Tag: business growth

How to Perform Effective Employee Reviews

December 22, 2020

By David Stamper, NPI, Inc.’s President & CFO Constructive meetings should be held on a regular basis to continually improve employees’ performance, refine their goals and of course make sure your business is headed in the right direction. Here’s what to cover in your next performance review to give employees and yourself the best insights. When to Conduct Reviews You can set the timeframe for when you want to assess your employees and their work. For newer hires, it’s more beneficial to hold a meeting after a few months of employment. This allows you to catch any issues early on that you can help them iron out. The longer a staff member is with you, the longer you can space out the time between reviews. Eventually, you may not need to continually conduct reviews for employees who have been with you for a prolonged period of time. But if you haven’t ever done a review with them, it can be beneficial to look over their work and use it as a guide for others. What to Include in a Review There are several key performance indicators (KPIs) to include in your performance review. While you can add in others that

Navigating Difficult Times in Your Business

December 8, 2020

By Adam Kiesel, NPI, Inc.’s Digital Marketing Specialist Running a business isn’t always smooth sailing, and you’ll likely experience rough waters more than once. One day you’re moving along without a hitch, then the next, you’re facing snags and hiccups left and right. When you do run into a rough patch as a business owner, getting through it means keeping your priorities straight and your thinking positive. Attitude is Everything It’s easy to have a negative outlook when things aren’t going how you’d like. Yet pessimism has a tendency to snowball until everything seems much worse than it actually is. Developing and maintaining a positive attitude goes a long way in helping yourself through struggles. There’s an assortment of ways to stay positive, and doing so will make your hardships feel much more manageable. Reach Out to Others It’s very likely that you aren’t the first person to go through your situation. While each experience will be unique, there will likely be multiple similarities between what you’re facing and what someone else may have already put past them. If you do know of a person that’s been in your shoes, don’t hesitate to reach out! They’ll be able to provide

A Manager Mindset: Using DISC for Smoother Communications

December 1, 2020

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach The world is made up of people with all types of personalities and backgrounds, so naturally, business is no different. From clients to employees, each individual has their own unique style of communication and leadership. Each style can provide a great advantage to your business, but getting over initial communication barriers to reach your team’s full potential can be a challenge. That’s where DISC comes in. Introduction to DISC The DISC personality assessment reveals the four most common communication styles seen in personal and professional settings. Most people are a combination of two styles, though some may find that they’re a combination of three. Technicians and Entrepreneurs You can think of the “C” and “D” styles as being technicians and entrepreneurs, respectively. Cs, or Technicians tend to be perfectionists, and are quick to notice something that’s out of place. They’re also practical, and are more “doers” rather than “dreamers.” Meanwhile, Ds, or entrepreneurs thrive on change and growth. They always want to reach new goals and are determined to do whatever it takes to achieve them. Managers The “S” personality represents a managerial way of thinking. They’re steady-going and like to help others

The Science Behind Brand Consistency

November 24, 2020

By Sydney Arp, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Specialist & Designer We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Consistency is key when it comes to marketing. It’s true in more ways than one. Consistency on social media increases your following. Consistency in customer service improves your reputation. And consistency in branding earns you more money. In fact, consistent branding across all of your marketing channels is proven to increase revenue by 23%. What is Brand Consistency? Consistent branding can involve anything from the colors you have on your brochures to how you interact with customers. It’s the experience–from start to finish–that you want to give each person, with as little variation as possible. The best way to maintain a steady brand is by establishing your operating principles: identify your core values and develop your company’s mission and vision statements: At NPI, we encourage our franchisees to develop their own mission statements using our organization’s core values of Honesty, Integrity and Professionalism. Once you have these important items established, you can use them as a guide in future decision-making. Whether it’s the way you talk to clients over the phone or the design of your business cards, brand consistency is all

Elevator Pitches: Marketing Yourself in an Instant

November 17, 2020

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach Elevator pitches help business owners provide service highlights in a quick, precise manner, which is perfect for today’s fast-paced flow of information. Whether you’re new to the elevator pitch or just need a refresher, here are some tips for crafting one like a pro. Purpose of an Elevator Pitch The main purpose of an elevator pitch is to grab the attention of prospective clients on the fly. You can use it at the coffee shop, at trade shows or anywhere else where you want to reach more people in less time. Ideally, you want to make your pitch last between 30-60 seconds (around the length of an elevator ride). If you run too long, you’ll lose interest. If you undershoot it, your audience may leave with more questions than answers. Content of Your Pitch The most difficult part of creating an elevator pitch is trying to “trim the fat” in your conversation. You want to be able to cover all the information you need, without feeling as though you’re cramming it together. Some important items to remember when creating your speech are: Ending with a call to action is crucial for engaging the

