Week 7 – The CRM Is Empty. My Stomach? Same.

When you’re ready to launch… but no one’s knocking (yet):

This was the week I realized that “If you build it, they will come” is a lie. I built it. I branded it. I wrapped my truck and posted my heart out. And then I logged into my CRM… and stared at a whole lot of nothing.

No leads. No scheduled inspections. Just digital tumbleweeds and rising panic. I knew there’d be a lag before traction, but knowing it doesn’t make it feel any less painful when you’re checking your inbox like it owes you money.

The brutal reality I faced (and how I’m reframing it):

There are a lot of inspectors in this market. There’s noise. There’s inertia. Realtors have their go-to people—and most aren’t looking to switch. Even though I offer more (thermal imaging, drones, property reports, videos, color-coded summaries), none of that matters unless I can get them to slow down long enough to listen.

That’s where Curt’s advice hit me hard (in a good way): start with questions. Then stories. People don’t switch vendors for features—they switch because they feel understood, and because someone told them a better story. So I’ve started reworking my approach to outreach. Less pitch. More curiosity.

The math that changed my mindset:

Curt also broke it down like this: each Realtor is potentially worth about $1,000 a year in inspection revenue. You probably need to talk to 400–500 to get 100 who actively recommend you. That’s about 42 solid relationships a month.

So how many Zooms, coffees, or happy hour invites does it take to get to those 42? Probably 2–3 times that. That means volume. That means follow-up. That means having a system. It also means being okay with hearing “no,” “not now,” or (most often) nothing at all—at least at first.

What helped me stay sane this week:

I stopped trying to feel productive by refreshing the CRM and started setting micro-goals: reach out to 5 agents today. Book 3 coffees this week. Write down 2 stories that illustrate what I do and why it matters. One small win per day is a lot more powerful than staring at zeros and spiraling.

I also started journaling the outreach. Who I talked to, how it went, what they responded to. It’s helping me notice patterns—what hooks people, and what gets ghosted.

The franchise advice I’m leaning into now:

Ask better questions. Lead with “What’s been your experience with home inspections?” or “What’s something you wish inspectors did differently?” It shifts the energy. It creates a dialogue instead of a pitch. And it opens the door to tell better stories—about buyers who loved the video walkthrough, or sellers who avoided a surprise because I used a drone on a roof no one else could see.

This isn’t about spamming agents—it’s about building relationships. But relationships take time. And lots of reps.

What’s next: doubling down on outreach strategy

Next week, I’ll be planning more consistent outreach—local networking, happy hours, office drop-ins. I’ll use the CRM as a tracker, not a scoreboard. The game is still early. The score doesn’t matter yet. What matters is the reps.

What I’ll keep doing (even when it’s quiet):

Building structure, tracking touchpoints, refining my story. I know the CRM will fill. Not overnight—but soon. The ones who hear the story will remember. And when their current guy misses a detail or ghosts a client? I’ll be the one they call.

→ Next up: Week 8: My First Inspection! What I Got Right — and Totally Messed Up

← See how I built my marketing funnel: Week 6: I Built My Own Marketing Funnel (Then Immediately Rebuilt It)

Curious what it’s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?