Guest Author: 10 Ways to Get Your Marketing Unstuck

By C.J. Hayden, MCC
Author, Get Clients Now

Have you ever found yourself knowing exactly what you need to do about marketing your home inventory service business... and then not doing it? You are not alone. Many self-employed professionals find that the hardest part of marketing isn't figuring out what to do. What's hard is actually doing it.

Marketing yourself can be a confronting process. Making phone calls to strangers, writing marketing letters, and talking about yourself and your accomplishments can bring up fear of rejection, harsh commentary from your inner critic, feelings of incompetence, and the discomfort of performing unfamiliar activities. If you let them, these inner saboteurs can stop you dead in your tracks.

The good news is that you don't have to completely eliminate these internal roadblocks in order to move forward in marketing. It is possible to feel afraid or uncomfortable and still take useful action despite the presence of these feelings. Here are ten ways to quickly break through internal barriers and get your marketing unstuck.

1. Recreate your vision. When you're feeling blocked from moving forward, remember why you wanted to go there in the first place. What was your original vision of the business you are trying to build? Who will your work benefit? What fulfillment or satisfaction will it provide you? Write down your vision of a successful business, or if you've written it down before, pull it out and re-read it. Allow your own words to re-inspire you to do the necessary hard work.

2. Design a reward. Sometimes your vision may seem a bit too far off, and you need some more immediate gratification. Choosing to reward yourself for a job well done can provide you with a positive near-term benefit for effort that might not pay off for a while. Promise yourself simple rewards for completing difficult marketing chores like making follow-up calls or writing web site copy.

The prospect of a special dinner, a movie with your significant other, or a new gadget for your favorite hobby can help you to push past the blocks and get things done. Rewards don't even have to cost money. Sometimes the promise of a bubble bath, walk in the park, or an hour reading a good book is all the incentive you need to take on a tough marketing challenge.

3. Tame the inner critic. Often when you're feeling stuck, what's going on in your head is a conversation with your inner critic, who seems to have a lot to say about sales and marketing. It's difficult to work on promoting yourself when you are hearing a constant stream of comments like: "You're not good enough," "They won't like you," or "Who do you think you are?"

It can help to remember that the inner critic often says things that simply aren't true. One way to counter this negative dialogue is to respond with the objective truth. For example: "Clients tell me I'm good at what I do," "My clients are grateful when they get their finished home inventory," "Many people say they like me quite a bit," or "I'm a competent professional, thank you very much." When you answer confidently with statements of fact, messages from the inner critic often begin to lose their power.

4. Face your fear. One of the most common obstacles to being successful at marketing is fear. Marketing activities may evoke fears of rejection, disapproval, embarrassment, and a host of other catastrophes. Instead of pretending the fear isn't there, or attempting to ignore it, you may find it more effective to confront the fear directly.

Try to identify exactly what you are afraid of. What do you fear will happen if you make that call or go to that meeting? If you can identify the specific fear that is blocking you, it may be possible to soothe it by providing reassuring information or positive experience. For example, fear of rejection can often be lessened by setting up practice selling sessions where a role-playing partner responds with "yes" to every suggestion you make.

5. Get a pep talk. When you become discouraged, don't be afraid to ask for outside help to cheer up and start feeling positive again. Ask a friend, colleague, networking group member, or your coach to give you some words of encouragement. Sometimes all you need to hear is: "It was tough for me in the beginning too... Eventually my efforts paid off... You're doing all the right things... I know you can do it!"

6. Complain and clear it out. Feeling frustrated and negative can sometimes immobilize you. One method of clearing negative thoughts is to voice what you are experiencing to a caring person. Spend a full five minutes complaining about everything that's going wrong with your marketing, making sure to say exactly how it makes you feel. Then ask your listener to reflect your feelings back to you. Knowing that someone else hears and understands you may be all you need to let go of a negative attitude and get back to work.

7. Read your fan mail. In the regular course of serving your clients, you've probably received thank-you notes, grateful voice mail messages, and other evidence that you're doing a good job. (The first time a client has to use the inventory you created for them after a loss is an "aha!" moment for you and for them!) Make a habit of saving these in a "fan mail" folder, and when you are feeling low, revisit all the nice things people have said about you. Remembering what a good job you do when you are working can encourage you to do the necessary marketing to get more work.

8. Quit; then start fresh. There may be days when you feel discouraged enough to just throw in the towel. Maybe you should do it. The act of quitting can be very cathartic. Proclaim: "I quit!" Perhaps even write yourself a resignation letter. Then take off the rest of the day, and don't even think about work. It's a good bet that after you have a chance to blow off some steam, you'll be ready to come back the following day re-energized.

9. Change the scene. Marketing can feel difficult and lonely when you're always slaving away by yourself in your home office. Try carrying out some of your challenging marketing tasks from a different location or with some company. Make cold calls from the patio, write a marketing letter in a busy coffee shop, or take turns with a colleague helping each other set up a good contact management system. Seeing a different view or enjoying companionship while you work may help you to complete tasks you have been avoiding.

10. Act as if. Whenever you feel incompetent about some area of marketing, you may be able to tackle those activities anyway if you simply try to act as if you were competent. Try playing the role of someone you admire. For example, what if you were Lauren Bacall? How would she make a follow-up call? Or how about if you were Martin Luther King? How would he introduce himself in front of a group? A short time pretending to be someone you think of as confident and capable can make those qualities rub off on you.

The next time your marketing feels stuck, try one of these methods to help you get back into action quickly. Marketing tasks are really only as hard as you think they are, so if you can find an easy way out, why not take it?

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Copyright C.J. Hayden.
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Yes, You can Create a Website Using BlogSpot

For those looking to create a simple website to get your business started, you can use the easy-to-publish tools on Blogspot.

Here's an example of a home inventory service business website that uses Blogspot.

Creating a professional website is preferred, but this is a good way to get started if you don't have the time or money for a professional site yet.

2008 CSU Hurricane Forecast Released

U.S. forecasters are predicting seven hurricanes for the 2008 season:

Researchers from Colorado State University's hurricane team predicted that 13 tropical storms will develop in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season (June 1-November 30, 2008), of which seven would strengthen into hurricanes. They are predicting a "somewhat above-average" hurricane season for 2008.

This is another opportunity for home inventory service professionals to tie into national publicity. Contact your local media and offer to be a local angle for the story -- about how hurricane season might be six months off, but you can't be prepared too early ... and how more common "disasters" (such as fires and burglary) also provide motivation to get an inventory done.

My 16-page special report on "Getting Publicity for Your Home Inventory Service Business" includes a hurricane news release. You can purchase for $10 using the link below and the report will be delivered to you immediately. The special report also has information about how to build your media list, what to put in your media kit, ideas for what to write about in your news releases, sections you can target in your local newspaper, 12 timely news release topics, and 20 reasons to send a news release.
http://payloadz.com/go/sip?id=357385

The Real Fire Season Begins

A fire is reported in a U.S. home every 80 seconds.

