Advertise on podcast: The Commercial Property Inspector Podcast

In this episode, host Rob Claus welcomes Ian Robertson, founder of Inspector Toolbelt and Full View Digital Marketing to share his extensive background in the inspection industry, discussing the evolution of home and commercial inspections, the importance of understanding the customer journey, and effective marketing strategies. What You'll Learn: The customer journey for home and commercial inspections differs significantly.Your digital presence is crucial for success in commercial inspections.Recurring revenue opportunities can enhance business value.Technology and automation can streamline inspection processes.Targeting smaller towns can yield better results than focusing on big cities.Effective marketing requires understanding client needs and expectations. 🔗 Related Resources for Commercial Property Inspectors: Getting Started as a Commercial Inspector: Defining Your Service Area - CCPIAGetting Started in Commercial Inspections: Moving from Residential to Commercial Inspections Commercial Property Inspectors: Who They Are and Who Hires ThemBusiness Development Resources for Commercial Property Inspectors  Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

The Commercial Property Inspectors Roundtable Meeting is a monthly Zoom hosted by CCPIA® for inspectors across the nation to talk about business and professional development.  The CCPIA Roundtable meeting focused on strategies for business success and win-loss analysis in commercial property inspections. Rob led a discussion about tracking client interactions and implementing structured proposals. He shared his experience of achieving an 80% booking rate through careful client engagement. Another inspector echoed this sentiment, noting that he increased his success rate by adopting CCPIA's recommended sales process, which improved both client interactions and confidence through better proposal templates.  The conversation concluded with Rob announcing upcoming courses, including an Introduction to Commercial Systems course and a Cost to Remedy course scheduled for March. He also addressed technical questions regarding different roof types and HVAC systems. To attend an upcoming meeting, visit the training calendar: https://ccpia.org/training-calendar/ Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

What commercial property inspectors need to know about SEO. Paige Wiese, founder and CEO of Tree Ring Digital, has spent over 16 years helping businesses strengthen their online visibility. In this episode, she shares practical strategies for inspection companies to transform their websites from static brochures into lead-generating machines. What You'll Learn: • Introduction to SEO • Website Essentials for Commercial Inspectors • Building Trust Through an Online Presence • Design Considerations • Keywords Play a Role in SEO Strategies • The Importance of Fresh Content • Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid 🔗 Interested in learning more or working with Tree Ring Digital? Access the free Digital Asset Assessment Checklist on their website. 🔗 Learn more about CCPIA®: ccpia.org Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

➡️ Visit the December Email Newsletter Here ➡️ CCPIA Certification Guide We’re connecting the dots on pricing this month. From how you set your fees to how you handle price objections using your expertise. We also have new classes announced, including a live course in Florida and a virtual Cost to Remedy class. Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

We have a bonus episode for you this week, inspired by the opening of registration for our Cost to Remedy Fast-Track Course! It's a live class on Zoom, held over March 19-20, 2026, from 8 am- 11 am each day.  Learn more and register for the virtual course This episodes review our free article Cost to Remedy Report Basics. It reviews:  What it isWhat goes into a reportHow inspectors can limit liability Read the article Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

Commercial Property Inspectors Roundtable Meeting is a monthly Zoom hosted by CCPIA® for inspectors across the nation to talk about business and professional development. This month’s roundtable featured special guest Bethany Messier of CoStar, the largest data and analytics platform for commercial real estate. It tracks nearly 7 million properties across the U.S. and internationally. They led a live demonstration and Q&A session highlighting how the system is specifically designed to support commercial property inspections. CCPIA® members receive an exclusive discount on the commercial property inspection reporting platform: 🔗  https://ccpia.org/inspector-costar-di... To attend an upcoming meeting, visit the training calendar: 🔗  https://ccpia.org/training-calendar/ Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

