How to Help Potential Clients Know, Like and Trust You
Research, Fear and Procrastination
How to Avoid 2 Staging Portfolio Pitfalls that Can Kill Your Business
10 Staging Diva Grads and Students Battle It Out For RESA Awards Jill Gargus, Nancy Hoag, Karen Dembsky, Birgit Anich, Donna Dazzo, Red Barrineuvo, Diane Beck, Angela Gagauf, Helen Bartlett, Sara Garden
You're Invited To These Events 5 Simple Secrets to a Home Staging Business
Staging Diva Dialog
Hats Off to Directory of Home Stagers Members Susan Atwell, Red Barrinuevo
"Giving up fear is like giving up sugar: they're both sneaky ingredients that hide out in almost everything." - Gabrielle Bernstein
Backstage with Debra
Did you notice that quote at the top from Gabrielle Bernstein? I love it because I've made it my mission to eradicate both sugar and fear from my life. It's a constant challenge of course.
I gave up sugar in October and, other than Christmas, I've pretty much stuck to it. Fear comes and goes depending on how far out of my comfort zone I'm pushing myself personally or professionally.
For my birthday I went 3,000 ft up in an hot air balloon to get over my fear of heights. This month I started Improv classes to overcome my fear of looking dumb.
What's interesting is how getting over your fears in one area of your life sets you up to overcome challenges in others. I'm always amazed at how much overlap there is when I coach home stagers.
In this month's newsletter I focus on different aspects of marketing because it's so critical to your home staging success.
You'll learn how to help potential clients know like and trust you and how procrastination is really just a fear avoidance strategy.
You'll discover the business-killing home staging portfolio traps to avoid, meet 10 Staging Diva students and Graduates who are home staging award Finalists, and more.
As always, my mission is to help you create your ideal business and lifestyle while having fun along the way.
I wish you every success in 2013 and encourage you to write me about any topics you'd like me to cover in Staging Diva Dispatch or the Home Staging Business Report in the coming months.
Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Voice of Possibility™ Group Inc.
How To Help Potential Clients
Know, Like and Trust You
Think about the last time you hired a hair stylist, accountant, lawyer or personal trainer. Several factors probably went into your decision. But among the top three would have been whether you felt like you knew, like or trusted this individual.
The same dynamic is at work when a potential client is deciding whether to hire you as their home stager, interior redesigner or color consultant.
Often this potential client's first introduction to you will be online. They may have found your home staging website or blog on Google or because someone recommended you, discovered you on Twitter or Facebook, or searched for you in the Staging Diva Directory of Home Stagers.
In additon to judging the quality of your online presence and staging portfolio, they'll be looking for clues about whether they feel like you'll be comfortable to work with, whether you seem trustworthy.
Whether it's done consciously or not, they'll consider what you look like in your photo to determine this. This doesn't mean you have to look like a celebrity. Subtle things like the lighting, angle of your head, and your wardrobe and hairstyle communicate a bit about your personality. People make assumptions, rightly or wrongly and it happens in an instant.
When I'm afraid to take action, I research the topic to death. Have you ever done this to put off actually doing something "scary?"
I developed this habit as a student years ago. If I had an essay to write, I'd visit the library and drag home an ever-increasing pile of books. As long as I was gathering more research, I felt like I was actually "working."
Which is true, but only to a point! I wasn't actually writing my paper and didn't start until the wee hours of the morning before it was due. How my mother slept with me pounding on a typewriter all night I'll never know.
Now it's even easier to fall into this pattern of "researching" rather than "doing" because we've got access to more content right from our laptop than we could ever possibly wade through in a lifetime.
Staging Diva Graduate Cari Calhoun, Destiny by Design (MN) wrote me this week about procrastination:
"I contemplated starting a staging business for a year before I finally took the plunge and purchased the Staging Diva Training Program. It's been 10 days since I purchased it and I have done more in those 10 days than the last year. I have good days and days when my fear makes me think 'what if I can't make this work.' I'm guessing it's the ups and downs of starting your own business and becoming successful. At least I'm not procrastinating anymore!"
