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.

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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.