Newsletter? Annoying or not?

Please read below before voting. How would you feel about receiving a newsletter?

  • I would like it

    Votes: 3 8.3%
  • So-so. Might read depending on the content

    Votes: 17 47.2%
  • I would't like it, I wouldn't read it either

    Votes: 9 25.0%
  • I would hate it and OPT-OUT immediatly Its just more SPAM

    Votes: 6 16.7%
  • I would hunt you down and stuff your newsletter down your throat!

    Votes: 1 2.8%

  • Total voters
    36
  • Poll closed .

Jeff Horton

Member
Messages
4,272
Location
The Heart of Dixie
Many of you probably know I am a Home Inspector and Appraiser in the Real World. I have always wanted to do a monthly newsletter to send to the Realtors and past clients. Just to keep my name in front of them so they remember to me and hopefully recommend me to their freinds. Problem is I don't have any great ideas to make the content interesting and besides it takes time to write, proof read etc.

Yesterday while doing some searching for marketing ideas I found a company that does this for you. They put out a nice looking newsletter. They coustomize it with my my info, photo, logo etc. Content looks good and the price is very reasonable.

So, if you would please tell me how you would feel about receiving this newsletter? REMEMBER, I have just inspected your new house. We have worked together and then you receive this in your email. You can Opt-out of course if you don't find it useful.
 
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jeff, as a homeowner who might use your services once or twice in my lifetime i`d find any e-mailing other than a single "thanks for your business" out of line...for the banking/mortgage crowd i`d think it would be more appropriate so long as you`re able to make it interesting and a quick read that doesn`t even remotely hint of "geeze i`d like more work guys".....something offered with no strings attached that proves entertaining or interesting or both would be appreiciated by most business folks...simply sign it jeff horton..don`t include business information....
my.02 tod

[edit] you added a poll as i was peckin`......none of the options where a blanket statement that fit my opinions so i didn`t vote.
 
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Tod, I forgot to mention that the info in the newsletter appears to be very home owner oriented. It's not "begging for work". Of course there is small blurb/ad at the foot. This was brought to you by ......

I am going to request a couple of their past newsletters just to see what content is in there. But their sample looks good. More home owner oriented than for say a Realtor, but a smart Realtor (I think) would like to know as much as possible so it should be good for them too. And as much as I hate it, they are the main source of work.
 
Bear in mind that your housing market is a mistery to me. As a homeowner, somebody who maybe makes use of a house inspector (which is kinda like a surveyor in our market I think) I would not be particularly interested. If the newsletter is about house inspecting, well I just had the only house I need inspecting inspected. On that basis you make it straight into the "What an annoying person" pile. If the newsletter is going to try and "cross sell" to me , well I want my house inspector to be solely motivated by inspecting houses. I don't want to think that the reason he told me some work needed doing was because he thought he or his brother-in-law could do the work for me.

As a realtor I may well be interested in somebody who reminds me that he is professional and knowledgeable, turns up on time to do the job and gives good unbiased inspection reports. If you wanted to do something aimed at the realtor, then maybe.

Do the newsletter company send you the copy and then you send (email??) it to your mailing list? Or do you send them your mailing list and they issue the newsletter? If the former, are you ready for the work? If the latter - do your customers know that you will be sharing their details with third parties? Do you have confirmation (that you trust) from the newsletter people that this information will not be misused and is secure?

I think this looks like one of those ideas that sounds better than it is. If it were me, and I was aiming at the homeowners, I would send a roundup approximately annually that quite honestly says something like "Hi folks - hope that your still happy in the home that I inspected for you but if your planning on moving in the next few months don't forget I'm here to help." I do not mind being sold to as long as the seller has made some effort to establish that I may have at least a slight need for his service/product.

My opinion - valued at the price you paid for it.
 
We get a lot of this kind of thing, being in the booze biz, most of it is just sales, but sometimes we get one or two that are good.

I'll point you to one on wine, as an example, that is very good, in my opinion.........

The 30 Second Wine Advisor

This is a fairly recent one, talking about chilling wine. I like it as it is interesting, to the point and a quick read.

A LOT of the other stuff we get is not.

Jeff have you thought about calenders? Pick a topical one, like great old houses, and then have your company's name etc on each one on the boarder etc. I have found that my customers look forward to our calenders each year, they find them useful.

Just a thought.

Cheers!
 
Jeff, what is the content of the newsletter? If it is about maintenance issues that would prevent some of the problems that you encounter, it may be interesting. If it is about home inspections, not so much. I am a Quality Manager in my "real" job and am often looked at as a necessary evil. I think Home Inspectors are probably viewed similarly, especially by the seller!
 
For me, it would just be another piece of junk mail that would go in the trash instantly. Plus, I don't believe your expense of producing and mailing this would bring you enough new, or return, business to justify the project.
 
Jeff,
I'm one who will talk up a service or company I have dealt with. However I'm funny in that the license plate frame doesn't make it more than a mile from the dealership once I pick up a 'new' car or truck. I would peel off the sticker too, but I don't want to ruin the paint. It isn't Their Vehicle anymore it is Mine (and the bank's).

I used to work in direct mail as a customer service rep. I would think that an occasional (not monthly) newsletter would work, but don't go monthly. YMMV.
 
Jeff,
I would most likely opt-out. I get a few newsletters, but have them sent to a Hotmail account so they won't clutter my regular email. The newsletters I do get are ones I asked for, and not unsolicited.
I think Stu is on to something with the calender. It is something I can use and it works for the whole year.:D

FWIW,
Wes
 
More responces than I expected. OK just found the archives and glanced at a few issues.

