,

Mitigating Risk as a Home Inspector

April 27, 2021

By Bill Erickson, NPI, Inc.’s Executive Vice President Taking steps to limit your liability as a home inspector is as important as your marketing plan or report-writing process. You don’t want to leave a customer unhappy, especially to the point where they seek legal action against you. While you can’t erase your risk completely, there are ways that you can significantly lower it: Constantly Communicate From the time the inspection is scheduled to the report review, keeping your clients in the loop is an easy way to manage risk. Having a record of each interaction involving the inspection will come in handy in case you need to refer back . Prior to your arrival, send the client or homeowner a list of what they need to do to ensure a complete and uninterrupted inspection. Most people might assume that you’ll be moving items to access parts of the house (a major no-go in terms of liability), and may not realize an inspection is all visual. After, take the time to explain your findings to the customer so they aren’t left guessing. Relaying information before, during, and after the inspection is sure to clear any confusion about the process and your

Building Self-Confidence to Better Your Business

April 20, 2021

“Confidence is key.” This is a phrase often quoted by the best in their field, from star athletes to business leaders. Reaching your goals often starts by forming a strong mental fortitude and believing you can accomplish anything. Yet if you tend to be more reserved and always second-guess yourself, it’s hard to develop that confidence. Recognize what makes you worried. To instill confidence in yourself, you have to start by recognizing what makes you nervous. It could be trying out a new marketing approach, performing an inspection for a new client that could lead to future referrals, or simply getting your feet wet as a rookie business owner. Situations like these are definitely stressful and can cause you to freeze up, debating with yourself what direction to go. If this happens to you frequently, then it’s time to work on bettering your mentality to charge ahead. Identify the situations that make you feel uneasy and what worries you the most. Control what you can control. The fear of the unknown is something that everyone will experience at least once in their lifetime. Intimidation about making the wrong move can cause you to not make a move at all. The

Cautionary Tales: Why Buyer’s Regret Skipping Their Home Inspection

April 6, 2021

Most everyone aims to save money where they can, but in some cases saving now will cost you later on. Homebuyers are starting to waive a home inspection in the hopes that they’ll save a few hundred dollars up front. This is a risky choice since you never fully know what you’re getting into. In fact, some folks that bought a home within the last year are realizing that their attempt at pinching pennies is coming back to haunt them. How can you save a homebuyer from potential disaster and keep your schedule filled with inspections? Read on for a few effective selling points! The Speed of Covid It comes as no surprise that COVID-19’s impact on the housing market continues nearly a year later. With so many people relocating for their jobs, some markets saw a high turnover rate with homes and exceedingly low inventory. To expedite the acquisition process, buyers either opted for a virtual meeting to go over an inspection report or skipped it altogether. Those who did forego an inspection are now faced with the possibility of learning the hard way why safety should always take precedence over speed. Not All It Seems Digital tours are

Bonding with Your Employees: Building Relationships and Making Work Fun

March 30, 2021

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach Your employees do so much to help build your business, and it’s a nice gesture to show them that you notice their hard work. Workers that are shown gratitude are reported to be more productive, happier, and motivated. Here are some fun ideas that you can do with your team this week to create a better workplace. Company Field Day/Office Olympics An office-wide competition day is sure to bring out your inner kid. If the weather allows, going to a park or other nearby greenspace lets you soak up some sun and get fresh air. A water balloon toss, obstacle course, or relay race are a few of the many events that you can set up. You can increase involvement and effort by offering a reward for the winning group such as a gift card. A day outing like this is a great time for everyone, and fairly inexpensive and easy to put together as well. Escape Room Another way to get out of the office is by going to an escape room. They’re an amusing challenge that also improves employee relationships. They teach cooperation and problem-solving, which translate back to working together

Inform vs. Intimidate: How to Deliver Reports without Scaring Clients

March 23, 2021

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator The home-buying process is lengthy and intricate. From searching for the perfect place to finally signing, there are lots of things that have to fall in line. One of those steps is the home inspection and subsequent report that both play a big role in a buyer’s final decision. It’s important to disclose your findings along with any concerns so customers know what they’re getting. But how do you make sure you’re properly informing a client without fully turning them off from a purchase? Negative reputations stick with you. Nobody likes being labeled negatively, as it follows you around and could eventually affect business. Gaining a reputation for turning off buyers and undoing an agent’s hard work is something you definitely want to avoid. It can lead to frustration on both sides and strain otherwise healthy working relationships. While you can work to reverse a less than desirable reputation, it’s better to develop a positive one beforehand. Small, actionable measures show your customers that you’re a professional who cares about them. Properly identify items in your report. How you label an item in your inspection makes a world of difference.

