Question

Topic: Branding

Branding A Home Inspection Company As The Best!

Posted by Anonymous on 1/6/2009 at 10:08 PM ET 290 Points
I own a Home Inspection company in Western NY. I have been performing inspections (mainly for home buyers) since 1998 and I have performed over 5000 home inspections.

I am the only one in my company that does the inspections (so currently everyone gets the owner performing the inspection) and I have 3 employees in my office answering phones, scheduling appointments, paperwork, etc.

I have a great reputation in the Real Estate community as being extremely knowledgeable, honest, efficient, and non-threatening.

My background is in contracting and before starting my home inspection company, I framed new houses and remodeled / repaired existing houses.

On my inspections, I get on every roof, check every part of the house, and issue a custom computer printed report onsite at the completion of the inspection.

In my market, there is no particular inspection company that stands out above the rest. Most of my competitors are franchises and give off the impression of being a large, faceless company. My market probably has 30 inspection companies and I know most of them. As far as success, I would say that I am ranked #3 in my market in terms of amount of inspections, years in business, etc.

I would like to brand my company as the best in the area. My company, Gunther Home Inspections, Inc, is very well known throughout the local real estate community, but I would like to be the one that others think of when they need to buy or sell a house. I would like them to think that they need a home inspection, and it needs to be done by Gunther Home Inspections.

I am looking for creative ideas for branding, to almost make people ask for a “Gunther”, instead of just a home inspection when they need one.

I am the only Inspection Company in my market that uses my last name in the companies name, all others are similar to Best Inspections, etc.

I do think that in my market, there could be an inspection company that could be the best known inspection company.

I would appreciate any and all ideas. Thank you in advance.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 1/7/2009 at 7:48 AM Accepted
    In branding yourself as the best and having people think of asking for a "Gunther" instead of a home inspection, you will need a pretty good budget and layout a plan to continually get your name in front of realtors and buyers.

    Any number of campaigns could deliver this if your messaging is clear and consice and you have the funds to develop and take the program forward with a media mix of TV, radio, direct mail, billboards, etc.

    Marketing-Riot
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 1/7/2009 at 8:49 AM Accepted
    Start telling stories (in your marketing materials) about people who eventually called you after they started having problems. They went to company X for an inspection, but soon after issues developed, and they needed to go so someone they could trust.

    Gunther...The Name You Can Trust
  • Posted by kevin.shoesmith on 1/7/2009 at 9:51 AM Accepted
    Agree with Jay ... Testimonials will help tell your story through others.

    You might also want to incorporate a tagline in all of your marketing materials. Something along the lines of:

    More than a home inspection ... a GUNTHER inspection.

    Think GUNTHER when you want more than just a home inspection.

    Gunther ... call us first for your home inspection.

    Don't settle for a run-of-the-mill inspection. Call Gunther!

    Gunther ... the only name you need in home inspections.
  • Posted on 1/7/2009 at 2:04 PM Accepted
    Gunther your house ...... more then just an inspection.

    Gunther your house ...... avoid the problems

    Gunther your house ....... if it is about quality

    Let your satisfied customers do your promotion. Don't be afraid for negative feed back. Ask them how they think about the quality of the services offered. If something negative arise just handle it in a professional way.


  • Posted on 1/7/2009 at 9:02 PM Author
    These ideas are fantastic.

    Maybe I'm asking too much, but the lower the advertising costs the better. TV may be too expensive for my industry or maybe I haven't figured how to budget for it or justify the budget for it.

    I mail postcards to Real Estate Agents maybe 4 times a year. It sounds like using customer testimonials would work great on those. I can probably incorporate them on the postcards or use them to tell a story through photos, etc.

    Right now the tagline I use on the postcards is "It's your move. Don't be surprised, be sure with Gunther Home Inspections."

    I've been thinking about when targeting the Agents, using the angle "don't risk your reputation by referring a bad inspector" but that sound wordy.

    I think branding to the public would be expensive but branding to Agents my be a good low cost option.

    Any thoughts?
  • Posted on 1/8/2009 at 11:11 AM Member
    Could even go with the "Inspected by Gunther" stamp of approval on your marketing materials.

    Marketing-Riot
  • Posted by tjh on 1/8/2009 at 2:33 PM Accepted
    Lot's of good advice in these answers.

    A couple of points:

    Avoid saying "the Best", "We're the best ...", etc. (don't say it, show it) Let others say it - Testimonials.

    However, other approaches, like maybe a tagline like: "After 10 years, and over 5000 home inspections, we can help your property (or home, if you're strictly residential) be the best it can be." etc. "Over 5,000 property inspections in (city or county)!"


    I'm not sure consumer marketing is a big payoff for you, however, a small and maintainable campaign (newspaper?) may be helpful with them.

    The money is obviously in the referrers. Are you covering them all? Realty companies, property management, estate attorneys, CPAs and accountants, property insurance agencies and adjusters, property investors, property appraisers, REO departments at lenders, banks, S&Ls, etc? In the real estate sections of papers/mags - "Home buyers, don't close your purchase without a complete inspection from Gunther." (just a quick thought)

    Consumer contact post catastrophe? Floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc.?

    "Big company" or franchised competitors should be easy for you to dominate at this point. If they're in the market spending lots of marketing money, don't let that get to you, nor do you have to match them $ for $. They'd love it if you tried though...

    And please resist any temptation to change your company name!

    Cut them off at the pass with solid guerilla marketing behind the scenes, direct to the key players that you already know. I'd just step up the frequency of contact, and maybe a few more breakfasts, lunches, and so on.

    Your stats, your market knowledge, these are crucial and should be main themes.
  • Posted by Perrie on 1/8/2009 at 10:59 PM Accepted
    Consider a character of yourself - kind of like the Pink Panther but rather Inspector Gunther with big magnifying glass and all...
    Also, for realtors there are many options of email campaigns to all in a particular area through the associations - you should be an affiliate member - then get the special price to send reminder emails - I would do these monthly - possibly offer an online coupon of $50 off or something for them to pass on to client...
  • Posted on 1/9/2009 at 7:25 PM Accepted
    Being "the best" is not a particularly strong or believable claim. You'll need to be more specific or best at something that people care about. Besides, "best" is a parity claim; everyone can be tied for "best."

    Stronger approaches: Have others say you're best and tell why. Be "better" than any other inspector in your market. Be the "only" inspector in your market who does something specific. FIRST, BETTER and ONLY are strong words as long as they refer to something specific and demonstrable. "Only Gunther utilizes a time-tested 45-point inspection approach and guarantees ..." Etc.

    You might also develop a 20-30 minute presentation with anecdotes and tips for homeowners and volunteer yourself for speaking gigs at local events, Rotary meetings, Chamber of Commerce meetings, etc. More visibility and more opportunities to tell your "superiority" story will pay off ... probably quicker than you think.

    Good luck. You have a great opportunity if you can handle all the work. (Be careful what you ask for ...)
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