Increased indoor cooking and heating needs often lead to a seasonal surge in fires during the winter.

The U.S. Fire Administration reports that 37 percent of all residential fires occur from November through February. Winter fires across the nation result in more than $3 billion in property losses each year.

During the winter months, there are often more fires because of candle use in homes.

These were all statistics reported in an article in the Omaha World-Herald in a story today on "Red Cross is Having a Busy Fire Season." The article talked about a 155% increase in apartment fires from July 1 to Nov. 15 compared to the same period in 2006 in Omaha, and how the Heartland Chapter of the Red Cross is being stretched. The article noted that 40% of the local chapter's resources are used up during emergencies, including 25% for fires.

Home Inventory Service Professionals: Consider partnering with your local American Red Cross chapter to help with their local fundraising efforts and increase awareness of your services at the same time. The Red Cross is called if the home's occupants need a place to stay or a change of clothes. Contact your local chapter and ask if you can work with them.

How To Handle Collections

No, this post isn't about collecting money -- it's about homeowners who collect "things."

I received the following question from a fellow home inventory service professional:

He wrote:

---

With music CDs, paperback books, movies, and various collections. how do you differentiate between 'stuff' and 'valuable collectibles'? I can see where one could spend hours annotating the above-listed property..or do you just list 'music CD collection = $X' etc.?

---

My response:

That's a situation where I defer to the homeowner -- and it's easiest during the estimation process, I say something like, "Wow! I notice you've got quite a collection of CDs there. Would you like me to detail your collection, or inventory it as a unit?" If they want it detailed, I build it into the time. If they want it as a unit, I usually take multiple closeup pictures, and count the number of CDs to come up with an estimated value.

My husband, for example, has an extensive collection of DVDs (movies and TV shows). His collection is worth several thousand dollars (easily!) and replacing it title-for-title would be important to him in the event of a loss. If he were a paying client, he might want to pay the extra $100 or so (1 hour of on-site time) to have me detail the collection. But it would be up to him, not me to decide that.

I think most standard agreements say that collections will be inventoried as an aggregate unless the homeowner specifies. But be sure to ask the homeowner!

Guest Article: Wanted -- 100 Referral Partners

By C.J. Hayden
Author, Get Clients Now!

If you've been in business for more than five minutes, you already know that the best way for any self-employed professional to get clients is by referral. But the process of building sufficient word of mouth to produce the number of clients you need can seem daunting. You can count on some referrals from your existing clients and people who already know you, but that's a fairly limited number. How can you start getting referrals from people outside your circle?

Actually, a better question is how to increase the size of your circle to include more people. In order to refer you business, people need to know, like, and trust you. They want to be sure that you will take good care of the clients they send you. For that, they'd like to be better acquainted than just hearing your name.

Imagine that you had a group of 100 people who were willing to refer clients to you. Now, imagine further that this "circle of 100" were people whose own work put them in touch with your potential clients every day. Sounds ideal, doesn't it? Building a circle like this of your own may be easier than you think.

One of my clients, a graphic designer, set about doing exactly this when she first launched her business. She identified a list of people in her city who were likely to be strong referral sources, and began methodically making their acquaintance. Within a few months, she had a steady stream of new clients. Better still, since all these clients were referrals, they were usually ready to do business when they first contacted her, and required little selling on her part.

To use this approach effectively, it's not just a matter of knowing enough people. You have to know the right people. Here's how to begin:

1. Create a most-wanted list of ten occupational categories whose members are frequently in touch with the type of client you desire. For example, a graphic designer who specializes in working with small start-up businesses might choose accountants, attorneys, bankers, business coaches and consultants, business teachers, career counselors, entrepreneurship center staff, office supply vendors, printers, and secretarial services.

2. Make the acquaintance of ten people in each occupation. Seek them out, meet with them, and familiarize them with your expertise and the benefits of the service you offer. Find out more about what they do and the type of clients they serve so you can refer business to them as well.

3. When you connect with someone who seems open to sending you referrals from time to time, you have found a referral partner. Add their name to your list. Ten people times ten occupations equals your circle of 100.

No matter what your business is, if you can define your niche, you can identify others that serve it. A marketing consultant might target web designers, copywriters, and graphic artists. A massage therapist could seek out chiropractors, acupuncturists, and yoga instructors. If you have trouble coming up with a list of occupations, ask your current clients who else they currently do business with.

When you have a specific goal like this in mind, your networking can become much more focused. As you meet new people, you'll be able to decide just from looking at the title on their business card whether following up with them should be part of your plan. Whenever you meet someone whose occupation matches one on your list, ask, "I think we might be able to refer each other clients. Can we get together and talk about that?"

Share your most-wanted list with others, and ask for introductions to people they already know. For example, if accountants are on your list, ask your clients, colleagues, and friends who their accountant is. Or if you are seeking business instructors, ask friends for the names of instructors they have taken business classes from.

When you aren't able to make enough connections through networking and your existing contacts, don't be afraid to just look them up. You can find people in almost any occupation listed in your local phone directory or on the web. If you approach them as a colleague and express your desire for the two of you to help each other be more successful, you'll find many people willing to get better acquainted.

Regardless of how you first get in touch, some of the people you talk to won't be receptive to getting to know you better or the idea of referring each other business. That's okay. You only need ten names for each occupation, and there are plenty of people to choose from. Just move on to the next possibility.

Also, don't be concerned if you fear that you won't have any referrals to give the people you're talking to. Neither of you are making a promise to send each other clients; you are simply expanding your circles to increase the likelihood of that happening. As you get to know more people in your niche, it's quite likely that you will find yourself making referrals more often.

One of the most useful elements of this strategy is that it is both simple and systematic. All you have to do is look at your most-wanted list, and you'll know right away what needs to be done next. Do you need to add more occupations, or do you need more new names in any group to reach your total of 100? Just follow the suggestions above until you get there.

Once you have 100 names listed, you can change your tactics from getting acquainted to following up. Stay in touch with everyone on your list at least once per quarter. With only 100 names, you should be able to do that easily.

Over time, you may find that some of the people in your circle aren't particularly good referral sources. That's to be expected. The reason you want so many names to start with is that only a few of them will consistently refer. You can always add more names later to replace some of the people who don't seem as helpful. It's likely, though, that just a few steady referral partners will be more than enough to keep you busy.

--C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients Now!™ Thousands of business owners and independent professionals have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income. Get a free copy of "Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You'll Ever Need" at www.getclientsnow.com.

Keys to Success for Home Inventory Service Business Owners

A recent visitor to the Home Inventory Business Forum asked for advice for someone considering getting into the business. I responded with my opinion of the skills required for success.

In my opinion, these are:

** Your business skills. There is a fairly significant ramp-up period before you'll begin to generate steady income, so your ability to control expenses while increasing your profile (i.e., advertising investment) is critical. Cash flow will be the key in the first six months.