Eliminating Excuses to Succeed in Business

November 10, 2020

By Adam Kiesel, NPI, Inc.’s Digital Marketing Assistant Stumbles and setbacks are a natural part of business, and everyone will experience them at some point. However, sometimes these failures can dictate future business interactions and expansion plans. The good news is that there are ways for you to overcome your own excuses and achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself. The Impact of Excuses Excuses are essentially mental roadblocks that knock you off of your set course, both in life and in your business. They can stem from either negative past experiences, or the fear of a possible future outcome from a decision made now. No matter where they come from, excuses have a negative impact on your development. Big or small, they could keep you living in a state of fear forever if you don’t acknowledge and try to overcome them. Here are a few common excuses that business owners find themselves using, as well as solutions to prevent feeling “stuck.” “I don’t have the time now.” Not having the extra time to work on new projects is something many new business owners lament at one point or another. While it’s good to stay busy with your work, you

Integrating Google Posts on Your GMB Listing

October 27, 2020

By Zach Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s SEO & Marketing Specialist 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. What the Post Feature Does 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. Google Posts + SEO 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

Going Virtual: Why Many are Buying Homes “Blind”

October 21, 2020

By Adam Kiesel, NPI, Inc.’s Digital Marketing Assistant Over the past year, inspectors have adjusted their processes to help ensure client safety and peace of mind. Wearing personal protective equipment and bringing disinfectants to inspections have become commonplace. In addition to precautions taken throughout the inspection process, social distancing measures may still sometimes prevent many agents and clients from opting for an in-person walkthrough to go over report findings. So what does this mean for the future of inspections and how they’re conducted? Read on to learn more. COVID Has Altered BuyingBetween 10-20 percent of Americans under 30 have moved or know someone who has since the pandemic began, either as a direct result of it or due to other circumstances. The housing market remains competitive in many regions, with buyers acting quickly to take advantage of low interest rates. This means that the window of time between the inspection and closing has continued to tighten. More and more employees are also moving to a permanent work-from-home setup, giving them location flexibility. Oftentimes, in this situation, buyers are unable to travel long distances to see a home in person, forcing them to buy “blind.” For inspectors, this makes proper photo

Practicing Proper “Netiquette” in Your Business

October 13, 2020

By Zach Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing SEO & Marketing Specialist Meeting with clients either in-person or digitally is a large part of your daily operations. Now more than ever before, business owners are learning the importance of video conferencing to stay connected. However, there are obvious differences between speaking directly to someone and looking at a computer or phone screen. Here are a few tips for keeping a clear line of communication. Speak Clearly Just like talking to someone face-to-face, speaking clearly through electronic correspondence such as text or email is important. Remember proper sentence structure, and of course correct punctuation. Run-on sentences and random capitalization make it hard to digest what you’re talking about. Although you may not mean to, this can frustrate a customer that’s unable to decipher your message. Before you hit that send button, read over things one last time to catch and correct any errors. Adjust to Your Audience As an inspector, you want to give your clients the best customer service experience possible. That means working to find a solution to their current problems. While your explanation may make sense to you, your clients could be confused. Technical phrasing and wordy emails may find

Importance of Celebrating Business Milestones

October 6, 2020

By David Stamper, NPI, Inc.’s President & CFO Setting and reaching goals are a meaningful part of running a business. Whether they’re days, weeks or even years from now, it’s important to take some time to stop and reflect on your achievements. Although life and business can get hectic, don’t let your milestones simply fade into the background. Why Should You Celebrate? It doesn’t matter if you have a large celebration or a small get together, the key is to take time to acknowledge your progress. Patting yourself on the back might not seem like a valuable part of business management, but it provides you with proof that you’re growing as a company. Some business owners may be shy to draw attention to themselves, but you’re doing something that not many people can say they’ve done. So what kinds of things could you/should you celebrate, and what’s the best way to? Business Anniversaries One easy to remember item you can celebrate is your business’s opening day anniversary. No matter the market or industry that you’re in, it can be difficult to sustain success over a long period of time. You can start out by doing monthly anniversaries and then do

