It was a great day here in Orem, Utah. Last week my wife Shelly slaved over the keyboard and showed a major reason why we are successful here in Orem, Utah. Spousal support can make the difference between success and failure. I'm sure that you would agree that last week's MMM was great? Roy Cooke responded to Shelly's comments with... I loved Shelly's report. There is only one question. How do I get a copy of the June 22, 1998 report that she was talking about? I went to your web site and it said that the early issues of the MMM are available at this time. Thanks! Roy Cooke.
Roy is right about the "Not Currently Available" back issues. If you like the back issues of the MMM I would urge you to download them now because I am about to take down the second year back issues as well. I will repost the June 22, 1998 MMM here in its entirety. The following is a blast directly from the past. Keep in mind that Shelly is using the best technology and tips available 2 years ago..... Our fax machine was a big technological investment at that time....
I hope you all enjoyed your Father's Day festivities and were either celebrated as a father or celebrated your own father. Since the MMM is polished off and sometimes created on Sunday, this edition of the MMM is brought to you by Shelly Leavitt as a gift to Michael for Father's Day. I hope that it will still be an informative issue for everyone.
We had an interesting week her at Michael Leavitt & Co Home Inspections. We started out slow and allowed Michael to catch his breath from the week before (He was busy with his new laptop and portable printer, but that is another edition). But by Thursday, it was crazy-busy with everyone needing an inspection yesterday. You just never can tell what the week will bring. In the early days when our Mondays were empty and nothing else was booked, we would always wonder if anyone would ever call us again. Michael used to always joke, "I'm unemployed....... I guess I could go flip burgers at McDonalds." But now our business is strong and we know a slow day only means that the other days will be very busy. Do any of you find this to be true? How do you feel on Monday mornings if your week is not booked up yet?
We have spent a lot of time refining the process of getting someone to book an inspection. It is a whole lot easier now than when we first started out. We rarely need to sell our services anymore because people are usually calling based on someone's referral (real estate agent, friend, family member, etc.) This is such a great place to get to in your business. If you are already there, you know what I mean. For those who have not quite reached that yet, I thought I would share some ideas on how to get the people who call you to book an inspection with you and not your competitors. Inspectors, if you have anyone who helps you book your inspections, ask them to read this with you. It's important that you both are doing the same things when booking an inspection. I do a lot of the booking (depending on the day and how crazy the children are!!) and have worked hard at refining this process.
NOTE: You might want to re-review the Phone Answering Skills video to rethink your approach.
The phone rings and your heart jumps and your palms start sweating. You stare with disbelief at your business phone. Is that really the business line ringing? You clear your throat....."It's a great day at Michael Leavitt & Co Home Inspections. This is Shelly. Can I help you?"
Those of you that were taught by Bill Ball were encouraged to answer the phone this way. Bill Ball really knows what he is talking about! Let me tell you from experience, it is a mouthful to say and I was very reluctant to say it in the beginning. Michael had a big sign posted at eye level in the office so that I could read straight from the script. He even put "(insert name here)" where I was to say my name (My daughter thought that was part of the script--"This is insert name here!........") Anyways, it may feel uncomfortable at first, but you really should try it. It is amazing the positive responses we get to that opening line. If they have never called before, they are taken aback and usually make a comment about what a great opening line or that it is a great day or something. It really is a great ice breaker. And in the beginning, you NEED a good ice breaker. It also sets you apart from the other inspectors that they have called. You can bet they are not getting that kind of response from them!! (Unless you have other AII™ inspectors in your immediate area!)
So if you are currently not using this great phrase, I would like to come right out and call you chicken......but that wouldn't be nice. So instead I'll just say that you probably haven't realized the great value of answering the phone this way. (You big chicken!!) Practice a couple of times before the phone rings so that it comes out smoothly and try and SOUND like it's a great day at your business! You can't just say it--you have to mean it, too!