** Your marketing and sales abilities. Simply put: If you're not comfortable selling yourself, this is not the business for you. At least initially, you ARE your business. You are asking strangers to let you into their homes and you'll list every (well, not EVERY) worldly possession they own. If you can't build credibility with prospects, you won't have customers. If you can't build relationships with prospective referral sources, you'll struggle ... because frankly, early on you'll get most of your clients from personal relationships or referrals, not from your website or any advertising you do.

** Persistence. Every business owner on here will tell you that they ran into roadblocks as they worked to launch their home inventory service business. It could be technical things -- computer or software issues, an equipment malfunction -- or cash flow problems (investing in your startup with no promise of immediate revenues) or even overcoming your own hesitations about running your own business (that one usually comes with the filing of your first tax return -- or paying your first estimated tax payment -- if you've never been self-employed before).

Aftermath of California Wildfires: Ashes and Insurance Claims

By Thursday, the California fires had destroyed 1,800 homes, injured 57 people and burned a half-million acres, a little more than twice the size of New York City. Homeowners are returning to their neighborhoods to see what remains, and perhaps salvage some memories.

Next comes the nightmare of filing the insurance claims. For a few, the process will be made easier by the home inventory they prepared. Others will have to scramble to list their possessions and document ownership. For most, the records will have burned up in the fire.

Home inventory service professionals across the U.S. are reporting that interest in their services is growing in the wake of this latest natural disaster. With insurance industry sources estimating that fewer than 20% of all homeowners have an updated home inventory, the recovery process for most Californians affected in the wildfires will be long.

Increase Your Local Profile with MerchantCircle

If you're having difficulty getting your business off the ground, or attracting local clients, consider MerchantCircle as an affordable solution.

The MerchantCircle Network allows you to:
* Create a professional looking online listing for your business.
* Create your business' web presence or link to your existing website.
* Advertise in your local community to bring in new customers.
* Easily create blogs, online coupons, newsletters, and more.
* Manage your online reputation by finding out what customers are saying about you online.
* Gain potential organic placements on search engine networks. (Every tool you use in your MerchantCircle potentially increases your placement on Google)
* Place local ads on Google Adwords, Yahoo and other networks.
* Network and share customers with other complimentary businesses.

Publicity Opportunity from California Wildfires

The California wildfires have provided an opportunity for home inventory service business owners to promote their services -- even if you're nowhere near the West Coast.

I've prepared a news release that you can customize and send to your local media to "localize" this national story and generate awareness of the home inventory service business.

If you'd like to receive the news release, please e-mail me at homeinventoryservicemagazine@gmail.com (Subject: Wildfire News Release) and I'll send it to you. (If you have already subscribed to my THISmagazine mailing list, I've e-mailed you the link for the news release to download and customize. If you haven't signed up for the mailing list, use the form on the top right hand side of this page.)

I've also prepared a 16-page special report on "Getting Publicity for Your Home Inventory Service Business" that you can purchase for $10 using the link below. It will be delivered to you immediately upon ordering. It contains two sample news releases (including the link to immediately download the Wildfire News Release -- see page 16 -- as well as a news release for hurricane season that can also be adapted for tornado-prone areas). The special report also has information about how to build your media list, what to put in your media kit, ideas for what to write about in your news releases, sections you can target in your local newspaper, 12 timely news release topics, and 20 reasons to send a news release.
http://payloadz.com/go/sip?id=357385

One of the biggest challenges that we face as an industry is spreading the word about our services. Advertising is expensive -- but free publicity is invaluable! Help increase the profile of the home inventory service industry -- and your business!! -- by sending a news release to your local media!

Purchase "Getting Publicity for Your Home Inventory Service Business" E-Report:

Fires Continue to Rage: A Marketing Opportunity

The California wildfires continue to burn. More than 1,800 homes have already been destroyed; 68,000 more are at risk.

It's a terrible tragedy, but it also represents a marketing opportunity for our industry. Never before have so many people been faced with a classic scenario where our services are so needed. Few people had the time to document their possessions before they had to flee. Many likely lost everything. If they weren't prepared, they face the difficult challenge of filing an insurance claim without adequate documentation.

Now is the time for home inventory service professionals to issue a news release to their local media. Tie it in with the wildfires, even if you're hundreds of miles away. Fires happen everyday, and homeowners need to be prepared for any disaster.

"A Lot of People Are Going to Lose Their Homes Today"

Read the entire article.

A major California wildfire reminds us of why our business is important:

Nearly 250,000 people were forced to flee their homes in San Diego County Monday as about a dozen blazes pushed by hurricane-force winds burned throughout Southern California.

The fires have burned about 100,000 acres in San Diego County, said county Supervisor Ron Roberts. "This is a major emergency," he said.

"We have more houses burning than we have people and engine companies to fight them," said San Diego Fire Captain Lisa Blake. "A lot of people are going to lose their homes today

Industry Potential

The Home Inventory Service (THIS) industry is relatively new; most home inventory service business owners have started their companies in the last 24-30 months. I have a database of approximately 300 firms in North America; I believe the total number of firms is between 450-500, but it's not easy to count since there is not currently a SIC code specifically for The Home Inventory Service (THIS) industry.

As for income and growth prospects, both are on the upswing. The most seasoned professionals conduct 1-3 home inventories per week, at an average price of $250-$300 (some areas are higher; some are lower). At that rate, you could expect to gross approximately $25,000-$30,000 a year (2 inventories/week x $275/average x 50 weeks = $27,500).

There are only a few dozen firms currently being operated as full-time ventures; as more individuals like yourself enter the business in the hopes of growing it to a full-time venture, the awareness of the industry will grow, and so will the income potential.

Using SCORE to Build Your Business

I mentioned this back in August, but if you haven't checked it out yet, it's time you did!

Didyou know there is a free resource to help you create and refine your businessplan and give you guidance as your start your new home inventory servicebusiness? It's called "SCORE" (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and you'll find tons of free advice, from marketing to business-startup, and more.

Here are some of my favorite resources:

• 60-second marketing plan
• Business plans and worksheets (breakeven analysis, and more)
• Growing Your Business Section

Plus, it has a good Disaster Prep section.

Celebrate Fire Prevention Week

It's Fire Prevention Week!

This is another great opportunity to get publicity for your home inventory service business! Contact your local media!

Along with updating and practicing your home fire escape plan, this is an excellent time for individuals to prepare a home inventory. If they need assistance, you are there!

Remember, in your news release, follow the guidelines I gave back in July for promoting your home inventory service business along with the start of hurricane season.

Guest Author: Goal Setting

Editor's Note: It seems as if the home industry service business picks up again after Labor Day. Don't wait until the New Year to set your goals! Start now!