First, this is not trying to sell. Well thats a lie, I want to sell you on me and you to tell your freinds! But the Newsletter is not a advertisement. There is my info on and I can add what I want. My goal is just for you to see my name enough that you remember me if someone mentions they need a Home Inspector. I don't want anything pushy on there. Just name, photo and contact info.

Random subject I found on past newsletters

Energy Costs
Feel like you are paying a lot more for energy? You probably are. Studies show .....

Basic Forced-Air Furnace Maintenance

A little maintenance goes a long way toward keeping your forced-air equipment working properly,........

Thinking of Selling Your Home?

You may need some common sense maintenance to get it into market shape.......

Top 10 Most Common House Paint Problems and How to Fix Them


Looks interesting to me. I realize everyone is not going to read it. It is something I think I would glance over since it is not pushing me to buy something! Here one sample. It can be customized to suit me, I think this guy overdoes the his selling his service. Otherwise I like it.

Newsletter sample
 
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jeff, i looked at the link you provided, the content "might" be of interest to some homeowners? but that guys advertising is waaay overboard...i`ll stick to my original opinion on the whole she-bang......it`s worth what it cost ya`;)
 
Yesterday while doing some searching for marketing ideas I found a company that does this for you. They put out a nice looking newsletter. They coustomize it with my my info, photo, logo etc. Content looks good and the price is very reasonable.

Jeff -- let me approach this from another angle. Does this company UNDERSTAND your business? Do they know what you do and why? Do they know what a home inspection is and why someone gets one? My guess is NO, they don't.

Several years ago I hired a company to put together a professional resume for me. Turned out to be a waste of money. During the 'interview' they listened to me and took notes. They must have lost them when they began writing, because the twist they put on my experience and background was in my opinion more damaging than helpful. Reason -- they had no clue what my profession is and what my profession is about (even though marketed themselves as knowing).

If I've learned anything in my years is NEVER put my business in anyone else's hands. I would be VERY leary of this........

Just my $.02 -- for free.

I'm a professional engineer and did free-lance consulting for many years -- the best marketing tactic I ever found was do good work, stand behind it and let people talk about me. Do good honest work -- word does get around.

Tony
 
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Jeff,
I'm one who will talk up a service or company I have dealt with. However I'm funny in that the license plate frame doesn't make it more than a mile from the dealership once I pick up a 'new' car or truck. I would peel off the sticker too, but I don't want to ruin the paint. It isn't Their Vehicle anymore it is Mine...YMMV.

Ned,
I make the dealer remove the sticker(s) before I'll take delivery of the car. I've told one dealer, who tried to insist on the sticker remaining that unless he was willing to pay me fifty bucks a month for the life of the car, as advertising, I wasn't accepting the car. He removed his stickers, and his license plate frame. :D
 
Jeff -- let me approach this from another angle. Does this company UNDERSTAND your business?

Yup, he is a Home Inspector too. There is more than one person involved but I believe the Inspector is the writer. That and that fact that it isn't a big advertisement are what caught my attention. Plus the fact it is a very reasonably priced service.

I wrote a Real Estate newsletter a few years ago. It was aimed at Realtors and related service providers. I compiled sales statistics and put this into graphs and formated them into some thing that anyone could follow. Then wrote a commentary on the changes. It would take it me all day to compile the data and write it up, format it etc. Then it took another day to get printed and mailed. (Before email was so common). I had people that knew me because of it but I finally gave up on it. Just to much effort putting it together and it wasn't cheap to do.
 
I was the one that put the newsletter in the "hunt-you down and shove it in your throat category." My wife and I are engaged in trying to get our 200 year old summer home sold and we have dealt with two home inspectors. Newsletter or not I would like to shove something down their throats, newsletter or otherwise.

Then again maybe your newsletter would help educate these people. So far they have convinced one buyer lichen on the shingles (north side) means a faulty roof, while another broke the key off in the door and has yet to fix the problem a week later. Granted we live in a no-crime area, but hey where is the professionalism?
 
I like it when inspectors do stupid things like that. Just sends me more work. ;)

Seriously, if I broke your lock, it would have been replaced it that day. I did an inspection on one a few months ago and then lost the key. Couldn't find it anywhere!! It was months before it finally showed up. The house was empty, bank owned and I know the Banker really well. So I stalled for a couple of days thinking the key would show up.

Finally went back to the house and thought I remembered a window that I could get in. I could, so I went to Lowes, bought a new lock set, installed it and gave the bank the new key. They were happy with that. Had it been an individual and they didn't have a spare, I would have paid the locksmith to make a new key (so it would fit the other doors).

And as for roof, not to defend the inspector, but buyers are scared anyway and sometimes they have a case of the stupids! I have had a couple of buyers back out of a deal over trivial matters. They just used it as an exscuse when I think they really just changed their minds and used my report as the reason. It sure wasn't because I told them it was a real problem. Of course I am sure in the buyers eyes it did.
 
Jeff, I get a few newsletters, and the ones of value I save, the rest I scan and delete. And those I don't want to get any more, I opt out. As long as there's a working opt out for people who don't want to get the newsletter, I'd say go for it if the cost is within your advertising budget. Sounds like you keep good enough records to be able to see if the promo expenditure pays off in time or not.
 
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