Now don't freak out on me here. I know WE don't say "charge" (unless we want to contribute to the Cuss Can.) But doesn't every person who calls ask you this? This is usually the only question they have thought of to ask you and it can be a very short conversation if you answer this opening question with just a fee quote. The key is to keep them on the line as long as possible. I usually answer this opener with, "We base our fees on the size, age and components of the home. What is the square footage of the home?" And then I ask as many questions on the pink sheet as I can get away with. "How old is the home? How many bedrooms? How many bathrooms? Is it occupied or vacant?" ANYTHING to keep them on the line. When I finally do quote them a fee, I don't just quote the fee. I always tell them how long the inspection will take and what kind of report they are getting (a 15-page computerized report that is very thorough) as well as telling them about the "added bonus" of a walkthrough at the conclusion of the inspection and when they will receive the report. (Then, and only then, do I take a breath!)
Now, in the beginning, that was all I had to offer and with some people they would just say, "Thank you," and tell you they were just calling around or that they would call back or some lame thing. Then we started booking a higher percentage of shoppers with the following magical phrase:
Of course, I don't have to mention here that YOU need a fax machine BEFORE you can fax them anything!! You can purchase them fairly cheaply (between $100 and $200) and they will pay for themselves in no time. I guarantee it. Unlike Michael, I'm not going to download pictures of fax machines here. Just go down to your local office supply place and they will have many models to choose from.
If I feel a lull in the conversation or I feel they are about to slither off my hook, I always ask them, "Do you have access to a fax machine?" I state it this way in case they don't personally have a fax machine at their house (which they usually don't). If you just ask, "Do you have a fax machine?" the answer could too easily be "no." But they think about other possibilities when you ask if they have access to a fax machine. Usually they know someone who has one--their spouse at work, their realtor, their friend, etc. Then I tell them I have some information I can fax to them if they would like. They always would like! This does two things: it gives you one more chance to clinch the inspection and it gives you more information about them (you need a name and fax number to send them the info).
I suppose you are wondering, "Now what? I got them to give me a fax number. What do I send them?" Take one of your day's off and create some literature worthy of faxing to potential customers. Think about what someone would want to know. Think about what sets you apart from other inspectors. Now make a flyer!
Our basic "shopper" flyer lists the buyer benefits to having a home inspection in general. (Remember, in our market, we are still trying to educate buyers to get a home inspection--ANY home inspection--before purchasing a home) It also addresses 6 areas where we think we stand out from other home inspectors: training/certification, type of report, fee, walkthrough, delivery, and time it takes to inspect a home. Then we do a short-list of what a home inspection includes (Topography, Landscaping, Fencing, Roof, Stairways, Attic, Structure, Interior Rooms, Driveway, Walkways, Patios/Decks, Foundation, Garage/Carport, Basement, Insulation, Water Heater, Plumbing System, Heating System, Cooling System, & Electrical System). We also send one of Michael's newspaper articles about what a home inspection entails (he writes for a local paper in their Home Magazine section every other week) and then we came up with a "Questions To Ask When Selecting a Home Inspector." This lists 10 questions that THEY should be asking other home inspectors when they are shopping around for a home inspector. Again, the key here is to differentiate yourself from the other inspectors in town. Think about what questions they SHOULD be asking (instead of the "what is your fee" question) and write your answer down. You would be surprised how effective this list is. They know they are supposed to ask you some questions, but nothing comes to their mind except their pocketbook. Help them see there are other things to consider besides the fee.
We also have other flyers to cater to their particular house. We have an article about older homes and one about new homes and one about termites in our county and one about lead hazard screens. We also have a flyer describing our added services and the fee to combine them with a home inspection. We basically inundate them with information so that they know WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. We are a professional company and not just some guy with business cards and a flashlight!