Guest article by Kelley Robertson

If you are like most people, you have hit the floor running without planning a clear objective for your business. However, top performing business owners make the time to establish clear targets. Setting goals is not a complicated process nor does it take a lot of time. Use the techniques listed below to help you achieve your targets.

Ensure each of your goals follows the SMART concept: Specific, Motivational, Action-oriented, Relevant to your situation, Time-bound. For example, “I will increase my sales by 15% compared to last year.” Be as specific about your goal as possible. “I will start my own home inventory service business” is a lot stronger than “I want to go into business for myself.” Challenging goals are motivating. Set goals that will push beyond what you usually think you can accomplish. Remember to set a deadline. A goal without a deadline is simply a dream. Attach a realistic yet challenging deadline for accomplishment and post this where you can review it regularly.

Phrase your goal in the present tense and assume success. Don't say, “I want to.” Say, “I will.” This subtle technique tells your subconscious that you have already achieved your goal which means it will go work at helping the goal become a reality. It will attract the people, places, and situations you need to achieve that goal.

Put them in writing. This simple act helps you clarify your goals and will allow you to visualize them more effectively. I recommend that you record each goal on a separate index card and review them twice a day – once in the morning (when you first wake up) and again before you go to bed. This process reinforces your goals, acts as a reminder and drives your goals deep into your subconscious. In fact, this is one of the most powerful strategies you can use to achieve your targets.

List the benefits you intend to receive by achieving each goal. This will keep you focused and strong particularly when you face the inevitable roadblocks and barriers. Years ago, when I chose to quit smoking, I listed 75 benefits and when I felt the urge for a cigarette I would review this list to help me get past that craving. The more benefits you can list for your goals, the more motivating those goals will become.

As you review your goals each morning and evening, picture yourself achieving each of them. The more you can “see” success in your mind's eye, the more likely you can translate this into reality. Create a perfect picture in your mind and replay it frequently. Developing a picture board can help with this. This is a very effective tool that allows you to see the visual impact of achieving your goals. When my wife and I bought our first house we clipped photographs and pictures of what we wanted our house to have and pasted them on to a large sheet of poster board. We hung this near the front door of our apartment so we could see it every time we left or entered the apartment. We also created a thermometer of “down-payment savings” to help us track our progress. We had a clear deadline and were able to surpass this deadline by almost 30 days. I now keep track of my annual revenues, speaking engagements, and book sales in the same manner. I post these sheets on my office wall where I can see them everyday and they allow me to track my progress with a quick glance.

Anticipate the challenges you will encounter and plan how you will overcome them. This will prepare you for them and help you overcome the obstacles easier and with less stress. In fact, the simple act of planning for obstacles will often prevent many of them from occurring.

Surround yourself with successful, motivated people who also set challenging goals. I share my goals with several friends and associates. When we get together, we motivate each other by talking about our success, our challenges, and our goals. A word of caution: Be careful who you share your goals with. People who are not goal-oriented will not support you, and in many cases, will actually try to dissuade you from your goals.

Use affirmations. If you plan to quit smoking repeat statement such as, “I enjoy the lifestyle of a non-smoker,” “I’m glad I’m a non-smoker,” “I enjoy the taste of food more as a non-smoker.” Stating affirmations aloud, reinforces your goal to your mind and will help you achieve your goal much faster.

Take action. Don't procrastinate. All the planning in the world will not help you achieve your goals. You MUST take action. Once you have determined a goal for yourself, take action within 24 hours. This will set the wheels in motion and create the necessary momentum you need. I once heard a speaker state, “We are either moving toward or away from our goals.” Develop the habit of taking action on a daily basis. Achieving greatness and a higher level of success is not that difficult. However, it does require discipline, focus and a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Follow these steps and have your best year ever!

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Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – How to welcome your customers and increase your sales.” For information on his programs or to subscribe to his weekly ezine, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.

Newlyweds as Clients

Now is the time to start planning for targeting brides as clients. Newly-married couples -- especially those who didn't live together before -- will be receiving a lot of new items.

According to the National Mail Order Association Bridal Market Overview, research shows that while brides and grooms represent only 2.6% of all households in the United States, they account for up to 70% of major household items purchased.

ENGAGEMENT STATISTICS

• The average engagement in the United States lasts 15 months.
• During the engagement period, couples buy:
  • $4 billion in furniture
  • $3 billion in house wares
  • $400 million in tableware
• $19 billion is spent buying presents at wedding gift registries.
• The average amount spent on a bridal gown is $800.
• Tuxedoes are typically purchased 5-6 months after the wedding gown.
• Bridesmaids' gowns are general purchased 3-4 months in advance of the event.

Target brides with this message:
You just received a lot of new things! And for most of it, you won't have a receipt. If something happens, you won't remember everything... An inventory is peace of mind for the newly married couple. Plus, it's time to increase your insurance coverage -- but don't overpay. An accurate home inventory will ensure all of your possessions are covered.

Look into local bridal fairs. To save costs, partner with a wedding vendor (a wedding photographer, equipment and party rental supplier, reception hall, etc.) to co-sponsor a table. Offer a home inventory gift certificate (valued at up to $300) as a door prize. Sponsor a drawing, with every entrant receiving a *free* jewelry inventory (up to $50) if they book their inventory within 60 days of their wedding. Capture e-mail addresses and send them follow-up e-mails every couple of months.

These are prime prospects.

• Newlyweds have a higher propensity for buying furniture electronics, and heavy and light appliances (vacuum cleaners, etc.)
• Newlyweds spend $50 to $150 in ready-made draperies.
• Engaged likely to be apartment dwellers and renters. (They will be substantially increasing the volume of their possessions as they move into their first home.)
  

Source: The Simmons Survey System

Five Questions to Get More Referrals

To get more referrals (not to mention testimonials), try asking your clients these five questions:
1. Why did you buy from me/us?
2. How do you feel about the work I/we have done?
3. What are you happiest about, and most satisfied with?
4. What would you change or do differently next time?
5. How can I/we serve you better in the future?

These five questions identify motivations behind the purchase that can help you target your marketing materials and sales pitch.

I challenge to you to ask just FIVE of your clients these five questions. I think you'll be surprised at the answers.

Get More Exposure on Google

You know how sometimes when you type in a business name on Google, there's a whole lot of information, including a map? Well, you can get one of those listings -- for FREE! It's extra advertising exposure for your home inventory service business. You can even provide a coupon which will allow you to TRACK this new business!



Visit the Google Local Business Center and create your listing today! Then e-mail me with your listing when it's activated, and I'll put a link to it on this page!

One note -- when describing the category of services offered, they don't currently offer one for Home Inventory Services. I'd suggest listing under Services: Data Recovery and Services: Burglar Alarm. I'd also suggest using the "Suggest Another Category" tools to suggest one for "Services: Home Inventory Services." If enough of us put that, they might add it!

