5 Tips for Getting Home Staging Jobs

I get this question all the time from people interested in becoming a home stager:

"How do I get "hired" as a home stager instead of owning my own company?"

I get it...not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, so I'm going to tell you my 5 hot tips for getting hired on for home staging jobs, as well as give you real life examples of how it happened and their photo transformations...ready?

#1

Get "Formal" Training in Home Staging

This really should not come as a surprise to anyone right?  If you want to become a hair stylist, you go to cosmetology school.  If you want to become a real estate agent, you take the classes and get your license.  Why should the home staging industry be any different?

Certainly  you don't have to have "home staging certification" in this industry to become a home stager (that's one of the beauties of the industry)... BUT if you want another home stager to hire you and see you as a credible, talented, employee it REALLY HELPS!

HSR Grad and one of my FAVORITE stagers in the world, Orlando Reyes a home stager based out of Orlando, Florida​ is a RESA Chapter President and one of my amazing Staging Mentors.  The before-and-after photos you see on this page were from a vacant staging job Orlando mentored a recent HSR grad (Keithia) and also hired another HSR grad, Sarah Wake Davies for this job.  He has since hire more HSR grads for his ongoing jobs.

Look how great they look in this on the job "selfy"!

Orlando, Keithia and Sarah working hard!

How did Orlando connect with so many HSR Grads for help on his home staging jobs?  Stagers Connect.  At the Home Staging Resource, we have a very active, private Social Network called Stagers Connect where members collaborate, connect and many times post jobs in our "job posting group" in order to get other qualified, similarly trained HSR stagers to assist.

Living Room BEFORE

Staging Certification does matter when you are hoping to get hired!

Living Room AFTER

#2

Connect With A Veteran Staging Mentor

Once you get some training, I recommend connecting with a Staging Mentor in your area right away!  I have a formal program Staging Mentors program where you can pay to connect with "the best of the best in the industry" for a job shadowing day that will show you all the in's and out's of the job. 

What's makes our Staging Mentors program unique, is that the money goes directly to the pre-qualified, veteran, staging mentor, so they give you an incredible training experience!  You can try and contact mentors directly for work if you don't want to pay (especially if you've been formally trained), but you usually get what you pay for so don't expect them to be very responsive (the good ones get calls almost daily for this).

Kitchen BEFORE

#3

Get A Referral from Your Staging Mentor

Frankly, I would be very surprised if the top two suggestions didn't land you a job if you are a super star.  Staging Mentors are looking for employees all the time, so their best resource is usually the person they mentored already.  BUT if your mentor is not hiring, then you should get a quick letter of recommendation from them for the job you did and use it to send as a reference to other stagers in your area. 

A reference is invaluable and Staging Mentors are some of the most respected stagers in the industry!

Dining Area BEFORE

Dining Area AFTER

#4

Network with Your Local Stagers Through RESA

Make sure to connect with your local Real Estate Staging Association chapter, so you can meet other stagers and find out if any of them are hiring.  Most every Staging Mentor is in leadership at RESA, so they can also guide you to the meetings and best ways to connect with others.  This is an incredible industry of generous individuals, so be open and willing to learn from them all.

Beautifully Staged Bedroom

#5

Be Willing to Work Hard, Learn Tons and Get Along

One thing you learn as an Entrepreneur is that it doesn't matter whether you are working for yourself OR someone else...you have to produce results!  If you are not working hard, connecting with prospects, bringing in business and staging/designing your heart out, then you may not be producing enough to be kept on.  Staging is hard work but oh so rewarding!

This industry is all about learning and growing!  You will NEVER stop learning about design, shopping resources or real estate if you are an awesome stager.  There is so much to know in this industry that it can be overwhelming, so stagers by nature are constant learners.

These kinds of "After" results don't come without A LOT of hard work!

Great "After" Offfice

Finally, if you go through all the of the above and still can't find work with a stager then consider going into business for yourself...I've never had anyone regret that decision.  I have a free video training that walks you through whether this industry is for you, so I encourage you to watch it.

Could “ Home Staging" be a Career for You?

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Don’t miss this..!!

