By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Senior Communications Strategist

News Flash: Email marketing has been one of the top strategies employed by small businesses for years, and today it’s thriving more than ever. According to email marketing experts over at Omnisend, click-to-conversion rates jumped by 27.6% in 2024, and email now delivers a staggering $36 ROI for every $1 spent, outperforming SEO ($22.24) and Google Ads ($8).

For the property inspection industry, the potential is even greater. Among NPI, GPI, and Carson Dunlop franchisees, our average open rate is over 47%, nearly double the 20-25% seen in other industries. Clearly, email marketing isn’t just a good investment for business owners, it’s a huge growth opportunity.

The problem is that many inspection businesses are missing out because they fall for a few all-too-common email marketing mistakes. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve already been sending out email campaigns for years, chances are you might be leaving some ROI on the table without even realizing it.

Let’s discuss these common email marketing mistakes, and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Not Email Marketing At All

The first and by far the biggest mistake that small business owners make with email marketing is that many don’t do it at all. Email marketing offers incredible ROI, and with today’s user-friendly platforms and tools, crafting professional, persuasive emails is easier than ever.

Within the property inspection industry, it’s important to incorporate content that moves beyond promotional subjects. An effective email marketing strategy should also build trust and keep your business top of mind with referral sources and clients. One great way to accomplish all of this at once is with a recurring newsletter.

As a quarterly or monthly touch point, newsletters can provide educational material related to building science, home maintenance, market trends, or details about how your business participates in the local community. These simple updates can position you and your business as helpful, knowledgeable, and up to date in the industry.

To summarize, if you’re not emailing your audience, you’re missing out!

Mistake #2: Not Tending to Your Email List

Next up, if you’re already email marketing – well done! Now you need to make sure your emails are going to the right people.

Too many opt for a set it and forget it mindset, but neglect the fact that email lists aren’t static and can become out of date faster than you expect. Real estate professionals are moving in and out of your market every day, so even for those who email to thousands, old, unattended contact lists can lead to low open rates. Before you know it, your content isn’t reaching the audience it should.

To better gear your email content to your contacts, segment them into smaller groups and actively manage your list. With more focused audiences, you can develop more specific and targeted campaigns tailored to first-time buyers or previous clients, for example. Additionally, the more personalized features included in your emails, the more likely you are to improve key metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates.

When it comes to adding and removing individuals from your list, trim your contact list quarterly and work on organic plans to gain new contacts through attending networking events, requesting referrals, or promoting your newsletter over social media. And avoid purchasing email lists. These lists are often outdated, full of disengaged contacts, and can get your email account flagged or even black-listed.

A well-tended list will lead to much better performance. When the right content is arriving in the right inboxes, you’ll finally start seeing the results you’ve been hoping for.

Mistake #3: Not Proofreading Your Emails

Even with a solid contact list, your email campaigns may still fall flat if the content doesn’t measure up. Typos happen, and oftentimes the simple answer to boost your business’ professionalism is to simply proofread before sending.

Small business owners, especially those who are one-man shows, can be tempted to send a little too quickly. But broken links and sloppy quality quickly undercut your credibility, and attention to detail should be highly valued for every home inspector. The solution to this danger is simple: proofread, test your emails, and have a second pair of eyes on them. 

In addition to avoiding these simple mistakes, consider improving the overall quality of your email as well. Cheesy stock images and low quality, AI-generated pictures are everywhere on the internet today, and they make your brand look generic. Instead, choose authentic photos of you, your team, and your inspections in action. This will quickly help you stand out in busy inboxes.

Make sure your emails represent your brand well! Take a few extra minutes to edit and proofread before clicking “send.” Read our previous blog article for more about design concepts that can level up your marketing.

Mistake #4: Not Reviewing Your Metrics

Now you have a receptive contact list and high quality emails to send them. Great! But if you’re not regularly reviewing how your email campaigns are performing, you could be flying blind.

A solid email marketing platform provides valuable insights into what’s working and what isn’t through key metrics. Here are a few of the most important metrics worth tracking:

• Open Rate: The percentage of recipients who open up your email. This statistic can help you evaluate your subject lines, send times, and overall appeal of that campaign.
  
  
• Click-Through Rate: The percentage of recipients who click a link in your email. High click-through rates may suggest your calls to action and content are relevant and engaging. If this metric is low, consider crafting stronger hooks or providing clearer direction.
  
  
• Bounce Rate: The percentage of emails that couldn’t be delivered. Soft bounces are temporary delivery issues (like when a server is offline) whereas hard bounces are permanent (deactivated or misspelled email addresses). This metric helps you maintain an up-to-date contact list and avoid reputation issues.
  
  
• Opt-Outs: The number of recipients who request to be removed from your mailing list. A few people will unsubscribe after almost every email campaign you send, but a sudden increase may indicate it’s time for an adjustment. Don’t take opt-outs personally, but don’t ignore them either.
  

In addition to tracking these metrics, some platforms can go even further, showing what times your contacts open your emails, and on which days of the week they are most likely to engage. These statistics are not just arbitrary numbers. They are proofs that can allow you to schedule more strategically, test new campaigns, and understand your audience better.

Marketing should never be guesswork. Measure your performance, know what success looks like, and always have a plan in place.

Mistake #5: Not Having a Clear Goal

The final mistake that small business owners often make with email marketing is sending campaigns without a clear, measurable goal. While staying in touch with your audience is important, emails with a more defined purpose are far more likely to yield results.

Focused emails can drive traffic to your website, boost attendance to an upcoming event that you’re attending or sponsoring, or educate your audience on a new ancillary service. The key is to select one of these goals and craft your email with this in mind. Here are a few examples of email campaigns that target a more specific goal:

• Promote a service: Highlight a new or underused ancillary service with a limited-time discount to encourage adoption.
  
  
• Shout out a review: Feature a glowing client testimonial to reinforce credibility and strengthen relationships.
  
  
• Educate your audience: Explain a common home maintenance question to position yourself as a source of knowledge.
  

While promotional content is important, too much salesmanship can leave your emails ignored. Instead, try to strike a balance between different types of content. Again, clear goals not only help you recognize a successful campaign, they also result in better content.

Email marketing is one of the most powerful and cost effective marketing strategies in our industry, as long as you do your due diligence and avoid the common pitfalls. If you’re not taking advantage of email yet, what are you waiting for? Get started by crafting a focused, engaging campaign that speaks to your audience today

Already sending emails but not getting the results you want? Your NPI Marketing Team is available to all National Property Inspections, Global Property Inspections, and Carson Dunlop franchisees with further guidance on how to make your next marketing campaign great!

For more insights on digital marketing, business growth, and trends in the property inspection industry, stay tuned in to the Franchise Informant. Interested in franchising with NPI? Get the conversation started here.