Preparing Your Small Business for Retirement

March 16, 2021

By Roland Bates, NPI, Inc.’s Founder & CEO If you’ve started thinking about retiring from your small business, congratulations! Building a company from the ground up takes years of hard work and is a major accomplishment. Transferring ownership is a lengthy process and can be made more complicated without a definitive course of action. Picking the Right Time You’ve probably thought about the day when you decide to walk away from your business. But that day may move closer or further away depending on a multitude of factors. Although it’s difficult to lock down a definitive date, here are some things to keep in mind to know when the time is right: Whatever your reasoning, it’s all about what feels best for you and your situation. Devise an Exit Plan To make sure that you’re ready for the day when you step aside, begin the process as soon as possible. Envision how things will look like after you’ve retired and what your goals are when you leave. Do you have a family member you’d like to pass the torch to, are you handing it off to an employee, or are you selling to another business owner? What if something such

7 Tips to Lower Your Stress

March 22, 2022

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach Dealing with the everyday challenges of running your own business can result in high stress levels. In order to keep yourself and your business healthy, you should always be actively trying to reduce your stress. Here are some ways you can keep your cool as you operate your business. Figure out what’s stressing you. The first step in treating your stress is identifying what’s making you feel overwhelmed. Take a step back and look at everything you have to deal with in a day. Make a note of everything that makes you feel like you’re stretched thin. Knowing what’s causing your stress will help you develop better techniques to deal with it. You might even start to feel more relaxed just by pinpointing your stressors. Build a more solid schedule. It may be easier said than done to create a concrete schedule as an entrepreneur. You could have a client schedule a meeting last minute or maybe that “quick” project ends up taking longer than you thought. While you can’t predict the unexpected, developing a schedule around your typical day will help manage your stress. If you find it hard to nail down

Going Up? Staying Safe When Inspecting a Roof

March 15, 2022

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator As an inspector, your job is to give as much detail about the home as possible. That means going into every nook and cranny you can to try to spot problem areas. However, there may be times when accessing a section of the home just isn’t possible. In fact, inspecting it could even put you in harm’s way. One such portion of the home where you always need to exercise caution is on the roof. Roofs and Falls Roofs can be extremely dangerous if you aren’t careful. Over 150,000 people each year require emergency care due to falling off a roof. Nearly 10 percent of those either result in life-threatening injuries or are fatal. All it takes is one mistake and you could find yourself needing medical assistance. But with some preemptive assessments, your risk of falling off a roof can be greatly reduced. Examine the Roof’s Condition Before you even get on top of the building you’re inspecting, try to get a visual from the ground. Look for potential hazards such as growth on tiles, missing or severely worn sections, and even any signs of water or ice. These

Handling Claims Made Easy

March 8, 2022

By Bill Erickson, NPI, Inc.’s Executive VP Every inspector fears the day when they’ll have a claim filed against them. Whether it’s clearly your fault or not, it can feel like a giant weight coming down on you. You can quickly find yourself exhausted from spending time and money trying to resolve the problem. However, just a bit of preemptive work on your end could make claims not as scary. Expect to get a claim at some point. Try as you might to avoid a claim altogether, it’s unlikely you’ll dodge one forever. But don’t worry, you’re not the first and certainly not the last person to deal with a claim from a disappointed customer. You can’t control every situation, so the best thing you can do is try to prepare for what you can. Preparing for the fact you’ll face a claim one day will give you a head start when you’re actually faced with one. Claims are intimidating, but proper preparation will make them less overwhelming. Don’t push a claim to the back burner. The worst thing you can do after you’ve received a claim is to put it off. It’s likely that your insurance provider details the

Properly Incentivizing Your Employees for Growth

March 1, 2022

By David Stamper, NPI, Inc.’s President & CFO Your employees are the most valuable asset you have for your business. And the more motivated they are, the more productive they’ll be to help grow your business. Here are some ways you can incentivize your employees. Why Incentivizing is Important Properly rewarding your employees for their hard work is important for a number of reasons. First, it makes them feel like they are a valued member of the company. Employees that feel they are needed are more likely to contribute. That willingness to contribute also leads to better teamwork and collaboration. Overall, there’s sure to be a boost in morale when your employees feel as if they’re valued members of the team. Pay Benefits Money is a common incentive most business owners use. It can motivate both newer and longer tenured employees. You of course want to give adequate bonuses based on how long an employee has worked for you, quality of work, and likelihood they’ll stay with you. You can use either a one-time bonus or bump their salary permanently. If you can afford it, doing these annually will further motivate employees. Vacation Time As much as we may love

The Hidden Benefits of Starting Your Own Business

February 22, 2022

By Sammi Marcellus, NPI, Inc.’s Recruitment Coordinator There are many clear incentives to starting your own business. More free time, no pressure from a boss, and being able to make more money are just a few of the benefits that attract people the most. But there are other pros to venturing out on your own as well. Here are some of the added benefits to running your own business. Build your own self confidence. You may find that as you start to grow your business, you’ll also start growing as a person. You’ll have to break out of your comfort zone a bit and strengthen your belief in your own abilities. It’s easy to doubt if you’ll be successful, but the more you improve, the bigger boost you’ll give yourself. Soon you might notice that speaking to new people or trying new strategies isn’t as scary as before. Your clients will also notice how confident you are, and they’ll be impressed by it! Make new connections. Going on your own sometimes means leaving your old social circles. But that’s not always a bad thing. Soon, you’ll start meeting new people, whether they be clients or fellow business owners. Building a