In this episode, host Rob Claus welcomes Bethany Messier from CoStar Group, the world leader in commercial real estate data and analytics. CoStar is widely recognized for having the most comprehensive database of CRE information across the U.S. and Canada and is the parent company of LoopNet, Homes.com, Apartments.com, Land.com, and Matterport. CoStar’s tools are widely used by commercial property inspectors for property research, proposal development, and pre-inspection preparation. Their data helps inspectors understand a property’s history, ownership, tenancy, and market context. This supports ROI-driven business development and leads to better proposals and preparation before arriving on-site.  In this episode, Bethany and Rob discuss how CoStar’s platform supports business development for inspectors, including targeting the right clients, identifying opportunities, and building a sustainable pipeline of commercial property inspection work.  They also highlight CCPIA’s exclusive partnership with CoStar, which gives CCPIA members customized onboarding and support to help grow their inspection business. Visit CCPIA.org to learn more about the partnership. Watch the YouTube video to see a live CoStar platform demo and how inspectors are using it in practice.  Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

➡️ Visit the November Email Newsletter Here ➡️ 35% Off Training Through Nov. 30th! Use Code: 35BlackFriday This month’s issue breaks down the 2025 multifamily market and what it means for inspectors. Get the key trends, inspector takeaways, and a free shareable report you can use in your own client outreach. You’ll also find new CCPIA resources, including guidance on inspecting FAA obstruction lighting, an online course on inspecting building exteriors, and materials on growing your business through partnerships and approaching large, complex properties. To close, we recap upcoming CCPIA training dates, virtual roundtables, and events, including in-person classes in Indianapolis and Los Angeles, and a virtual class covering how to inspect all building systems. Great to prepare for the certification exam. Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

The Commercial Property Inspectors Roundtable Meeting is a monthly Zoom hosted by CCPIA® for inspectors across the nation to talk about business and professional development. This month’s roundtable featured special guests Jon Ajinga and Jeff Womelsdorf of InspectorPrime, a commercial property inspection report software platform. They led a live demonstration and Q&A session highlighting how the system is specifically designed to support commercial property inspections. CCPIA® members receive an exclusive discount on the commercial property inspection reporting platform: https://ccpia.org/inspectorprime-repo... To attend an upcoming meeting, visit the training calendar: https://ccpia.org/training-calendar/ Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

Ensuring your website generates leads 24/7 while you focus on inspections. In this episode, host Rob Claus welcomes Paige Wiese, founder and CEO of Tree Ring Digital, a Denver-based marketing agency specializing in high-performance websites and digital strategies for service-based businesses. With over 16 years helping businesses strengthen their online visibility, Paige has worked extensively with the inspection industry through her long-standing relationships with InterNACHI and CCPIA, where she's helped develop digital best practices and resources that inspectors actually use. In This Episode: The Two-Form Strategy: Stop losing leads with confusing contact forms. Paige explains why your "Request an Inspection" form and general contact form should be completely separate, and how this simple change helps you capture jobs before competitors who make clients play phone tag.The Residential Marketing Trap: Inspectors transitioning to commercial often make a critical mistake—they completely drop their residential messaging when business is good. Paige reveals why this kills your search rankings and how to balance both markets without diluting your commercial positioning.Who Really Owns Your Website?: Paige shares real examples of inspectors who lost hundreds of five-star reviews when switching software, couldn't access their own websites after a vendor disappeared, and watched domain names expire, costing $2,500 just to buy back a $25 asset. She explains why knowing who controls your logins, reviews, and customer data affects both daily operations and business sale value.The Name Search Test: Forget worrying about ranking for "commercial inspector near me" at first. Paige explains why your priority should be what appears when someone types your business name into Google, and how referral-based businesses die when prospects can't validate your credibility online.AI as Your Marketing Research Assistant: Paige reveals an unexpected way to use AI that has nothing to do with writing content. She explains how inspectors can leverage AI to understand what clients really want and preemptively answer their questions before they even ask. 🔗 Interested in learning more or working with Tree Ring Digital? Access the free Digital Asset Assessment Checklist on their website. 🔗 Related Resources for Commercial Property Inspectors:  Sales Funnels for Commercial Property Inspection Companies and Their Sales and Operations Teams Article Optimizing Sales Funnel Efficiency and Removing Customer Friction Course Commercial Property Inspection Marketing Resources LibraryGetting Started as a Commercial Inspector: Determining Your Business Structure Article Branding Considerations for Commercial Property Inspection Companies Article and Branding GuideWatch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