Beware of Home Inventory Service Start-up Scam

Thanks to Ari Dorfman of South Florida Inventory Specialists (a legitimate home inventory service business) for this alert of a scam targeting prospective Home Inventory Service business owners.

Ari reports that a company is advertising in newspapers about a start-up opportunity for running a home inventory business. They ask for a check or money order for between $750 and $1500 and they will "send you everything you need to get started, schedule training and start to book you clients."

Ari says, "They have used the name Capital Home Inventory. Florida Inventory Specialists, and others. They are usually based somewhere along the east coast of Florida, but advertise in Dallas and New Jersey for sure. They have used the names Rick Miller and Tom McEntrye and also use a female named Erin or Kathy."

Buyers beware! There are a few legitimate franchise or "business in a box" opportunities available for starting your Home Inventory Service business, but check them out carefully before purchasing. And always pay with a credit card, so you can dispute the charges, if need be.

Have more information about this? Have you seen the ads? E-mail me at homeinventoryservicemagazine@gmail.com.

If Everyone is a Prospective Client...

... Should you just start calling names in the phone book?

Of course not. You need to target your clientele a little more specifically.

Who do you PREFER to work with?
• Homeowners?
• Apartment Dwellers?
• Property Managers?
• Retirement Community Directors
• Small Business Owners?

Retirees looking to document their possessions for estate planning?

Newlyweds, who just received a mountain of new possessions as gifts?

Those who have recently moved into new homes?

And WHERE are you targeting? Specific housing developments? Specific zip codes? Upscale homes? New housing subdivisions? Apartment communities? Small businesses that are all members of the same organization?

Once you've identified your target audience, you can figure out how to reach them.

Encourage Referrals by "Sticking Around"

Encourage referrals and repeat business by making your business card a permanent fixture. You can purchase magnetic backs for business cards as well as Rolodex® tabs that adhere to the bottom of your business card. Look for both products at your local office superstore (Office Max, Staples, Office Depot). Mail clients a magnetic-backed business card with your thank-you note after their final appointment -- or send it with their documents.

Guest Author: Am I Doing Something Wrong?

By CJ Hayden, author of "Get Clients Now"
Clients and readers often ask me to help them figure out what's wrong with their marketing. The first question I ask is how much marketing they have been doing. Assuming you HAVE been actively promoting yourself, and making sufficient contacts for the level of business you want, here are some other ways in which your marketing might need fixing.

> There are three areas you should examine -- the package of services you are offering, your marketing strategy, and your sales methods. Your package of services should meet the following requirements:

1. You are offering something people believe that they need.
2. Your clients perceive the value of your services to be
equivalent to the price you're charging.
3. Your services are available where and when clients need them.
4. You are able to inspire the liking and trust of your clients.
5. There's enough business for everybody in your field,
or your competitors have no overwhelming advantages.

If these requirements are met, the problem may lie with your sales and marketing techniques. Your marketing strategy is everything you do to get in contact with a prospective customer and make them think positively about you. Your sales methods are the steps you take to turn that positive contact into a paying client.

Here are some of the most common sales and marketing mistakes that consultants, professionals, and other service businesses make:

* Not choosing a target market. You can't market to everybody. There isn't enough time in the day or money in your bank account to reach out to everyone who could possibly hire you. If you choose a specific category of client who has a compelling need for your services (and who you enjoy working with), you can tailor your marketing message, and focus your strategy.

* Relying on advertising. People rarely find a professional from an ad, even one in a targeted publication. While advertising does build your visibility, it's more expensive and less effective than other visibility-builders like writing articles and giving talks.

* Broadcasting a fuzzy marketing message. If people can't understand what you do, they can't figure out if they need you. You should develop a clear, concise description of your services that can be understood by people who aren't familiar with your field.

* Lack of follow-up. A single contact is rarely enough to make someone remember you. Find ways to keep in touch with prospective clients or referral sources on a regular basis.

* Failing to establish a clear path to the sale. At the end of every conversation or letter, be sure to spell out the next step for the client to take if they want to do business with you. If they're not yet ready to buy, suggest a meeting, tell them you'll call in a week, or ask if you can contact them again next month.

* Expecting short-term results from long-term strategies. While networking is often the best marketing strategy there is, the results are rarely immediate. Don't give up on making contacts and following up because you don't get business right away.

Finally, be aware of the possibility that you may be doing everything right! It often takes many months to close a particular sale. Some clients can't use you right now, but may be eager to hire you next year. Others are very interested in going forward, but need time to get management approval or resolve money issues.

If you're offering the right package to the right clients, delivering a clear and consistent marketing message, and working hard to close every potential sale, the only missing element may be patience.


--C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients Now!™ Thousands of business owners and independent professionals have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income. Get a free copy of "Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You'll Ever Need" at www.getclientsnow.com.

Even More Ideas To Get You More New Clients

Building on my earlier posts on this topic (here and here), here are some more ideas you can use to attract more clients to your home inventory service business.

• Look for promotional alliances or partners (estate attorneys, financial planners, Realtors®, home inspectors, insurance agents, property management firms, apartment complex owners, senior care service providers, maid services). The possibilities are endless.
• Think like a journalist. Think about what issues your business deals with that relate to front-page news. (The weather is always a good hook, as are local disasters.) Make sure your story suggestion passes the "No Kidding -- I didn't know that!" test.
• Maintain visibility through writing. Send a print or e-newsletter regularly to clients and referral sources -- quarterly, if not monthly.
  
• See and be seen. People like to do business with people they know.
• Lend your expertise. Be a sounding board. What you give away in free advice will come back to you in new business.
• Remember -- and recognize -- your clients' birthdays.
• Get the word out. Consider flyers or posters on doors and cars.
• Meet your neighbors (both at home and at work.)
• Hand out your business card like it was candy. Post it on bulletin boards. Leave a card with your tip at eating establishments.
• Put your name on everything. Your company name, website address, and contact information should appear on all your printed materials -- flyers, forms, brochures, newsletters, billing statements, everything.
  

Building Your Mailing List

Not everyone who looks at your website will become a customer immediately. Home inventory services are an investment; people buying investments generally take their time in making a decision. Giving site visitors the opportunity learn more about the service by signing up for your free e-newsletter is one way to convert more prospects into customers.

How do you build your mailing list?
Sign up for an online list management service. These can be free (ad-supported, with the option to upgrade to ad-free, for a fee), like Bravenet, or paid, like Constant Contact (Do-It-Yourself Email Marketing). Both services will offer you code that you can copy-and-paste onto your website to capture a visitor's e-mail address. (Both are opt-in services, meaning the prospect must provide their e-mail list before being added to the list.)

How do you get people to sign up?
Easy. Ask them.