As we head into the busiest home staging season, now is the time to make sure your home staging portfolio is set up to attract business, not scare it away. If you're making these 2 common mistakes, you can't achieve the success you're hoping for.
1. Showing you know how to clean up a room.
This is the single most common home staging portfolio mistake and it's often shown in kitchens, bathrooms or laundry rooms. For example, there's a before photo of a kitchen with cluttered counters and photos all over the fridge. In the after shot, the only difference is the counters and fridge are clear. While there's a noticable transformation, all you've done is show you know how to clean up a room.
A propsective client will think, "Oh, it's important to decultter my laundry room. I can do that myself." In other words, you haven't convinced them they need your home staging help.
Decluttering is certainly part of home staging, and in some of your clients' rooms, that's all you'll do. There's nothing wrong with that. But, for a pair of photos to be worthy of your portfolio, ensure that you're showing more than your decluttering ability. In the above example, the staging story would have been stronger if the cabinets had been repainted and more of the room was shown.
2. Showing the room from totally different angles.
Your before and after shot should be taken from the same vantage point, otherwise it's difficult for the viewer to understand what you've changed. You only have seconds to communicate your point, don't make your potential client work to understand what you can do for them.
A prospective client is looking at the same bulky furniture in both photos with no idea how the home stager has helped the situation. It's a challenge to figure out what's different in this room. Plus, it's anyone's guess why it might be better. This is not the way to sell your staging services.
You've just learned two of the dozens of mistakes both new and established home stagers make when trying to sell their services and how to avoid them.
The above are real portfolio shots from stagers who failed to attract enough clients to keep their staging businesses going. I don't want this to happen to you!
If your website, blog or Staging Diva Directory of Home Stagers listing isn't growing your business as fast as you'd like, it's time to take a critical look at your home staging portfolio.
There is simply no more important tool in winning business than the quality of your home staging portfolio.
Whether you're shooting your before and after shots in your own home to get started (which is how I started in 2002), or photographing your client projects, you really need to follow the tips I share in this guide.
Here's what Staging Diva Grad Laura Jensen, Lakeshore Staging and Redesign (WI) who has been a stager for almost 7 years since taking the Staging Diva Program says:
"Debra, the Staging Diva Ultimate Portfolio Guide is fantastic. Everyone interested in the business of home staging should read it. You have a great writing style that puts the reader at ease. I especially liked how you went into detail about how to take perfect photos. Congratulations on a great addition to your Staging Diva eBook collection."
Congratulations to all the Staging Diva Grads and Students who have made it as Finalists in the 2013 RESA Awards.
Pro Stager Canada:Jill Gargus, Simply Irresistible Interiors Inc. (AB) who plans to grow her business this year to $336,000 (a 30% increase). Nancy Hoag, ALLDECOR Home Staging (ON) who staged a $4 million condo for visiting celebrities for the Toronto International Film Festival. She is also a Finalist in the Best Occupied Staging and Best Redesign categories.
ProStager USA:Karen Dembsky, Peachtree Home Staging (GA), who recently won a contract with a major builder to stage all his model homes in the Atlanta area. Birgit Anich, Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors LLC (CT), who won a HOBI Award from the Home Builders Association of Connecticut in 2012.
Best Occupied Staging:Donna Dazzo, Designed to Appeal (NY) and Nancy Hoag, ALLDECOR Home Staging (ON).
Best Redesign:Red Barrineuvo, REDESIGN4MORE (ON), Diane Beck, Vibrant Interiors (PA), Nancy Hoag, ALLDECOR Home Staging (ON), Birgit Anich, Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors LLC (CT), Angela Gagauf, NJ Home Staging and Redesign LLC (NJ)
Rising Star:Helen Bartlett, Redefined Interior Staging Solutions (KS), whose first home staging project went under contract within 36 hours with 3 offers. Sara Garden, Rocky Mountain Home Staging (CO) who as a single mom built a full-time income from staging in under a year.
Invitation to get your own publicity
You don't have to win an award for me to write about you or your home staging business.