• 7 Key Questions to Ask Yourself
  
• What the Cost is to Starting this Business
  
• Do You Have the Personality for This Industry?
  
• How You Know If You Have the Design Talent?
  

Watch it Now »

Here's a few more AFTER photos from Orlando that I never get tired of seeing...

The best way to get home staging jobs is to do like any one else who wants a job in a particular field…get schooling!  No one is going to hire someone for a coveted home staging job without them having some sort of formal training or background in home staging or design.  In this article I provide 5 essential tips for connecting to the industry and getting home staging work from other home stagers.  Getting home staging jobs is not too hard if you follow my tips.

Pursuing Your Passion in 2016

I hear it all the time…”I need to just wait for XXX to happen and then I can pursue my dream of becoming a home stager.”  Sometimes waiting for the stars to align means things never happen for us.  Most of the time we let fear and self-doubt paralyze us from making decisions we know we would love to do.  Will you be finally pursuing your passion in staging for 2016?

Cori Smith of The Humble Abode was in this exact situation last year before she finally took the plunge by pursuing her passion and joined the Home Staging Resource training.

I recently asked her if she would have done anything differently now that she is living and breathing staging and she answered:

The only thing I would have done differently is doing it sooner.  I believe the biggest challenge starting a new business is courage and know how.  I needed a more solid business plan/model. HSR provided the guidance and direction I needed to be a Professional. 

 

So, don’t wait! If you have been rearranging furniture since you were 8, have a love of color and decor and your friends ask you all the time to help them with their house….Its time!!!

Cori graduated from the HSR training in April and hit the ground running with her business and passion!  When I interviewed her originally after she signed up, she told me these prophetic words:

“My background in design and decor has always been a hobby and a passion.  Friends and family have been telling me for years to do something with my gift/talent…I am looking forward to making something that I have ALWAYS done into an official business!“

I followed up with her a couple months ago and asked her how her business was doing and what advice she would give.  Here is her amazing story, wisdom and photos merely 6 months later…

1.  What was your background before starting a home staging business and how did it serve you well in this new endeavor?

My background was primarily in EMS. But, I have always been redesigning, remodeling and staging for friends and family.  I can’t remember a time when people didn’t tell me that I should design and decorate professionally. When I finally took it seriously I searched out Staging accreditation and chose HSR.  It is the best decision I could have made. HSR provided the bones for my business. The plan and direction.  There really is no way I could have done it with out HSR.

Now, thanks to the training that HSR~Audra Slinkey~ provides, my new business is gaining success every day!

2.  How “busy” are you today and why?  Do you have any real estate agent partnerships?

As of July, 2015 I average 1 to 2 consultations (redesign and/or occupied staging) a week, 1 redesign project every 2 weeks and at least 1 vacant staging per month. And my business is growing with a new partnership…the Charleston Dream Team. AND as I was completing a vacant staging project just yesterday, that client called Charleston Home & Design whom they work with frequently and told them to do a piece on my business.  None of this could have happened with out HSR!

3. Wow, that’s a steady stream of business already!  How have you marketed yourself?

Lets just be totally honest here….marketing is NOT my strong point.  I have quite a few friends and acquaintances that are realtor’s. That helped. My first vacant staging as The Humble Abode was basically a charity project (wanted to help a friend sell her vacant listing of 4 months and I knew I could do it!). I pilfered furniture, begged and borrowed and invested in my first acquisition of accessories. Promoted the talents of other friends who are Artisan’s and Craftsman by using their wares to fill the “Crooked House” a 1923 Charleston Single in Historic down town. It would have been easier to just deliver a yummy plate of “Pop By’s” to the nearest Realtor’s office.  The home received an offer with in two weeks of being staged….it wasn’t done up fancy or lux…just felt lived in.  That got folks talking about The Humble Abode.

Now, I use Thumbtack, Porch, Houzz and Face Book for most of my marketing. Mailers don’t seem to work and I haven’t had a great response to email marketing.  In my area it is who you know or who know’s you and refers you.

Get to know your Realtors. Establish relationships, make friends. In this day and age I am finding that people appreciate the face time and that you care about them and their clients.