• Put a "Subscribe" box on the home page of your website.
• Put another "Subscribe" box on the "contact us" page. Put a teaser above or below it "Want information about protecting your valuables? Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter."
• Have an "Articles" or "Resources" page? Add a "Subscribe" box to that page. Put a teaser above or below it "Want more great articles with ideas on protecting your home? Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter."
• Tell visitors why they should subscribe. You can setup an autoresponder with a free report (i.e., "Protecting Your Valuables." or "Why You Might Not Get What You Expect When You File an Insurance Claim") when they sign up for your e-mail list.
• Ask your referral partners (insurance agents, real estate agents) to send an e-mail to their database offering your free report if they sign up for your newsletter.
  

Once you have a mailing list, make sure you send an e-mail to them at least once a month -- include free tips, reminders, and advice (disaster checklists and preparation ideas.).

Be sure to also create a privacy policy to reassure e-list members you won't spam them.

For example:
[Your Company] respects the privacy of our online visitors. As a general policy, we do not anonymously collect personal data from visitors to our web site, though we may use "cookie" technology to gather non-personal information from visitors. This is standard practice on the Internet. We use the information gathered by cookies to improve your experience when you visit our site, among other things. We also may collect aggregate information about our visitors. For example, we may track the total number of web site visitors in a particular period.

In general, when you visit our websites and access information, you remain anonymous. When you sign up for a our electronic newsletter or e-mail list, each message you will receive will include instructions on how to unsubscribe from that list. Any personally identifiable information you provide is used solely by [Your Company] or other companies who are involved in the operation of this web site. [Your Company] does not sell this information to third parties, though we may share aggregated non-personal information with advertisers on our site, if applicable.

However, we will disclose personal information when required by law, in response to any demand by law enforcement or other appropriate government authorities, or if the personal information is pertinent in a legal proceeding or court action.


Free Mailing Lists & List Management Tools:
It's a Brave(net) new World!

Optimize Your Website

No ... this thread is not about how to improve your web site's performance in a search engine. Instead, I want to talk about optimizing your web site in the minds of the VIEWERS who come to check it out.

This is informal research conducted by visiting www.Google.com and typing in "home inventory service." After visiting more than 100 sites, I have come up with a couple of pointers for making your web site user-friendly.

1. Put your e-mail contact information on every page of your site. Make sure it is particularly prominent on the home page and on the "contact us" page. Also, if you have a "packages" page -- or whatever page your "buy" page is -- make sure it's prominent there too.

2. For those who may not want to contact you by e-mail, make sure your telephone number is also prominent on the pages listed in item number 1.

3. Content and form is more important than style. There are some very pretty web sites out there that are NOT user-friendly. Just when you're convinced and ready to buy, you can't figure out where to go or what the next step is. (See #1 and #2)

4. Organize your information effectively. I love content-rich web sites, but if the viewer doesn't know where to go to buy, you've lost the chance to make a sale. Clearly indicate buttons or links on how to buy your service.

5. Please, please -- don't disparage the majority of your colleagues while you try to make a sale -- or disparage your customers by urging them not to "do it yourself." We need to be careful that the image we are projecting to the public is one of credibility. Cutting down your peers -- our your customers themselves -- through generic "labels" of shoulds/shouldn'ts isn't the way to go.

6. Check often to make sure all your links work. There's nothing worse than clicking and receiving a message that there's been an "error" and that page no longer exists.

Kudos to web sites that responsibly and accurately use credentials, links to professional associations and Chamber of Commerce memberships, and more.

Guest Author: The Top 10 Ways NOT to Attract New Clients

Editor's Note: Thanks to Robert Middleton, of Action Plan Marketing, for this article. It almost pains me to run it, because I want you to realize how deadly any of these "sins" are to your business if you commit them! Remember NOT to do these things!

They say marketing has a bad name. But I maintain that NOT marketing has a much worse name. If you're a self-employed professional home inventory service business owner interested in attracting new clients, are you still committing any of the 10 deadly sins listed below?

10. Make sure nobody can really understand what business you're in. Use buzz words and industry jargon. Never share the results of what you do or mention how you've helped your clients. Make people really work to figure out how you can help them.

9. Talk only about features and processes in your marketing materials. (Talk only about the "how-tos" of how you conduct the inventory -- instead of the immense satisfaction and relief they will feel when it's completed.) Don't include any benefits or testimonials of successful clients you've worked with. Throw in lots of impressive industry jargon and don't worry about professional design or paper. Using 20# copy paper is fine.

8. Put up a quick-and-dirty website with most of the pages still under construction. Be sure to use "Page Under Construction" instead of simply putting in a simple paragraph about the item in question that you can go back and fill in later. Make sure to design the website yourself and make it look as amateurish as possible. Of course, obscure navigation, huge graphics files and pages that lead nowhere will keep 'em coming back.

7. Forget about spell check and proofreading. People don't care about typos or if you spell their name wrong. Whip out every e-mail as fast as you possibly can. And never put a signature line on your e-mail, let alone a subject line that means anything.

6. Don't ever network. Make sure nobody ever gets to meet you in person and learn who you are and what you can do for them. Insurance agents, Realtors … who needs 'em! And if you do happen to show up at a networking event, make sure to sit in a corner with a beer and lots of hors d'oeuvres, away from pesky prospective clients or referral sources.

5. Don't write any articles or do any talks demonstrating to the world that you're an expert and really know your stuff. Make sure to keep all of that a big secret. Also never share one bit of your expertise with anyone unless they pay you first.

4. Don't ask questions when meeting with a new prospective client. Just give them a long, detailed presentation on all the technical aspects of your work. If they don't understand you, they probably wouldn't be a good client anyway. Make you you do 99% of the talking, and don't ask them any questions about why they are interested in a professional home inventory.

3. Do substandard work as long as you think you can get away with it. Strive for mediocrity and make sure your clients pay for it through the nose. They obviously didn't do their inventory themselves (although they sure could have), so anything is better than nothing, right?

2. Don't return phone calls -- ever. Just wait for them to call you back. If they really need your assistance, they'll keep trying until they catch you in. And when they do reach you, make sure to sound impatient and too busy to help them.

1. Disappear. Once you've collected the information for the inventory, wait two or three weeks to deliver the report. Then, once you've delivered the report, make sure they never hear from you again. Heck, if they really need you, they'll call. But don't make it too easy by ever giving them your business card or putting your name in the Yellow Pages or giving them a sticker that documents that their home has been professionally inventoried (with your business name and number right on it.). You don't want to look like you're begging. Have some dignity, for goodness sake!

-- This article is by Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Robert's web site is a comprehensive resource on marketing for Independent Professionals. For free marketing resources and valuable marketing tools, visit http://www.actionplan.com"

Using Multiple Domain Names With Your Website

Why choose just ONE domain name to represent your business? Domain names are cheap and having more than one allows you to 1) capture more traffic; 2) build your brand; and 3) identify your referral/lead sources better.