A FEW TIPS:
If you have ever taken any sales classes or marketing classes you will remember that they always tell you to ASK FOR THE SALE. So at some point in your conversation, ask them if they would like to reserve a time slot. One trick we used in the slower times is to give them two options not next to each other. "We either have Wednesday morning or Thursday afternoon." This gives the ILLUSION that you are very busy but it gives them the opportunity to choose a morning or afternoon inspection. Another tactic is while you are gathering information about the home, ask when they put their offer in and if they gave themselves an inspection window. This opens up the conversation a little more and really gets that hook in their mouth. After finding out when their deadline is, ask them if they prefer a morning or afternoon walkthrough and quote a time, such as: "Is a morning or afternoon walkthrough better for you? That would be either 11 o'clock or 4 o'clock?" Now it is much harder for them to squirm off the hook and hang up without committing to give you some money!! And that is the name of the game, right??????
Well, it's been fun. I hope you enjoyed this week's edition of the Monday Morning Marketer. If you didn't find it as enlightening as usual, then you will really be grateful and appreciative of next week's MMM!!
I hope everyone is prospering in their inspection business and continues to dream the impossible dream!! Thank you for lending me your ear. Have a great week!!
Shelly Leavitt
The "Company" in Michael Leavitt & Co Home Inspections!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 21, 2000 Release # 00-126
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today new safety standards for window guards that will help parents protect their children from window falls. The industry standards developed at the urging of CPSC ensure that guards are strong enough to prevent falls and that those for single family homes and the lower floors of apartment buildings can be opened easily for escape in the event of a fire.
CPSC estimates that about 12 children 10 years old and younger die each year, and more than 4,000 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for window fall-related injuries. CPSC knows of 120 window-fall related deaths to children since 1990. Most of the deaths and injuries are to children under the age of 5.
Window guards can be easily installed in windows to prevent a child from falling if the window is open.
"Whether you live in a high rise or a single family home, a window guard can help prevent a tragedy," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "Don't depend on a screen alone to keep children safe."
Window guards screw into the side of a window frame and have bars no more than 4 inches apart. They are sold in different sizes for various size windows and adjust for width. Guards must meet requirements for spacing and strength and those that allow for escape in case of emergencies must be difficult for very young children to open.
Consumers can also purchase window stops which can be added to the window frame to prevent the window from opening more than 4 inches. Some new windows come with window stops already installed.
CPSC guidelines for preventing window falls are:
Consumers should look for guards that have bars no more than 4 inches apart.
They can call the following companies for more information about purchasing window guards:
Window guards are priced between $10 and $30 and have different configurations. Consumers should compare features to determine which guards best suit their needs. Window stops available at hardware stores cost about $2.
Consumers can also view a video clip about window guards.
This CPSC Safety Notice makes me stop and rethink the upper story window protection aspect of my inspections. The alert also makes me flash back to 2 previous experiences related to window falls. The first is the death of musician Eric Clapton's son from a fall out of a high rise apartment window. This experienced inspired the touching song "Tears in Heaven." If these guards had been installed we would not have this great song, but he would still be enjoying the experiences with his son.
The second experience was with out daughter Haily. When Haily was about 2 years old she would come into my home office and look out the window. The office has a side by side 6'x4' tall window that has a sill 12" off the floor. She loved to lean against the window or screen and view the outside world 10' off the ground. One early summer morning while I was out inspecting our front doorbell rang. Shelly answered the door to find our teenage lawn mowing professional holding a motionless Haily in his arms. Shelly freaked and the real story finally came out.
While mowing the lawn the Mower Man found Haily laying below our office window. Haily had apparently leaned against the tall screen and jarred it out and fell to the grass covered earth below. The fall knocked her out, but her recuperation was immediate. If I had fallen out the same window on my head I would have been hurting for months, if not worse.
YOUR DUTY: Please view the video clip link posted above and give the window safety topic some thought. I would appreciate some feedback on whether or not there should be some added boilerplate to our reporting systems to identify the possible fall hazard. Now that we have been officially informed by the CPSC I believe that we should strongly consider this......
"What say Ye?"
