[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-7-the-crm-is-empty-my-stomach-same\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-7-the-crm-is-empty-my-stomach-same\/","headline":"Week 7 \u2013 The CRM Is Empty. My Stomach? Same.","name":"Week 7 \u2013 The CRM Is Empty. My Stomach? Same.","description":"Week 7 \u2013 The CRM Is Empty. My Stomach? Same. When you\u2019re ready to launch\u2026 but no one\u2019s knocking (yet): This was the week I realized that \u201cIf you build it, they will come\u201d 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\u2026 and stared at a whole lot of nothing. No leads. No scheduled inspections. Just digital tumbleweeds and rising panic. I knew there\u2019d be a lag before traction, but knowing it doesn\u2019t make it feel any less painful when you\u2019re checking your inbox like it owes you money. The brutal reality I faced (and how I\u2019m reframing it): There are a lot of inspectors in this market. There\u2019s noise. There\u2019s inertia. Realtors have their go-to people\u2014and most aren\u2019t 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\u2019s where Curt\u2019s advice hit me hard (in a good way): start with questions. Then stories. People don\u2019t switch vendors for features\u2014they switch because they feel understood, and because someone told them a better story. So I\u2019ve 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\u2013500 to get 100 who actively recommend you. That\u2019s 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\u20133 times that. That means volume. That means follow-up. That means having a system. It also means being okay with hearing \u201cno,\u201d \u201cnot now,\u201d or (most often) nothing at all\u2014at 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\u2019s helping me notice patterns\u2014what hooks people, and what gets ghosted. The franchise advice I\u2019m leaning into now: Ask better questions. Lead with \u201cWhat\u2019s been your experience with home inspections?\u201d or \u201cWhat\u2019s something you wish inspectors did differently?\u201d It shifts the energy. It creates a dialogue instead of a pitch. And it opens the door to tell better stories\u2014about 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\u2019t about spamming agents\u2014it\u2019s about building relationships. But relationships take time. And lots of reps. What\u2019s next: doubling down on outreach strategy Next week, I\u2019ll be planning more consistent outreach\u2014local networking, happy hours, office drop-ins. I\u2019ll use the CRM as a tracker, not a scoreboard. The game is still early. The score doesn\u2019t matter yet. What matters is the reps. What I\u2019ll keep doing (even when it\u2019s quiet): Building structure, tracking touchpoints, refining my story. I know the CRM will fill. Not overnight\u2014but soon. The ones who hear the story will remember. And when their current guy misses a detail or ghosts a client? I\u2019ll be the one they call. \u2192 Next up: Week 8: My First Inspection! What I Got Right \u2014 and Totally Messed Up \u2190 See how I built my marketing funnel: Week 6: I Built My Own Marketing Funnel (Then Immediately Rebuilt It) Curious what it\u2019s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?","datePublished":"2025-06-27","dateModified":"2025-06-27","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/#Person","name":"Kloc Curtis","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/","identifier":6,"description":"Curtis Kloc is a U.S. Navy veteran and seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in business development, inspections, and technical systems. He has built and sold multiple six- and seven-figure home inspection and environmental services companies, including HERO Inspections & Environmental and Elite Analysis. Curtis is the founder of Inspections Over Coffee, a nationally expanding franchise known for its white-glove service, inspector training systems, and streamlined operational workflows.\r\n\r\nWith deep roots in nuclear engineering from his time as a Machinist Mate and Engineering Laboratory Technician aboard two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, Curtis brings unmatched precision and discipline to every business he runs. He is certified and licensed in home inspection, mold assessment, asbestos inspection, and environmental testing, and is a member of NACHI since 2006. Curtis now leads AI automation initiatives through Nexation.ai, helping businesses eliminate busywork and refocus on what matters most\u2014client relationships, growth, and results.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Person","name":"Curtis Kloc","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","width":512,"height":512}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-7-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-7-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","height":736,"width":1312},"url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-7-the-crm-is-empty-my-stomach-same\/","about":["Uncategorized"],"wordCount":657,"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWeek 7 \u2013 The CRM Is Empty. My Stomach? Same.When you\u2019re ready to launch\u2026 but no one\u2019s knocking (yet):This was the week I realized that \u201cIf you build it, they will come\u201d 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\u2026 and stared at a whole lot of nothing.No leads. No scheduled inspections. Just digital tumbleweeds and rising panic. I knew there\u2019d be a lag before traction, but knowing it doesn\u2019t make it feel any less painful when you\u2019re checking your inbox like it owes you money.The brutal reality I faced (and how I\u2019m reframing it):There are a lot of inspectors in this market. There\u2019s noise. There\u2019s inertia. Realtors have their go-to people\u2014and most aren\u2019t 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\u2019s where Curt\u2019s advice hit me hard (in a good way): start with questions. Then stories. People don\u2019t switch vendors for features\u2014they switch because they feel understood, and because someone told them a better story. So I\u2019ve 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\u2013500 to get 100 who actively recommend you. That\u2019s 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\u20133 times that. That means volume. That means follow-up. That means having a system. It also means being okay with hearing \u201cno,\u201d \u201cnot now,\u201d or (most often) nothing at all\u2014at 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\u2019s helping me notice patterns\u2014what hooks people, and what gets ghosted.The franchise advice I\u2019m leaning into now:Ask better questions. Lead with \u201cWhat\u2019s been your experience with home inspections?\u201d or \u201cWhat\u2019s something you wish inspectors did differently?\u201d It shifts the energy. It creates a dialogue instead of a pitch. And it opens the door to tell better stories\u2014about 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\u2019t about spamming agents\u2014it\u2019s about building relationships. But relationships take time. And lots of reps.What\u2019s next: doubling down on outreach strategyNext week, I\u2019ll be planning more consistent outreach\u2014local networking, happy hours, office drop-ins. I\u2019ll use the CRM as a tracker, not a scoreboard. The game is still early. The score doesn\u2019t matter yet. What matters is the reps.What I\u2019ll keep doing (even when it\u2019s quiet):Building structure, tracking touchpoints, refining my story. I know the CRM will fill. Not overnight\u2014but soon. The ones who hear the story will remember. And when their current guy misses a detail or ghosts a client? I\u2019ll be the one they call.\u2192 Next up: Week 8: My First Inspection! What I Got Right \u2014 and Totally Messed Up\u2190 See how I built my marketing funnel: Week 6: I Built My Own Marketing Funnel (Then Immediately Rebuilt It)Curious what it\u2019s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Week 7 \u2013 The CRM Is Empty. My Stomach? Same.","item":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-7-the-crm-is-empty-my-stomach-same\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]