I buy my domains from 1&1 (www.1and1.com) for $5.99 each and use their free domain forwarding service to point them to my sites. That way, I can register multiple variations of the business name as well as geographic tags. For example, if the business name is Home Inventory Professionals of Georgia," I might register a couple (for example):

• www.HomeInventoryProfessionalsofGeorgia.com
• www.GeorgiaHomeInventory.com
• www.HomeInventory-Georgia.com
• www.hip-georgia.com

Then, I can use different websites in different marketing materials and *track* where my visitors are coming from. I might use one domain with my Google AdSense account, so I can track traffic from that (to match up with what Google is reporting for click-throughs), another for my "traditional" marketing materials (business cards, signs, etc.), another for my Yellow Pages (and online YP) ads, etc.

Check to see if your domain name is available - Register it for $5.99 today! FREE domain forwarding included!

com net org info us name biz cc tv ws mobi

1&1 offers free web statistics tracking for hosting through them, and I get a monthly report of my website traffic, what pages are being visited, and which of my domains people came through, and more. Your web site hosting company might offer something similar.

Increase Your HIS Business Profile Online

There are two things I know to be true in marketing your Home Inventory Service business:

• All business is local
• You need to promote your HIS business online.

You may think that those two items are contradictory.

After all, if someone locally is looking for a home inventory service business, wouldn't they just look in the Yellow Pages? (Well, yeah, they would if there were a Home Inventory Service category. But there isn't.)

If I have a website, won't I get inquiries from people in other parts of the country? (Yes, you might, especially if you don't define the area you service [geographically] on your site. But you can turn those inquiries into *cash* by referring them to another home inventory service business in their area.)

The key to meeting those two objectives (marketing locally, and marketing online) is fulfilled by using what's called "Local Search." That means creating a website and then getting it to the top of the list when someone types in "Home Inventory Service" and (Your City") into their search engine.

You could do this yourself. There are a ton of books and websites out there to teach you Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques to get your website to the top of the list "organically." (That is, without paying.) But just as we are encouraging our customers to pay a professional to handle a complicated task (a professional home inventory) for them, I think we should recognize that this is an area where paying will yield performance.

One of the best services I've found for this is called Innuity's LeadConnect. You pay by the month ($39.95) or by the year ($199.95 -- save more than 60%!) to have your business information and/or website submitted to the major search engines and sites.

If you are just starting your home inventory service business, sign up for this service even before you have your website ready to launch. It takes about 4-6 weeks for your information to become active on all the sites, so you'll want to sign up with LeadConnect immediately, in order to start yielding results by the time you're ready to launch your business. Register your domain name right now, and put up a simple home page with your business name, your contact information, and a paragraph or two about the business. That's all you need for now. Submit your website URL, along with your business information, to LeadConnect. Then, finish building your website in the following three weeks, so it will be ready when your site is listed at the top of the local search engines.

Why choose a third-party firm to do this for you? You’ll save hours of time, effort, and individual submission fees every month. Your current online search listing is probably found on one or two of the major search engines. LeadConnect ensures your complete and up-to-date business listing is submitted to all the major search engines and online Yellow Page directories—more than 35 in all. You publish it once, it appears everywhere!

When you need to update your profile with new services, brands, or seasonal promotions, you just update your information once in the centralized master profile, and LeadConnect automatically distributes your updates across the Internet—rather than having to go to each individual search engine or directory and manually update each one.

Learn More:
""Advertise Locally for $39 a month!""

Your Business Phone and Yellow Pages Advertising

You might be wondering: What kind of phone number should I set up for my home inventory service business? Should I use my existing home number? My existing cell phone number? Should I get another cell phone number? Or should I get a separate business phone line?

There are pluses and minuses to each. There's no extra cost if you use your existing home or cell phone numbers, but you won't get a tax deduction for using either of them. And you won't be able to answer your phone professionally ("Georgia Home Inventory, this is Louise").

Add a line to your existing cellular contract, and you'll be able to answer with your business name, but you'll be using minutes (unless you're on an "unlimited local calls" contract like Cricket). But, in many markets, you can't get a listing in the local Yellow Pages with a cell phone as your primary number.

Because in the Home Inventory Service business, "all business is local," you should consider at least a line listing in your local Yellow Pages (many areas have more than one book; choose the "major" book for your area, even if the "other" book offers you a better deal). It's probably not worth your while to pay for anything more than a line listing, as (at least in my local books), there isn't a specific Yellow Pages section for "Home Inventory Service." You just want to be listed in the White Pages so that if someone knows your business name, they can find you there.

A business line will get you a free listing in your local Yellow Pages (generally, it's a free listing in the white pages, and a "line" listing in the Yellow Pages). As your business grows, you will want prospective customers to be able to find you ... and if they've heard the name of your business, they will want to find you in the phone book. (Yes, I know it's hard to believe that people still use phone books in this day and age!)

You might also look into a "Market Expansion Line" with your current (landline) service provider. This is a service that provides a new phone number, but the calls ring in on your existing phone line, with a different ring tone. (That way, you can know to answer it with your business name.) When I set up mine in the early days of my business, you paid a small monthly fee, and then only paid for the calls that you received. I believe it was also eligible for the free Yellow Pages listing, and you can convert it to a "traditional" phone line at any time in the future. I think you can also have it "forwarded" to any phone -- so technically, you could have it forwarded to a cell phone.

There are a TON of options out there nowadays, so check with your local phone company and see what they offer.

Here's a link to Qwest's Market Expansion Line info:
http://www.qwest.com/pcat/large_business/product/1,1016,117_4_25,00.html

You can find out about your local Yellow Pages directory options through the national association:
http://www.buyyellow.com/index_flash.html

Or by using the contact information in the directories you likely have laying around your house

If you ARE using a non-business phone, we recommend a service like Innuity's LeadConnect to get your business listed in *online* search directories (like Google and YellowPages.com). Click on the link below to find out more (the service is just $39.95/month or $199.95/year). Click here and "Help your customers find you!""

More Ideas to Get You New Clients

Here's some more ideas to grow your home inventory service business:

• Get involved in civic, charitable, or political organizations in which you can get to know influential people.
• Create a brochure that describes your services. Include the range of services you provide, your experience, your background, references, and testimonials.
• Set goals for yourself. ("I intend to increase my personal billing revenue from x to y.") Then, outline steps on how you can accomplish this goal.
• Keep on top of trends in the home inventory service industry. Keep tabs on what is going on in other parts of the country.
• Keep your skills sharp. Never stop learning!
• Be completely client-centered. Determine what it is that clients want and need and focus on meeting those desires.
• Develop a mission statement -- a client-centered, action-oriented statement of how you provide benefits to your clients. These are the culture, objectives, planning, strategy, policies, and procedures you adhere to.
• Educate your clients. Tell them in simple terms what they can expect to happen and what you are going to do and when.
• Keep track of client details. After each client contact, write a note in your file on personal matters (children's and pet's names, occupations, etc.)
• Give clients more than they expect.
  