Simply fill out the easy-peasy submission form at Share Your Staging Story and get some free publicity for your business.
I'm looking for inspiring and human interest stories about home stagers or their projects.
And all of these get promoted to thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook.
Seriously, if you haven't taken advantage of this free opportunity to boost your home staging business, stop procrastinating. You really have nothing to lose.
Feb. 21 (7pm)
Staging Diva Dialog Coaching Call
Open to all beginner and established home stagers. You don't need to be our student.
Is there some aspect of your new, or established, home staging business that's got you stuck? Break through that barrier now so you can have an awesome 2013!
Ask me questions and get semi-private coaching in a small group for only $47. You're guaranteed to make $500 when you implement the ideas from our call.
On the third Thursday of every month, I speak with home stagers (both new and established) on a telephone conference call answering questions that will help them move forward in their business. Sometimes it turns into an in-depth lesson on a specific topic, like how to start a blog or what to do if your client doesn't like your recommendations.
This program is called Staging Diva Dialog and it's open to people who have never taken my courses as well as Staging Diva Graduates. You'll have a chance to share your triumphs and challenges in a small group coaching setting. We all get to know each other as we share opinions and ideas.
Try it out for a month, or as long as you like
Your membership fee in Staging Diva Dialog includes the live call with me, plus a recording. If you can't make it live to any of the sessions, you can submit your questions in advance so you'll hear my answers on the live call.
Our next live call is: Feb. 21 (7pm Eastern / 4pm Pacific).
If you could ask a staging expert absolutely anything about your staging business, what would it be? Here are some recent topics:
BUSINESS TYPES - Pros/cons, accounting and taxes: Sole proprietorship, LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, Provincially Registered Corp.
KNOW WHAT'S BEING SAID ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS - Time saving and no cost ways to stay on top of the staging industry.
CLIENT SERVICE - Managing expectations, shopping, finding your niche.
PUBLIC RELATIONS - How to write a good press release, story ideas.
There's a reason people pay me $497 per hour for business coaching — now you don't have to. Dialog membership is only $47 to discuss your business with me in a small group setting. You'll get at least 10 times that amount back implementing a single idea you hear on our conference call.
Hats Off to Directory of Home Stagers Members
Are potential clients able to find you online? Do you have a professional web presence once they do? When you're a Staging Diva Directory of Home Stagers member, it's easy for agents and home sellers to hire you! PLUS, members enjoy F'REE project referrals, notification of guest speaking opportunities, media interviews and quarterly coaching with me!
Congratulations to these 2 returning Staging Diva Graduates! Visit their Directory Profiles and get inspired:
Extra Benefits for
Profile Listings!
You can have a free brochure produced by Staging Diva for your company when you have a full year Profile Listing.
Sample front & back of custom brochure
Plus, you'll get a download link on your Directory Profile Page so your customers can access your company brochure instantly!
Sample download button
Social Media Links!
You can add these Social Media icons to your Directory Profile and link them to your accounts on these sites:
When you're the first stager to join the Directory for your chosen locations, your listing will always come out on top in a Directory search, no matter how many people join after you!
If there are others listed above you for certain cities or neighborhoods, your rank will move up if any of them leaves the directory.
The sooner you join, the higher up on the list you are for your locations.
Plus you can choose up to 3 states/provinces and 10 cities, town, neighborhoods or counties to be listed in!
Meet Victoria
Our Client Relations Manager, Victoria, is here to take care of your needs and questions. If you ask Victoria something that needs my attention, she will forward your message to me. The fastest way to get an answer to your question is to email Victoria directly at info@stagingdiva.com
Debra Gould has been a serial entrepreneur since 1989. She is president of Voice of Possibility Group Inc. with a mission of helping entrepreneurs create their ideal businesses and lifestyles.
An internationally recognized home staging expert, Debra created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program with 7,000 students in the U.S., Canada and 20 other countries. She is the author of 5 guides, offers a Directory of Home Stagers to help home sellers and agents locate stagers in their area and is frequently profiled in the media.