Flipped Upside Down: What to Expect When Inspecting a Remodeled Home

February 15, 2022

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Flipped homes are becoming more and more common on the housing market. Nearly 6 percent of all home sales in 2020 were from flipped homes, with many counties and states seeing continued increases. It comes as no surprise with the popularity of home remodeling shows and flipping becoming a popular choice for people looking for additional income. But they can oftentimes be troublesome for you and your clients. Flips Fraught with Issues Like professionally constructed homes, flips can have a variety of issues. Some of the most common involve structural defects, faults in the plumbing or HVAC systems, insect infestations, and improper wiring or other repairs. All of these can lead to a buyer racking up thousands of dollars in repairs on top of their already expensive purchase. Usually, first-timer flips have more problems, but rushed remodels are also notorious for flaws. As a flip project goes on, the investor will start losing money and might cut corners to try and break even. This comes at the expense of a future buyer. Legal Gray Areas Along with rushing a job, some flips may not have all the right paperwork. While

Why You Should Add a First-Aid Kit to Your Toolbox

February 8, 2022

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator While on the job as an inspector, you’ll have lots of different tools with you. Each one has its own purpose so you can do an effective job for your client. Some of them are also designed to keep you safe. Before you head out for work, make sure you’re keeping yourself protected. Lowering Risk Inspecting a property can be a riskier business than most people think. Heights, air pollutants, and even animals mean you have to be alert at all times on the jobsite. The equipment that you use will help lower your chances of a risky situation ending poorly. One tool that you should incorporate in your practice is a first-aid kit. If you ever get injured while working, you should tend to it as quickly as possible. (Of course for more severe injuries, calling for medical assistance is the best route.) Don’t Be Overconfident If you consider yourself lucky and haven’t ever been injured while working, don’t let your ego make you careless. You may not think you need to carry a first-aid kit with you, but anything can happen. Close to 3 million workplace injuries happen

Gearing Up for Tax Season

February 1, 2022

By David Stamper, NPI, Inc.’s President & CFO As we head into February, we move one step closer to that all important time of year– tax season. If you let out a small groan every time you hear those words, you certainly aren’t alone. It can be a headache to file taxes and be sure that you do it correctly. A small mistake or simply not getting your return in on time could cost you. Nearly 10 million people each year incorrectly file their income tax form. To avoid being one of that group and paying fines, get a head start! Know Deadlines To avoid panicking at the last minute and trying to get your taxes in order, make sure you know when you have to file. The dates will vary depending on your business structure and if you use the calendar or fiscal year. In the U.S.: For more information on your state’s tax deadline, check their tax division website here. In Canada: More information about Canada’s tax deadlines can be found on the government website. Keep Your Receipts Being a business owner means you’ll now incur a variety of expenses. Travel, tools, and additional training are all purchases

The Top Qualities REALTORS Look for in Inspectors

January 25, 2022

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach As an inspector, you might already have an idea of the perfect client you want to work with. And when you get the chance to work with someone that fits it, it makes your job that much easier. The same holds true for your clients. Real estate agents have an idea of the inspector that they want to work with, and they always want to try and find the closest match. Good Communication You most likely prefer a client who is responsive, so it’s only natural that agents want the same thing from you. Agents handle multiple transactions each month and need to move quickly between each one. If the inspector they’re working with is hard to reach, it can delay the buying or selling process and result in a lost sale. While you can’t be available 24/7 running your business, do your best to promptly reply to agents. Set up your voicemail or consider a call center so that agents can leave you a message when you can’t answer the phone. If you plan on leaving town for a vacation, let them know ahead of time and set up your out of

Another Dollar: How to Save Money While Growing Your Business

January 18, 2022

By David Stamper, NPI, Inc.’s President & CFO Correctly managing your finances is necessary to be a successful business owner, yet it isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Close to 80 percent of entrepreneurs fail due to poor money management. If you’ve never owned your own business before, you might have a million questions about how much to save and what’s the best use of your money. Luckily, you can get things sorted out with a few tips. Common signs you have a money problem. Figuring out that you’ve got a problem with your accounting will help you know the right steps to take. You’ll know right away when you run into a cash flow issue. If you’re struggling to pay for your expenses and finding that you’re dipping into your savings, you’re probably hemorrhaging cash faster than is sustainable. When you first start out, you might not turn a major profit as you get set up. But the important thing is to not let yourself get behind in accounting for every dollar that comes in and goes out. Don’t try to outrun your spending. At first, the simple solution to not having enough money coming in is trying