The spring rush is well underway. Many real estate markets have responded positively. I’ve also spoken with many of you that verified the increase in business.

In May, we held our very first ‘live’ Horizon training sessions in Toronto. “Loved the format”, “I was able to put these to use right away”, “Don’t change a thing” were some of the responses from those attending. We reviewed advanced features like Templates and Ancillary reports in these half-day sessions. There was also an opportunity to get a sneak peek at new features we’ve been working on in Horizon.

Watch for an exciting announcement about our planned tour of several major cities in the US Northeast. We'll be hosting training and info sessions for current customers and sales presentations for new customer prospects!

We also have two major announcements coming up shortly on our fantastic new development and a new pricing plan (We can't say much more than that right now because we are confident that they will take the market by storm!) - both of these exciting changes are based on tons of inspector feedback. We are confident that you'll save more time and benefit immensely from these huge improvements. We'll be in touch with you shortly and we'll ensure we guide you through the changes with a minimum of delay and disruption.

Be sure to check out this month’s new Radon Ancillary report. Inspectors who include Radon can insert results as part of their Horizon report. Email or Call our Support team to add a Radon report to your reports.

FYI, We are temporarily holding off on the Network News for July and August as we refine our format and content for a new and improved Network News due in September. We'll still keep you informed with short monthly updates in July and August.

Thanks, and Happy inspecting!

John Kwasnik

Quote of the Month
"Only through curiosity can we discover opportunities, and only through gambling can we take advantage of them." - Clarence Birdseye, Entrepreneur

Horizon Tip

Using Required Items

Want to make sure your reports meet ASHI or NAHI Standards? Click here to see a list of ASHI Required Items you need. Click here to see a list of NAHI Required Items you need. It takes about five minutes to set these up.

Technical Articles

Technical Article #1 - Recall Notices

Here are two recent recall notices that may be relevant to you in your area:

• Dicon Global Inc. Warns of Hazard due to Nuisance Alarms in Smoke Alarm Model 470L
• General Electric Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

Read more... 

Technical Article #2 - Another Approach to Insulation: Radiant Barriers

Traditional insulation methods focus on using lightweight materials to trap air, but another approach is to use a radiant barrier made of aluminum foil.

Read more...

On Line Tutorials

Horizon Webinar Schedule! – Sign up Now – First Come, First Serve!

Take advantage of our live and interactive special webinars to help you maximize your Horizon experience! Due to popular demand, we are now running these sessions three times a week – Mondays & Wednesdays at 6pm EST, and Fridays at 2PM EST.

To register, click here to indicate which day you'll be available.

Building Your Business

Using the “hot” button and other proven techniques for handling objections

Last month, we explored the importance of anticipating objections, so that you are well prepared to deal with them on your terms. For most services including home inspection, it’s unlikely that your prospective customer will come up with more than six objections to your service. In fact, most customers will bring up the same objections over and over again, and they will use them as they compare and speak to several home inspection companies, before making a decision.

By ensuring that you have concrete answers to all of them, or by addressing them before they even come up, you will be better prepared to differentiate yourself from your competitors, and you will show the prospective customer why your service represents the greatest overall value.

This month, we will share some techniques for handling objections that include feel-felt-found, the “hot” button technique, the importance of validating your position by offering proof, and how to use testimonials to your advantage.

I hope you enjoy this month’s article!

Shawn Carr, P.Eng
VP-Education
Carson Dunlop

Click here to view article.

To learn more on other advertising strategies and methods, please refer to “Building Your Home Inspection Business – A guide to marketing, sales, advertising, and public relations".

To order this book, call us at 1-800-268-7070 ext 251 or email us at education@carsondunlop.com.

Technology

Free Wireless Internet connections

Free WiFi hotspots are available in almost every city and town. You can find many of them just by driving around. Many businesses will provide wireless access for free, as well as in Hotels and Coffee shops. Civic buildings like Libraries and community centers also offer it for free.

You can also use any Web Search engine to find a local hotspot. I typed in ‘free WiFi’ and ‘WiFi hotspot” to come up with a few of my top listings. Explore free wireless Internet in your city today!

http://www.wififreespot.com
http://ilovefreewifi.com/
http://www.wi-fihotspotlist.com/
http://www.canadianhotspot.ca

"Nobody told this guy that the door is at the other end."

Ivan Mose

Please send us your most unusual or humorous inspection photo for this month, along with a brief description. Submissions will be posted in the next edition of the Network News. A prize will be awarded for the most original submission!

Thank you for your participation. All photos can be emailed to graham@carsondunlop.com.