How Time Management Can Unlock Your Hidden Potential

January 31, 2023

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Small business owners have a lot on their plate. As a home inspector, for example, owners are frequently one part inspector, one part marketer, one part continuing education instructor, and one part bookkeeper (just to name a few responsibilities). Naturally, it can be easy to feel spread thin at times, with different tasks and projects constantly vying for attention. To survive, small business owners need to learn how to become organized and manage their time well – it’s as simple as that. Still, building your time management capability is a constant process. Reconsider these strategies to improve how you run your business and raise the ceiling of your potential. Why Should You Improve Your Time Management?For some people, the benefits of improved time management are obvious. They might struggle to meet deadlines and frequently double-book their meetings. Still others might feel that they have a system they like in place – they just have too much to do! However advanced your time management skills might be, there is always room for improvement and evaluation. Through a frequent time management “self audit” you have the opportunity to improve your productivity at

Why Veterans Make Amazing Entrepreneurs

January 24, 2023

By Sammi Marcellus, NPI, Inc.’s Recruitment Coordinator Veterans returning home from duty have a lot of opportunities open for them, but it can understandably be difficult to find one’s place after such a big change. As entrepreneurs and business owners, veterans have a long history of success. From Phil Knight at Nike to Gordon Logan at Sport Clips, veterans clearly have the capability to reach remarkable heights in their own business ventures, but it can be difficult to figure out how to start. At National Property Inspections, we have seen first-hand how veterans excel in the field of home inspections. Many of our top producers are veterans, and we love working with new franchisees who have gained the fundamental skills that military training instills. Here are a few reasons why veterans make amazing entrepreneurs and home inspectors. Veterans Are Versatile Whether through serving in a unit or through the foundational training that all military professionals receive, we have seen that veterans possess an amazing level of versatility. As an inspector and a small business owner, our franchisees learn not only the technical skills to inspect a property, but how to market themselves, manage their finances, and even lead a team

Upgrading Your Social Media Marketing With Videos

January 17, 2023

By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Senior Communications Strategist As small business owners, the importance of a strong social media presence cannot be overstated. Now more than ever, videos are dominating the social media marketing space. The types of videos consumers prefer follow a few trends, but their importance has steadily grown. According to social media marketing experts at Wyzowl, 92% of marketers consider video the most important part of their marketing strategy. If videos aren’t currently part of your social media marketing plan, now may be the time to consider incorporating this powerful engagement tool. Why Videos Are So Successful On Social Media There are many reasons why videos have become a priority to marketers, but the main reason is how much engagement videos draw in comparison to graphics, articles, or other types of social media content. With that increased engagement, your posts will see a dramatic growth in their marketing reach as platforms push your posts out to a larger audience. Engagement occurs any time a post receives a like, is shared, or receives a comment. According to Twitter, tweets that include videos attract 10 times the engagement of tweets without them. These findings are unsurprising, as strongly constructed

Email Etiquette: How to Present Your Business Through Email

January 10, 2023

By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Senior Communications Strategist Running a successful small business is all about relationships. In the past, relationships could thrive solely over dinner and phone calls, but the way that professionals communicate is rapidly evolving. Today, business owners must learn how to communicate over email in order to grow and maintain relationships, but sometimes the way to do that isn’t clear. Let’s review some of the latest standards of email etiquette, including how to conduct oneself to reinforce professionalism. Dress Yourself Well In person, it is important to maintain a professional appearance. In some industries that could mean a suit and tie, whereas in others that might mean wearing a well-groomed uniform. In the same way, business owners need to have a good email appearance that conveys that same sense of professionalism. Especially when emailing a prospective client or an unfamiliar potential partner for the first time, the email address is the first impression. Use an address that contains your business name, and ideally one that does not use public-use domains. For example, every National Property Inspections franchisee receives their own npiinspect.com email. An email that conveys a direct association with a business rather than something too

Developing An Inspection Process That Works For You

January 3, 2023

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Every successful entrepreneur finds a process that works for them. Certainly they take note of the proven strategies that work in their industry, and they adjust their approach when they come across new ideas. For someone just starting out in their industry, this also means plenty of trial and error. While you develop your own routine for running your business, one of the best habits you can work to gain is becoming organized. There is a wealth of information out there for how to do this as a small business owner, or even as a person in general. For example, keeping a to-do list, removing unnecessary clutter in your workplace, and keeping a strict schedule all work wonders to increase a sense of accomplishment throughout your day. However, anyone who has worked in the property inspection industry knows that there is a lot to juggle as a home inspector. As we discuss some recommended processes that have proven to work in the inspection industry, remember this disclaimer: Do not be afraid to tweak these strategies to fit your own style! The main takeaway should be to find your routine and

