MS&L Discusses MEDIA INTERVIEWS with 2006 MAC-ASHI President John Vaughn

We took a minute to talk with 2006 MAC-ASHI President John Vaughn about some of his recent interviews.

Q: This summer, MS&L, ASHI’s public relations firm, began contacting you for media interviews. Prior to this, what had been your experience with the press?

Prior to MS&L’s work, I had not had contact with the print media.

Q: The first interview MS&L arranged for you was with The Washington Examiner, a new daily newspaper in the Washington, D.C., area. The reporter was looking for a local home inspector to comment on the effects of the “bursting housing bubble” on the home inspection industry. How comfortable were you speaking on behalf of the local industry?  Do you think your position as president of MAC-ASHI, and your interaction with ASHI membership of varying experience, provided you with a well-rounded understanding of the current situation?

I was comfortable speaking on behalf of the local industry. My position as MAC-ASHI president certainly gives me some added credibility. I’ve been a home inspector for 25 years and have survived many ups and downs in the real estate market. That experience helps keep the transitioning real estate market in perspective for me. It would be difficult to maintain a well-rounded understanding of the situation without insights from the ASHI membership at the chapter level.

Q: Just a few days after The Washington Examiner interview, MS&L contacted you again with an immediate media opportunity with The Washington Post. In the midst of a regional flooding disaster, a Post reporter wanted to speak with a local inspector about detection and management of water damage. Was it important to you that you speak with the reporter, despite your own responsibilities for coping with the flooding? Why?

Speaking with a reporter, as long as it is for technical expertise or to represent the profession, is always a priority for me. I appreciate any opportunity to get the ASHI or MAC-ASHI name out to the public in a positive light.

Q: How would you differentiate these two media experiences?

In the first interview with The Washington Examiner, I was the only source of information for the article. When I spoke with the reporter from The Washington Post, I was one of about eight different sources from various industries. The article, which was a combination of all of the interviews, listed the contributing experts at the end. If given the choice, I would prefer to be the only source. But, as I stated earlier—any positive press is good press.

Q: Both interviews resulted in stories that credited you and ASHI as expert sources. Moving forward, how do you expect these (and future) media opportunities to affect your personal business?

Increasing ASHI’s exposure (both at national and local levels) helps to improve our position in the community and the profession. To get the ASHI name out and have it synonymous with being the expert in the field is a great benefit for the Society, and it will certainly be good for business.

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When natural disasters occur, ASHI becomes an important resource for the media

Amidst the recent flooding disaster in the northeast, ASHI was contacted by several major news sources for information about the damaging effect water can have on a structure and how a home inspection can help a homeowner identify problem areas.

Reporters for The Washington Post, one of the nation’s most widely read daily newspapers, interviewed experts in various home-related fields, including MAC-ASHI President John Vaughn for the article, “Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Basements: What to Do if the Deluge Got Yours Mucky.”

The article, by Jura Koncius and Annie Groer, Washington Post staff writers, was published Thursday, June 29, 2006.

It opened with: “The rains came. The gutters backed up. The drains clogged. So the basement flooded. Yuck. Now what?

“If your basement took a hit, speed is of the essence in minimizing damage and saving possessions. We sought the counsel of experts, from home inspectors to Smithsonian conservators to public health specialists. Here is their collective wisdom.”

It closed with: “How did the water get in? If you can’t tell, call a roofer or a home inspector (one source is the American Society of Home Inspectors Web site at www.ashi.org).”

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