Public Relations Uses it all to Promote ASHI

ASHI continues to use all possible avenues to promote home inspections, and specifically, ASHI home inspectors. The society is committed to using public relations rather than advertising to promote itself and the profession because PR is affordable and because editorial content carries more weight with readers than ads, especially when promoting professional services.

The current public relations program reaches far beyond past practices of mailing out press releases. For the past two years, the society has focused on building a greater presence on the Internet and using social media.

During March, 47.5 percent of its public presence was from the Web, 38.3 percent via daily newspapers and the remainder from non-daily newspapers. Online versions of the print publications and social media help boost that presence.

ASHI gets good press in California and Arizona

Max Curtis, an ASHI Certified Inspector who serves on the Public Relations Committee, reports the society did well in the local press in April.

“The Friday, April 9th issue of the Valley Times newspaper had a supplement titled “Home Sweet Homeowner.” Two of the articles reference ASHI as your source for a home inspector. One was written by ACI John Schneider, All About Home, Inc., Fremont, Calif. Two more articles stressed the need for a home inspection.

“Sunday’s (April 18) Real Estate Plus section/magazine of the Times Newspaper Group (mostly East Bay) ran the ASHI-produced and distributed article “Home Inspections Help You Sell.” Diane Hymer’s (local columnist and real estate agent) weekly column in the same section was titled “Seller’s Presale Inspections Can Be A Wise Investment.” A third article in the same section stressed the importance of a home inspection when buying foreclosed properties.”

Max Curtis owns and operates MaxInspect in Livermore, Calif.

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, published “Billing Through Escrow is a Conflict of Interest for Home Inspectors, by ACI Randy West, Professional Building Consultants in Prescott, Ariz., on April 22.

It appeared in both print and electronic issues.

More than 60 publications pick up the ASHI-produced article

As of May 1, 62 publications had published “Home Inspections Help You Sell,” including:

• The Star-Ledger – Newark, N.J.
• Cohasset Mariner – Hingham, Mass.
• Pensacola News Journal
• Henderson Daily News
• Los Angeles Sentinel
• Daily Press-Newport News – Va.

In past years, similar articles distributed through ARA, a company that provides content to media outlets, have continued to appear in print and online for months, so watch for it in your area.

Sweet Tweeting for ASHI

 To further establish the society as “the voice” of the home inspection profession, as well as reach stakeholders in new ways, ASHI launched a branded Twitter page, posted with homeowner tips, real estate news, press releases and other information that can be found on the ASHI website through shortened URLs.

Activity as of May 1:

• ASHI has tweeted 63 times since the account first was registered on 11/12/09.
• ASHI currently follows 90 Twitter handles.
• ASHI currently has 183 followers on Twitter.
• Two of the three most popular tweets discuss Chinese drywall.

Are you a follower on Twitter, Facebook or the ASHI president’s blog? Use the buttons at the bottom of the ASHI website home page to visit and become a follower of all three.