How To Respond To A Frustrated Client

December 27, 2022

By Zach Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Senior SEO and Marketing Strategist Everyone has been there. Something did not go as planned, and the irritation in your client’s voice is obvious. Maybe you even made an honest mistake at some point in the process. Obviously, nobody is perfect. At some point in your career, you’ll miss a callout, or you’ll simply have to work with someone who behaves unreasonably. Conflict is a natural part of running a business. Though there are plenty of strategies that you could employ to avoid it in the first place, sometimes friction is unavoidable. You’ve found yourself there, and the question is, what do you do now? According to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, the average disgruntled client shares their experience with 9 to 15 other people, and 13% of dissatisfied people tell more than 20. Addressing frustration is one of the most important things a small business owner needs to learn. Let’s review a few go-to tips to de-escalate frustrated clients, whether in-person or online. Remember To Keep Calm Whenever you encounter a client whose experience did not line up with their expectations, it is important to stay calm. Tensions can easily rise over

The Signs That Say You’re Ready To Be An Entrepreneur

December 20, 2022

By Celeste Black-Harr, NPI, Inc.’s Recruitment Coordinator With every new year, an extraordinary opportunity presents itself. It’s a time to celebrate family and friends, to celebrate successes, and to remember the struggles you have overcome. But it’s also a time to reflect and reevaluate. Is what you are doing fulfilling? Is it what you imagined yourself doing five years ago? There are many reasons why people decide to make a change in their career goals, whether it is dissatisfaction with falling into the status quo or a desire to build something that they can pass on to their family. Big opportunities could be on the horizon! Here are a few signs that 2023 is the year to start your own business. You Want To Take Control A standard position as an employee has its own perks. Safety and consistency are big motivating factors to anyone looking for a new job, and without being “the boss,” there are stressors that employees completely avoid. With that being said, the investment of time and experience that you have built up might not get utilized to its full extent in a standard 9-to-5 position. Entrepreneurs have the freedom to devote their time and energy

How To Finance Your New Inspection Franchise

December 13, 2022

By Celeste Black-Harr, NPI, Inc.’s Recruitment Coordinator Starting a new business is such an exciting and fulfilling venture, but for many people a lack of confidence in their funding strategy can hold them back from achieving their goals. As with all franchises, an inspection franchise requires a level of initial investment to get started, but you don’t need to wait for a wealthy relative’s inheritance. Depending on your background, there are plenty of worthwhile opportunities that you can consider in order to finance your new business and hit the ground running. Disclaimer: This content is meant for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional legal, tax, investment, or financial advice. This article is intended to cover general circumstances and is not directed to any specific individual. I am not a registered financial advisor. To know what options are best for your particular scenario, seek out a financial advice professional. With that in mind, let’s discuss some financing opportunities for your new inspection franchise. Secured Or Unsecured LoansOne common route that people looking to franchise end up discussing is the standard Secured or Unsecured Loan route. An easy way to separate these two categories of loans is to

How To Invest In Marketing When Things Get Slow

December 6, 2022

By Sydney Bailey, NPI, Inc.’s Director of Marketing Across industries, entrepreneurs will find times in their business when things seem to be going great. There is no shortage in clients or work, and operating their business dominates their attention to the point where marketing can fall down on their list of priorities. This becomes an issue when business, inevitably, slows down. That constant train of phone calls and appointments begins to clear up, and as an ambitious business person, you don’t want to lose out on that hard-earned momentum. So, what do you do? Especially in seasonal industries that are particularly influenced by the ever-changing real estate market, slowing business marks a perfect time to invest your time (and money) in marketing. Make Networking a Priority The best thing you can do when things get slow is get out and meet new people! With each new introduction, you’ll meet a new potential client. With each office you visit, you could start a new long-standing relationship. If you haven’t already, join your local BNI group or any local hotspot for REALTORS® and industry specialists for potential referrals. In short, look for any opportunity to build your business’s contact list. Get connected

Flat vs. Tall: What’s The Best Organizational Structure For Your Small Business?

November 29, 2022

By Michael Trimble, NPI, Inc.’s Content Marketing Coordinator As your small business grows into a not-so-small business, you will have to make new decisions as a business owner. You have hired great people who are helping your business reach new heights, but as your team expands, so do your responsibilities as owner, manager, HR representative, you name it! Before drowning in your expanded duties, consider how you can organize your business to run as effectively as possible. In the business world, the two most popular forms of organizational structures are the Flat structure and the Tall structure. Both have their strengths and their weaknesses, and determining which style is best for you can depend on a number of factors. From your personality and leadership style, to your industry and company size, here we will break down the differences to help you determine what structure is best for you! FlatFlat organization structures might also be called a “Short” organization structure. This style consists of employees all working at (more or less) an equivalent level in regards to decision-making, idea-sharing, and total investment in the company, all reporting to the owner. You could imagine this sort of structure as two-tiered, with the