From Name
David Daniels

What we do when it gets slow in the winter is advertise for Free Radon testing. If people don't take advantage of a free Radon test I don't know what else will motivate them. The rest of the year the free tests are done by word of mouth. I am not waiting for someone else to promote Radon testing, this is my business. I can only count on myself and my employees for success. 
We have an office and we let people come in an check out Radon monitors or we go to their home if they are within 40 miles. When people take a reading and see their levels it helps them in the thought process. If they are low, then the feeling is whew, dodged that bullet. But when they see a high (above 4) level, they get concerned. Many people will call me after the 1st day of testing when they are high and ask how soon we can put a system in. I have to tell them that they need to wait until the test is completed to evaluate their home. Rather than have our monitors collect dust I put them to work. The customer has to sign an agreement that the test is not for Real Estate and that they don't already have a Radon system. If they test low, the do not get a printout, just a verbal. If they do test high, then we give them the printout and explain what it all means. We have had about 100 free tests this winter, about 80 of them came in high and so far
about 40 systems installed. Twenty of the other 40 will fix it when their taxes come in and the other 20 will when they can't take it anymore knowing their living with a killer. We'll probably have about another 100 free tests during the year. Over the past four years I would estimate that we have installed at least 300 systems off the free testing.
 
Just last week I had a call from a gentleman asking how soon we could install a system. I asked what the situation was. He said his 30 yr old wife just found out she has Lung Cancer. She's never smoked or worked outside the home. They have two children. Their doctor asked them if they ever tested for Radon, the answer was no. So they tested right away and came in at 10. I referred her to Cansar.org. I don't have a problem using this couple or other cases I have run into as examples when speaking to potential customers. Don't back down to nay-sayers. This is life & death. If you don't believe that you are saving lives then get out of this business. People can tell if you believe in what you are doing, when you do they will take you seriously and be more prone to act themselves.
 
Also I have been a thorn in the side of my local congressman the past two years. As I write this they are drafting a law that would require testers and mitigators to obtain a license to operate in our state. Once that is passed we will work on testing for Real Estate and then RRNC for all homes.
 
How many have had a booth at a home show or a health fair? Have you asked the local TV and news papers to do a story on Radon, every 3 months? Most of them have health sections. I guarantee you when they do a story on Radon they will contact us first, just like two weeks ago. Radon was on the front page of the Appleton and Green Bay papers. How about the business section? Our business section is always looking for stories on small businesses that have a unique item. Try bartering services with other businesses. We got a $1500 ad in the local money saver in exchange for a system. Join your local builders associations and Real Estate association. Let them know you aren't going away. The bottom line is this. We as business owners can change the industry. It must be market driven.
RN PROF (subscription changes) - http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/radonprofessionals.html RN LEADERS - http://www.radonleaders.org/