Be Seen, Build Trust, Get Hired

Business partnership meeting concept. Image businessmans handshake. Successful businessmen handshaking after good deal.

You have been a real estate appraiser for years. Or maybe you’ve just got six months under your belt. Either way, each of us needs to determine how we will build trust with our customers, continually be seen, and win the top pick when someone new is in need of an appraisal. If you’ve been at this for a while, then you are familiar with the many venues of marketing in the appraisal world: blog posts, vlogs, speaking at functions, taking attorneys to lunch; the list could go on. Maybe you have tried a lot of these. For you newbies out there, don’t go stick your smiley face on a billboard and expect a phone call. Because people don’t typically need your service until they need your service, there is a reason why a blog post might be more effective than a billboard. It’s all about the path. 

How often will someone need an appraisal done while you’re standing in front of them (or when they are driving down the road and pass a billboard)? Not often. Appraisal needs most often arise from another external situation, be it divorce, bankruptcy, people wanting to sell their home, or looking to get rid of their PMI. And because every customer starts out as a non customer, you have to lead them there. You create a path of familiarity and security through your marketing means, and they see you and learn to trust you. They need an opportunity to get to know you, get to know your expertise, and then they need to remember you. But how do you keep them on this path? What will set you apart is utilizing a principle called the purpose of the first word. 

Take this blog post, for example. Why did you keep reading? Did the title intrigue you? Did that lead you to the first word and on to the first sentence and on to the first paragraph? In your business and marketing, take a look at your first word and where it is leading your customers. The purpose of the first word is to create a path to your blog post, which leads to your podcast, which leads to your facebook page, which leads to positive information they want to hear, which leads to them hiring you when they have an appraisal need. Put simply, the purpose of the first word is to lead them to the next word. That’s the goal. 

As you implement the principle of the first word, you will begin to pave a road your customers will confidently walk. You will become known and become known as the expert. People will trust you and open up their wallets to your services without a second thought. Keep blogging, vlogging, speaking, posting on social media, making connections, and using any and all marketing skills that work for your successful appraisal business, but from here on out, consider the path you are creating and the purpose of the first word.

For more information on this subject, please download and listen to The Appraiser Coach Podcast Episode:

9 thoughts on “Be Seen, Build Trust, Get Hired”

  1. Considering Dustin lost his appraisal business and now works for the man who takes 50% of your appraisal fee, it would seem instead of calling this a blog post, we should be calling it a blah post. Meaning, do as I say, and not what I do, and forget everything I tried to sell you over the years as apparently it doesn’t work.

    Unlike other bloggers who actually correspond with the commenters, Dustin of course will provide no response to any of your questions or concerns.

    Seek the truth.

  2. Be seen? I have so much business I have to hide so I won’t be overwhelmed. The main factor that determines how much business you get is to become proficient in all aspects of appraising. Clients are looking for a professional, compliant appraisal which provides the necessary information. Couple that with a professional attitude and they will beat a path to your door.

    1. I agree Paul. With Dustin losing his appraisal business, perhaps he did not have a professional attitude, but rather spent to much time trying to sell his VHS tapes to the common appraiser. I guess the snake oil salesman

      Seek the truth.

  3. I have never commented on a blog or post ever. However, these comments have pissed me off this morning. Have you considered that perhaps Dustin has built his business and life style exactly how he wants? That he used the money made from an efficient appraisal business to make other quality investments? Are you jealous that he built a business that provided him time off and the ability to focus on other income streams, or that he likely sold or merged with True Footage, probably got well paid and probably has ownership to some degree? Have you considered his age and time in the industry and that a lucrative offer from a company he likes was actually an intelligent move at this point in his career? I would venture to guess that you have not considered any of these things. It is so sad and unfortunate that just because he makes a decision that does not align with your closed mindedness, that you feel you need to disparage him. You don’t have to like him, his business model or his decision to sell his company. I do not agree with his decision to sell his company, nor do agree with many of his points related to appraising but you will never see me being petty and talking smack about another appraiser especially on a public forum. Its gross and it underlines a real problem with the appraisers in this industry who think they know and do better than everyone else. Where is your high income appraisal business? What have you done to help appraisers and grow the industry or do something to help improve the lives of appraisers nationwide? Grow up and focus on your own business

    1. Considering I’ve been telling people on this site to seek the truth for over 5 years Justin, I understand being pissed off when you discover your leader is an apparent failed appraiser, and an AMC/Valuation corporate sellout. Not to worry though, for a split of only 50%, you can continue to be given the coach’s Kool-Aid / snake oil for every assignment.

      Considering I’ve been commenting here for over 5 years Justin, and you said this is the first time you’ve commented, I’m sorry you didn’t seek the truth earlier.

      Its not to late to seek the truth.

  4. I did a lot of blogging years ago and it continues to bring me work today, even having stopped once I had a steady stream of non-lender jobs. I agree with everything you say, but I want to test if a billboard could bring business to an appraiser. Nobody needs an attorney until they need an attorney, yet I’ve seen them on billboards. I think a billboard is just about getting a name out there in a population so that when the need arises, they know who to look for. A billboard is probably not the most cost effective advertisement for an appraiser, but now I want to try. Would I be the first? LOL

  5. Answer me one question, B.J.: How is building a business to the point that it does $1.9 MM annually and is valuable enough to another appraisal company (not an AMC) that they are willing to open up their wallet’s to BUY it and then ask me to stay on and manage it the same way I have for years (and teach others to do successfully) equate to a failure in your mind?

  6. B-ill your silence speaks volumes. Your version of the “truth” continually spews the same narrative. Dustin “lost” his business, he’s a fraud and a snake oil salesman. I bet your clients appreciate your rosy attitude. Making negative comments on a niche blog has likely done wonders to grow your business in San Diego. Speak the truth. Or speak what you believe to be the truth. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and eliminate all doubt

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