Are you not getting the amount of business that you would like? Are your marketing efforts falling flat? I find that success in business comes from avoiding these five common pitfalls and thinking in “out of the box” ways to create additional income. In the HSR Training I have an hour long video detailing these alternative income streams but before I get to those, I need to also detail the problems I see most people do in their business that keeps them from having success…
1. Don’t Be A Copy Cat
One of the first things I have people do in my training is to list their strengths and how their background strengths can help their new business. I also have people list their weaknesses which will be “threats” to their business if they are not careful. The encouraging truth is that there are several ways to market yourself in the staging and redesign industry but what may work for one personality, may not work for another.
The key is to take your previous “life’s talents” and embed them into this new business and venture. For instance, I have ex-teachers who focus on agent presentations and classes in order to market their staging business. I have my outgoing personalities follow my “Open House Assessment” formula in order to market their business face-to-face. For those who are introverts, I teach them advanced ways to market their business online so traffic comes to them. The key is to focus on your strengths in order to market your business.
>>Know that whatever your background or current situation is, there is always a way to capitalize on it as a new entrepreneur!
Tori Toth of Stylish Stagers in New York used her prior experience as a TV Reporter to create video that helps to market her business and success!
2. Don’t Be A Renaissance Business!
Would you go to a restaurant advertising great burgers, tacos and sushi? Then why are we trying to be all things and talents to all clients and markets? It’s okay to expand your business within the staging and redesign world but to also say you’re an expert in Feng Shui, Organizing, Windows, Upholstery and an Artist is a bit overdone and cheapens your core talents.
This same truth holds for real estate agents who also want to be expert home stagers. Do you think your clients believe that you are awesome at both when each require very separate skill sets?
>>Pick One or Two Specialties and Be Awesome At Them!
3. Don’t Be A Renaissance Market Specialist!
Many people enter into the staging industry believing they have to invest in lots of furniture and accessories to make a go of it which couldn’t be more false. There is plenty of non-vacant business out there for everyone (I’ll list some ideas in my “Out of the Box” article). The truth is, there are several different “markets” (vacant, investor, occupied, high end, cottage, neighborhoods, commercial, styles) that we can “specialize” in yet too many stagers tend to not pick a niche or specialty in any one market
>>Consider a Niche Market and Be Awesome At It!
Hopefully this article helped to add clarity to your business!
Sarah Swindell of Up Staged in Austin, TX started the course in May of this year and already has a gorgeous before-and-after show I wanted to showcase. She had this to say about her experience:
“THANK YOU!!! Your course is just amazing and you really made the whole process so enjoyable and easy even when I thought I could never do something like this! I was always afraid to start my own business and thought it would be way too complicated, but you made it all possible! I love your sense of humor too:) Your videos were so enjoyable to listen to. As a single mom now, being a realtor was way too hard scheduling wise and I really only loved making the homes I had listed beautiful! All the contracts and legal stuff I could do with out! This is just perfect for me 🙂 Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful forum for women (and men!) to have a fun and fulfilling career!”
I love to hear the story of someone who finally decides that a career in staging and design is for them, they pull the trigger then BAM…they are assaulted with work! Keep in mind, this doesn’t happen most of the time, since having a business is about marketing BUT when it does happen…I can’t help but feel these people are FINALLY in their CALLING.
What’s Your Calling?
I know what you’re thinking, you’re equating the term “calling” with a religious association but I’m here to tell you that “callings” can be any form of work/activity that you were born for. You feel in the zone. You have non-stop energy and you can’t help but think, breath and live it 24/7. I know, because I’m in my calling…for now. I know because most importantly, I hear it everyday from those who are finally taking advantage of their amazing design talent and doing what they were meant to do…stage and design.
Mary’s Story:
Dear Audra,
All I can say is WOW! let me give the quick version…..I purchased your Training on Dec. 31 st after looking on and off your website for about a year. After getting access to the website I knew I had made the right decision, so I plunged in and had the goal of starting my business By March 1st.
I ran into a friend who is an agent at the Apple store the last week of Feb and updated her on my new training and she was excited…..3 days later she called and said their was an agent in her office looking for a stager and she gave her my info….the rest is history...I staged my first home on Monday 3500 sq ft with a Realtors tour yesterday and had amazing feedback and great marketing. I have my second scheduled for this Friday, vacant 3200 sq ft my third scheduled for Monday 4000 sq. ft vacant home. My 5th scheduled for two weeks from today 4000 new home Builder. And two redesigned consultations scheduled. Needless to say I am happy, excited, and did I mention worn out! I am truly loving my new company!
I don’t know about you, but it takes me at least two hours just to create a simple “thank you” form much less the 100+ plus forms you will need for your staging and redesign business! Mixed in the with details of training, staying on top of design, connecting with trade vendors and all that is “staging” that is one thing I don’t have the time to do!
The good news is that now we have created all the forms you will need for you and offer specific training on each form if you had questions about it’s use.
I get the question a lot….what kinds of forms do you offer in your training? Yep, it’s official, we have 100 forms available, so that our members are never having to reinvent anything! We offer all of our forms in Word, so that all they need to do is open the form and tailor it to their business.
Ellen Boetcher, a veteran stager who had staged over 2500 homes by the time she joined HSR in 2008 had told me unequivocally that the forms in the training alone would have saved her over 200 hours worth of work!
I also created a video that shows how they can make those forms really shine electronically by creating a gorgeous and custom business header. We provide over 100 header images for them to use (all matching their websites), as well as access to a free header software program which makes our members stand out professionally in all that they provide. These are just some of the small details in the training that help stagers and redesigners focus on the most important thing…DESIGN!
Free Staging Training Webinar on Wednesday, May 3rd at 4:00pm (Pacific Time)
After well over 10 years of staging training, speaking at RESA Conferences and chatting with veteran stagers daily I’ve narrowed down some essential, soul searching elements that make up various niches in the industry, the best staging accessories to buy for ROI, best practices for marketing in 2017 and lots more great tips for new stagers!
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