Your Name:
Hello everyone, It is that time of year again to send out invoices for the AII™ membership dues. They have been a little delayed while I rebuilt a membership data base. You should all be receiving a letter from me in a few days (mailed Saturday). If you do not receive a letter, please contact me right away so that you can be added to the data base. You may have somehow been dropped ( I am doing my best to get the records updated and fully computerized). Or, please let me know if you need an application to apply for AII™ membership. Dues amount will remain the same; $250 for Inspector Members and $150 for Associate Members. Invoices will be mailed in about ten days with payment due 30 days after in order to maintain your membership status and benefits (including MMM access).
Also... I would very much like to thank whoever it was that years ago set the dues cycle to be paid in the summer for their foresight. I belong to a few other professional associations and the dues are invoiced in January when business is a slower and I'm trying to recover from the Holidays and have high energy consumption bills to boot! This is great; being able to pay my dues while the bank account is a little healthier.
Best regards, Betty Buckley - AII™ Executive Director
Last week's Photo Challenge drew some excellent responses
Roy Brown shared...... Michael, Feeling very guilty for not responding in the past, I will respond this week. I can't see your verbiage because the notched beam picture covers it. However the notched beam significantly reduces the structural strength. I would guess from the depth of the cut that bearing weight would be reduced by 50% or more. I would recommend further evaluation by a contractor for estimate and repair, and the deck was potentially unsafe and should not be used prior to evaluation and repair. By the way, except for this one, many of the photo challenges have been beyond what I could see, at least from the photos. I haven't quit reading or observing, I guess I'm just not always the brightest penny in the change jar! Roy Brown - Lake Stevens, WA
Steve Jordan from the beautiful Oregon Coast added.... 1-The angle brace is poor design. The weight of the deck and its Saturday evening barbecue crowd, when transmitted to the angle brace will tend to pull the deck away from the rear wall of the house. Best to replace the angle brace with a vertical post and pier if space allows. I can't see how the rear perimeter joist is attached to the house wall. It should use galvanized or stainless steel lag bolts into the studding, not nails. 2-Next---If an angle brace must be used, the sharp notch in the 4 x 4" (?) beam is weak, a stress riser. The beam should have a square notch, with the end of the angle brace cut to fit the square notch. Also, it looks like there is clearance in the top of the notch, and the angle brace is not carrying any load at present. Need to shim it, or make a longer brace. Steve Jordan - Oregon
Steve Dansby with his usual sharp comical wit shared.... RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!! Seriously no: the cantilevered support appears to have been notched into the girder. This has compromised the integrity of this girder (instead of a 4" x 6" girder it is now a 4" x 3"). Very creative "potential" hazard. Steve E. Dansby - Portola, CA
New to the MMM from the Salt Lake City, Utah area, Chris Burkhart replied..... Photo #1: Support post angle is incorrect and appears to be non-supportive. Post should be vertical with proper pad(concrete). Railings appear to be spaced too far apart. Is there something between the support joist and the decking joist? I can't quite make it out, but it looks as though they have put in some kind of filler piece? If so,that is another concern. Photo #2: Joist has been notched to an unacceptable depth, sistering joist adds weight at the weakest point. Chris Burkhart
Jon Gudnason wisely observed the photos and asked..... How long has it been that way? If it has been a long time it is probably OK. It looks like there is only one joust resting beyond that marginal notch in the support beam. The rim joist looks like it spans full length and is contributing to carrying the load that would be placed on the beam. A post under the end of the beam would be a simple and inexpensive repair option. Jon Gudnson - Portola, CA
Scott Merritt shared the following words of praise...... Michael; My guess is that you are getting many more e-mails this week thanking Shelly for her great job on the MMM. I think that she deserves whatever praise she gets, because it was a wonderful edition. But it also brought to my mind that you are cranking this production out every week, week in week out, on airplanes, and while planning to attend family functions out of state, and who knows what other circumstances. And the amount of thanks you get is miniscule in relation to the effort. You get responses from the same 6 or 8 people every week, even though there are several hundred that read your efforts.