➡️ Visit the October Email Newsletter Here This month’s episode introduces CCPIA’s new comic series, beginning with The Consultant’s Lens. It's a quick, visual look at how a single client call can shape two entirely different inspection approaches. From there, we dive into what it means to think like a consultant instead of just a service provider. You’ll also hear about the Tramex Dec Scanner, a non-destructive roof moisture tool that helps inspectors expand services and strengthen their reports, and our new SBA-Compliant Business Plan Generator, designed to help residential inspectors transition into commercial property inspections and access small business funding opportunities. Plus, we highlight insights from Commercial Assets Explained, covering how tenant mix, key systems, and ownership and lease structures connect the physical condition of a property to its financial performance. To close, we recap upcoming CCPIA training dates, virtual roundtables, and events, including Inspectorsgiving and our CoStar ROI-driven business development session in December. Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

This month's roundtable was led by Rob Claus and delivered practical insights on essential inspection tools, safety equipment, professional presentation strategies, and emerging service opportunities for commercial property inspectors. To attend an upcoming meeting, visit: http://ccpia.org/training-calendar/ Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

Government contracts aren't just for big companies with specialized certifications. In this episode, host Rob Claus sits down with Mike Dunne, owner of Dunne Inspection Services in Cheyenne, Wyoming and a CCPIA® member since the organization's inception. Mike has built a multi-inspector firm serving a three-state region across Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. His journey from solo residential inspector to running a company securing six-figure government contracts offers practical insights for inspectors ready to scale beyond typical client relationships. In This Episode: The Three-Inspection-Per-Day System: Mike reveals how hiring inspection assistants transformed his operation during COVID, cutting inspection time in half while maintaining quality. The secret wasn't just having help—it was how he strategically divided the work between inspectors and assistants.Why Local Employees Outperform Overseas VAs: Mike refuses to use call centers or overseas virtual assistants, and it's not about patriotism. He explains the unexpected business advantage that appeared when a 17-year-old summer employee brought in more referrals than any marketing campaign ever did.From Zero to Six Figures on Government Contracts: After two years on SAM.gov with no results, an engineering firm called asking if Mike could video 20,000 feet of sewer mains on an Air Force base. He had no idea what they were talking about but said yes anyway. Hear how that single "yes" turned into ongoing six-figure contracts.The Subcontractor Advantage Nobody Talks About: Mike shares why he never bids as a prime contractor and how being a sub-of-a-sub actually opens more doors. From unfired pressure vessel inspections to asbestos surveys, he explains his philosophy of taking work he's never done before and figuring it out after saying yes.The Unexpected Competition in Small Markets: In Cheyenne, Mike doesn't compete against other inspection companies. His real competition is electricians, roofers, and HVAC companies who formed partnerships claiming to do "inspections." Hear how this shaped his entire business strategy and why his service area eventually shrunk as he grew. Related Resources for Commercial Property Inspectors:  CCPIA® Commercial Property Inspector Mentor Program Commercial Property Inspectors: Who They Are and Who Hires ThemSWOT Analysis for Commercial Property Inspection CompaniesBusiness Development Resources for Commercial Property Inspectors Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

SEPTEMBER 2025 HIGHLIGHTS:  This month’s roundtable was led by Rob Claus and packed with insights about internet marketing, cost per lead, accounts receivable, and large project acquisition in commercial property inspections. To attend an upcoming meeting, visit: http://ccpia.org/training-calendar/ Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!

With the OBBBA law now in effect, property owners and investors face new incentives and deadlines, and inspectors have a bigger role than ever. We’re covering that first in this month’s audio newsletter. Then, we’re highlighting:  Emergency power system inspections. See inspection video and checklist. Inspection scope strategies based on due diligence and risk tolerance. Learn the methodology. Inspection tool and equipment guide for rolling out new services. Get the tool guide and planner. Top inspector tech story. See what’s coming to InterNACHI’s free agreement system.  Additional resources:  Subscribe to CCPIA’s monthly email newsletter. Register for InterNACHI's Inspectors Convention in Dallas, held over Oct. 16-18, 2025. Hotel discount ends Sept. 25. See upcoming online and hands-on training calendar. 🤝 Thanks for reading and being part of the CCPIA® community. Together, we lead Building Excellence. Watch or listen (anywhere, anytime, and any way you like). Visit ccpia.org to browse the video library!