The best choice for Internet marketing for appraisers

Appraisal reports are commodities. They're generally fungible in the eyes of the people who order them. Traditionally, that's why appraisers market themselves as though they were selling reams of printer paper.

Why buy this box of printer paper instead of another brand?

1. It works better.
2. Different thickness, dimensions to fit your needs.
3. It costs less.
4. It's easier to buy and you get it sooner.

Why buy an appraisal from me instead of another appraiser?

1. My work is better.
2. Different varieties of reports to suit your needs.
3. I charge less.
4. You get your report faster.

Can you think of other ways to market paper? The package? Nobody pays attention to the package. This is really about it, particularly when you take into account that like appraisal reports people generally buy paper when they need it, and not when they don't; and they always know when they need it, so you can't even market paper by reminding your customer they're due for a new ream.

Let's look at the appraiser's four ways to sell him or herself.

Let's look at the second one. Most appraisers will do single family, multifamily, condos and coops, etc., and that's not often going to be a differentiator. Just like most brands of paper come in different thicknesses, different dimensions, etc. You may exclude certain people among your competition by offering a kind of report they don't, but it's doubtful you're the only one offering the kind of report your customer is looking for.

Let's back up to the first one. Appraisers are cynical and aren't likely to argue with the fact that this isn't a great way to differentiate, either. It's not so much that your clients don't care about high-quality work, it's that for them high-quality appraisal work means some different things than it does to you. It means fat turn times. The fee is a component. And of course, an appraiser does great work when the loan works out, and usually has done a stinky job when the loan falls through because the appraiser didn't "hit the value." So you can't differentiate on quality work, really, either.

So you get tens of thousands of appraisers marketing their fast turn times and low fees. It's not a race most appraisers can win. Not that most appraisers can't turn certain assignments around in 24 hours and charge low fees, but they wouldn't survive if they tried to differentiate themselves from their competitors on the basis of speed and fees.

So there's no way to sell your services then? There is -- but it starts by realizing you're not selling paper. You're selling your expertise, your unique knowledge of an area, yes. So are half your competitors. Want to know the secret?

The secret is to be irrefutably and demonstrably the best at something. Don't waste time thinking about what you might actually be the best at now. Why, you may actually be the best appraiser in your county. But that's hard to prove, and you have to when several of your competitors are likely to be saying it, too.

Pick something and then be the best at it. Maybe it's a type of property -- two to four unit residential. It may be a certain type of report -- a 2075 exterior-only to support Desktop Underwriter's AVM. It may be a neighborhood, town or ZIP code. Pick something to be the best at, be the best at it, then tell your clients you're the best at it.

Pool together all the two to four unit residential appraisals you've done in the last htree years. Ask your clients to give you more. Arrive at soime impressive number of 2000As, acquire a testimonial or two, and market yourself as the best appraiser of two to four unit residential in ____________ County.

When you visit a home to do an inspection, take for 2075 with you. Fill it out. Include it with the report you give your client with a note that you do 2075s, too. Market yourself as the best appraiser for 2075 exterior inspections in ______ County.

Pore over your comps database and count the number of homes you've appraised or evaluated as comps in a certain neighborhood, town, ZIP. Use that impressive number to market yourself as the best appraiser for properties in _______________.

Will you lose 1004 business? You may, initially, if you're marketing yourself well. But the same clients that need 2000As and 2075s are also going to need other kinds of reports, and once they're convinced you're the best at what they've been having you do, you'll get work outside your niche. Same with neighborhoods and ZIP codes.

The secret is that there is a lot less competition for "best appraiser for exterior only 2075s in ________ County" than there is for "fastest turn times in _________ County." With less competition, clients needing the service you're best at will find you. And they'll reward your good, timely, professional work with more assignments. Anyway, the alternative is to market yourself as the fastest, cheapest appraiser in _____ County. And nobody wants to be that.

Labels: Selling Yourself

Internet marketing can get traffic to your website; what potential clients do once they're there is up to you. On your website and elsewhere, clearly state the reason you should be hired and not the next appraiser in the search results or in the phone book. If it's fast turn times, say so. But if it's quality, compliant work done right the first time, say that. If it's that you've done XXX appraisals in YYY County in the last 24 months (with XXX being an impressive number), say that. Avoid the temptation to say all these things and every other good reason to hire an appraiser you can think of. Stick to one easily digestible, memorable message. If you're rigorous about being the highest-quality appriser in your area, you'll lose some business from clients looking for 24 hour turn times, but you'll gain business that will pay you for what you're best at.

Labels: Selling Yourself

When your client remembers you after you're done doing business together, they're more likely to hire you the next time. Clean, professional reports are memorable, as is the quality of service you've provided. But freebies help!

No one needs more gewgaws or office supplies clogging up their desks. Here's an idea: You can catch the green wave and contribute to offsetting carbon emissions by buying a carbon offset for your client with each report you deliver.

Sites like DeltaOffsets let you buy an offset to one metric ton of carbon emissions for $7.50. Whatever the level of your own commitment to combating climate change, this is a memorable freebie (that's the key) that many of your clients will appreciate, maybe even more than you would.

Labels: Selling Yourself

Yes, it's a trick question. At Better Version we teach appraisers that their marketing situation is unique. Most often, they'll get new business from the web when someone who has already decided to hire an appraiser is searching for one who covers their area. Your website needs to be above the fold on search results and directories, and then you have very little time and opportunity to attract your prospect's attention.

In that short amount of time how can you differentiate yourself from the appraiser (or appraiser website) down the street? Can you convince your prospect you do better appraisals? No time. Provide a wider range of services? Your prospect doesn't care -- they don't want a wide range of services, they want one specific one. Cheaper? Maybe, but if so, do you want to earn business on that premise?

Your website -- your appraiser marketing -- must be different. Immediately, obviously different. Something that they haven't already seen. You start by focusing on a particular thing that makes you different, that's not overall quality or fees. You do more ________ appraisals in a month than other appraisers in the area do in a year. Someone who isn't looking for ________ appraisals will pass you by, but you can't be afraid of that. You're making yourself stand out to those prospects who are looking for a ________ appraisal -- and in appraiser Internet marketing, that's your only chance to convert that prospect on the web.

Labels: Selling Yourself

Autoresponders are those automatic replies you send when someone e-mails your primary business e-mail address or when someone fills out a contact form on your website. You should use every contact with a prospect to build value, and that includes autoresponders. Some advice on how to use autoresponders as a powerful marketing tool:

1. This is your first and maybe last chance to talk to your prospect. State your company's value proposition clearly and succinctly. "Thanks for your e-mail, I'll get back to you" doesn't do that.

2. Offer a way to contact you immediately. Or at least someone in your office. Give your cell number or the number of someone human in the office.

3. You're serving other clients. I don't care if that's what you're really doing, telling your e-mailer you're out in the field or taking care of other clients gives a better impression than "we're away from the office and can't respond right now." Are you at the movies because you don't have any clients?

Labels: E-mail Marketing, Selling Yourself

Something may be routine or workaday to you, but if you told your clients about it, they might be impressed. Also, communicating often, about almost anything, accomplishes getting your name in front of people you want to hire you. Then when they want to order an appraisal you are what's called "front of mind." Here are five things to let clients know that you might not have thought to tell them:

1. You renewed your license.

2. You made changes to your website.

3. You completed some CE.

4. You hired someone.

5. You're covering a new area.

Labels: Selling Yourself