To Video or Not to Video, That is the Question

Should you videotape (or digitally record) an inventory? It depends. A videotape or DVD record can be part of your service offerings (for an additional fee), but most traditional, professional home inventories are paper-based -- for the simple reason that most insurance agents will not want to search through a DVD to get the information they need to process a claim. A DVD or videotape, however, can be useful for supplemental purposes, or to establish ownership.

Some home inventory service professionals use video cameras and/or tape records to collect the information necessary to compile the written inventory record. Even if you videograph everything, you'll still need handwritten records to detail key items (but the videotape can be used for things like light covers -- which, unless they're solid gold, probably don't need to be individually documented).

Don't rely on a tape recorder too much either -- one, it's possible to spend twice the time transcribing it that it took to record it in the first place and second... they're not infallible either (I've had mine jam before, batteries die halfway through without me noticing it, and run out of tape and not "click off" to warn me ....)

I'll never forget the time (back in the pre-digital camera days) that I took a whole roll of "film" and then went to load in the second roll and discovered that there was no film in it to begin with! Aughh! Talk about embarrassing -- and time wasting! Be sure that you're truly "rolling" (recording) as you progress through the videotaping/digitally recording procedure.

I personally feel that the amount of time it takes to transcribe the record is disproportionate to the time saved at the client's job-site, but offering a video (or DVD) to supplement the written record can be an additional profit center. You can also offer a video or DVD for estate-planning purposes (have the owner narrate *who* each item is to be given to.) Charge extra for this service too.

Working with Insurance Agents

Insurance agents can be a great source of new business -- but the challenge is building the relationship initially. The first insurance agent you should network with is YOUR insurance agent. You will already be speaking with him/her because you'll need to line up business insurance for your new home inventory service business. Ask him or her how you can work with them to increase awareness of the need for a home inventory. (After all, most insurance companies either recommend or require a home inventory from their customers.)

Perhaps you can do a co-branded postcard to the insurance agent's customer database. This is a postcard YOU pay to print, produce, and mail, but the agent provides the mailing list and an "implicit endorsement" of you by allowing his/her name to appear on the postcard.

It might read:
"State Farm recommends you maintain an inventory of all of your possessions to maximize your insurance coverage. When you need to make a claim, will you have the information you need?"

Include a few tips for conducting an inventory, and close with the tag: "If you need assistance with compiling your home inventory, contact (YOUR NAME) at (YOUR BUSINESS NAME)." Include your phone number and website address.

For best results, include your photo and the insurance agent's photo and contact information. I recommend using "oversize" (at least 5x7) postcards. The total cost should run you about $1.00 per postcard (including printing and first-class postage).

Get Your Postcards from VistaPrint:
50% Off All Postcards


Want to expand your network of insurance agent contacts?
Have clients sign a release of information form for their insurance agent. Send a letter to the insurance agent, notifying them that an inventory has been completed on (date) and enclose your contact information for their file in the event of a claim. For best results, make the release form a two-part NCR (carbonless copy) form. Send 1 copy to the agent and retain one in your client file.

Income Potential From Your Home Inventory Service Business

Because the industry is so new, no one (that I know of anyway), is making this kind of income, at least not YET. But the potential is there, particularly if you focus on both the Home AND Business markets.

Conduct two inventories per day at an average of $225 per client, and you'll make $90,000 in gross income annually.

$225/client x 2 per day = $450/day
$450/day x 200 days (4 days/week x 50 weeks/year) = $90,000

Working part-time, and conducting 2-3 inventories per week, you can still earn $22,000 to $33,000 a year (not bad for a part-time job!)

$225/client x 2 per week x 50 weeks = $22,500
$225/client x 3 per week x 50 weeks = $33,750

It won't necessarily be easy, but it CAN be done -- and the market is ready for your business!

Finding Home Data

If your county offers it, you can access very useful home data online, for preparing initial job estimates (without a visit to the client's home) and for collecting data for the home inventory report itself.

For example, check out my county's site:
http://www.dcassessor.org/disclaimer.html

Click "I agree"

Under Parcel ID, enter:
R2114032914
and then click" Begin Parcel Search"

It will pull up the record for Roger Morrissey, the county assessor.

Click on the parcel number at the left and it will pull up his home's record.

Douglas County, Nebraska lists:
** Land value
** Improvement value
** Sales data (how much bought for, and when)
** Year built (and remodeled, if applicable)
** Photo and general floor plan of home, including style ("Ranch")
** Also lists square footage, including # of rooms, ## of baths and bedrooms
** Lists "add ons" -- such as sprinkler system and chain link fence in Mr. Morrissey's case.

This information can be used to provide a general cost estimate and plan the amount of time requred for the inventory (although you should ALWAYS verify the information yourself, especially square footage, because some counties only count "above ground" square footage ... and they don't always have the correct information. (For example, my parents have 1-3/4 bathrooms in their house, and the county only lists 1.)

Your county might have something similar.

Information Gathering - Tips & Techniques

The most important part of the home inventory process is, of course, the information-gathering process.

In this post, we'll discuss the information you will be collecting.

First, the "overview" items that you will need to collect:

• Home or apartment's overall square footage
• Type of design (i.e., "Colonial" or "Raised Ranch")
• Number of bedrooms, baths
• Size of lot
• Year constructed
• Builder (if known)
• Purchase price and date
• Current assessed value
• Appraisal information (if available – be sure to note date appraised)
• Photos of front of house and back of house
• Mortgage company
• Amount of annual property taxes
• Real estate agent information
• Home insurance information (policy number, copy of policy, expiration date, agent contact information)
• Title insurance (binder number)

What information to collect on items inventoried:

• Description (especially distinguishing features)
• Serial Number
• Purchase Information (date, vendor, price
• Appraisal information (if any)
• Warranty information (length of warranty, who with, contact information)

Substantiate this information with supporting documentation -- receipts, appraisal documents, photos of the item, etc.

You can create your own reporting method (using Word, Excel, or another database program), or you can purchase software applications which organize the inventory information for you. One of the most popular software programs is The Complete Home Journal Business.

Get Free Help for Your New Home Inventory Service Business

Most people who start a home inventory service business are not "serial entrepreneurs" -- instead, this is likely your first business. Because the statistics for start-up businesses overall aren't that great (it's estimated that fewer than 50% of business make it to the five-year point), you can increase your likelihood of long-term success by getting help with your new company.

One excellent source of help is SCORE, which stands for "Service Corps of Retired Executives." Their new Online Training programs are FREE, and can help you with your business start-up:
http://www.score.org/online_courses.html

With courses on business planning, financial management, tax compliance, advertising, and technology, you'll get ideas for establishng a solid foundation for your business. You can also take advantage of their free network of business advisors/mentors -- available in communities across the nation and now online!

There are also dozens of "how-to" articles online.

They also have a section on disaster preparedness (targeted towards business owners, but it has a lot of useful information for home inventory service business providers too!):
http://www.score.org/disaster_preparedness.html