You are being taken for granted by too many of us. How many of us have conditioned ourselves to pop up your MMM every Monday and enjoy what you've put together this and every week. The quality remains at a high level. You keep coming up with new subjects and areas of interest, and your writing style is consistently readable and entertaining.
So what's my point, you ask. Since no one takes you up on your constant wish to contribute articles, why not give yourself a break? Stop producing the MMM for a few weeks. Enjoy your summer more. Let us all have a chance to miss the MMM. Let us all have a chance to "flood" you with articles and other contributions. I think you are being taken for granted at this point. (I said that already, but it's worth repeating). If you take a break from the task it may have a good result for when you pick it up again. Lot's of things are appreciated more once they're gone, (or on hiatus). Garbage pick-up and sunny days are two that come to mind. The MMM may be another.
Just my two nosy cents worth.
Oh, as to the Photo Challenge: It looks like the builder made a fancy notch to fit the kneebrace to the beam. (You've got to love it when extra time and effort is made). There are now two joists beyond the notch that run further and carry more weight now that we have a full-on deck instead of the previous landing. The load is more than what once was called upon for this cantilever set-up. The notch weakens the beam beyond the notch and may not be strong enough for what it is being asked to do.
Recommendation: No Dancing on The Deck!
Secondary Recommendation: Have a qualified Contractor or Engineer suggest methods of strengthening the deck structure. Scott Merritt - Grass Valley, CA
Thanks for the responses. Scott mentioned the thank you e-mails for Shelly, well very few came in. This can be disheartening and it may be 2 more years before I can talk her into doing it again..... Wait..... I have an idea!..... You can thank Shelly by flooding her e-mail box this week at GoldynGirl@TheHomeInspector.com. I know that she would love to hear from you and it may just encourage her to contribute more information on your behalf. I am not sure if the readership is aware of just how important the weekly responses are. Each of us looks at inspecting situations in such different ways. I often marvel at the amount of experience and knowledge we have to draw upon as a collective body. I urge those of you who haven't replied in a while to take a moment and let us know how things are in your part of the inspection world.
PHOTO CHALLENGE NOTE: Those of you with digital cameras..... I challenge you to use them!!! Snap some interesting photos during your inspections and send them along. I know that I can't be the only person encountering this strange stuff.
A couple of weeks ago Greg Justice notified us of Casio's upgrade option for older CE E-105 and E-100 models. It is true that Casio has opted to get all of the older models off of the street by providing a trade out for a newer E-115. The upgrade fee is $199.00 for the newer E-115 model. The offer ends in just a few days and it is really a good deal. The upgrade provides you with a 32 meg unit that sports the new Pocket PC Windows operating system. For details you should check out http://support.casio.com/tradein.htm where they have either the complete unit trade in or just the ROM chip upgrade. Both are $199.00 and just the ROM chip upgrade seems foolish to me.
They go on to share the following details about the trade-in program......
You can trade in your Cassiopeia E-100/E-105* and get a new 32MB Pocket PC for a net cost of $199 (plus tax) which includes the new Microsoft Pocket PC Operating System. For $599 (plus tax, credit card orders only), we will ship you a new 32MB Pocket PC and a special return box. Then, return your E-100/E-105, cradle, AC Adapter, and battery in the special shipping box. Once we have received it and verified it is in working order, we will process a $400 credit (plus tax refund) against your credit card (resulting in a net cost of $199 plus tax).
*For our E-105 users, we will also include an accessory bundle valued at over $50.00.
Sign Up Period: June 1, 2000 to June 30, 2000
Units will ship: Starting July 1, 2000
This week's AII™ Photo Challenge is interesting at best..... The photo was provided as a courtesy from John M. Lueck. His description was as follows.... "These are roof rafters. 3:12 pitch; 2X8 spruce, with a 12 foot span. ".... Would you walk on it???
"What are your observations?"
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