4. Are you glad you decided to go into the home staging field?  Why or why not?

Yes!!! I was staging before I even knew there was such a thing and I have found my professional niche! I will most likely never do anything else.

5. Any words of wisdom for those just entering into the field?

I just have to THANK YOU again for HSR and the thorough extensive training you provide. I honestly could not have made my passion (or should I say fetish) into a business with out this amazing training!  I recommend that others trust the HSR training and learning process. Give yourself time, confidence comes with experience. Be honest with your clients.  Don’t be afraid to fail~that’s were we learn the most!

Thanks Cori for sharing!  I wish I could post every interview I get that looks very much like Cori’s.  If you have a gift in design, then do yourself a favor and pursue it!

I have never heard any of our HSR Members say they regret following their design passion and getting into the industry…Never!

Why “To The Trade” Pricing Matters

Why “To The Trade” Pricing Matters for Home Stagers

As I was adding another 12 “to the trade” vendors to the HSR Member Black Book, I thought it would be good to do a post on why trade pricing even matters for home stagers and their clients.  First off, “to the trade” pricing is discounted pricing given by vendors of all kinds to those people who will do volume shopping due to their professions ie. Professional Home Stagers and Interior Designers.  You have to prove that you are a professional home stager or designer by filling out an application and showing them some sort of proof of business ie. resell license, HSR certificate, professional memberships.

If you are a home stager and redesigner you should have access to several different vendors at “trade pricing” so you can shop on behalf of your client’s and either share your discount…or not.  The discounts can range from about 15-50% depending upon the vendor.

At the Home Staging Resource, we provide a detailed list of all the vendors you would want to connect with for trade pricing along with the contact names and direct links to the sign-up pages.  We have over 100 nationwide vendors we recommend who are familiar with our certification program and consider it your “ticket” to getting “to the trade” pricing.

As a trainer, I spend many hours sourcing these vendors and creating these relationships, so that my stagers don’t have to…it’s part of not having to reinvent the wheel when you go through our training.  The vendors are specific to the home staging industry.

I just added over 3 hours of video training on staging model homes, so within my research I found those 12 new vendors for that higher level of home.  Vendors like FrontGate, Shades of Light, Horchow, Arhaus, Surya, Home Decorators Collection, LS Fabrics and more were added to the already 100+ list I have curated.  If you’re a home stager who has not joined our program, you can absolutely contact those places directly for your discount but…

I’m able to get great pricing and connect with these vendors because of my network of over 3000 home stagers, so it’s a win-win for everyone!  Being over 3000 strong helps vendors take notice and build credibility within the industry.

Here’s a few tips for those of you connecting on your own with these vendors:

1. Make a List of the Types of Vendors You Think You Will Need

Not only will you want discounts at places that you will be shopping at regularly but what about service vendors and finish companies like carpet cleaners, flooring and lighting companies, moving companies and storage, greenery and fake food for merchandising…there are lots of vendors that stagers use regularly.

2. Think About Those Vendors That Can Make Your Job Easier

For instance, I just found out about an amazing vendor that you can hire hourly to help on a staging day, during a vacant staging or just to help a client move called “GetBellHops“.  GetBellHops uses only local college students, does a complete background check and is licensed and insured, so the stager doesn’t have to worry about liability and can trust they have a capable person they are working with.  I contacted them on behalf of the HSR network and now HSR members get a direct page to order the bellhops (at the click of a button) and a great discount!

3. Always ASK, Assume Volume and Negotiate Well

I always tell my members to assume that you will be successful and will be shopping like crazy for clients when you negotiate your trade discount.  Ask the vendor what their best discount is and how you can connect with them…always assume there is one.  I tell my members that since they have direct access to the HSR network, they can approach vendors as a network of 3000 not as a single company.  I’m always happy to personally email the vendor myself on behalf of the member if it’s a nationwide vendor that everyone can use.

4. Don’t Give Your Discount Away!

You earned the relationship with that vendor and many times had to go through hoops to get it, so don’t give your discount away!  It’s not unreasonable to split the discount with your clients as a benefit to them using you…but that discount is there because of YOU, so don’t devalue it.  One of the many benefits of working with a home stager is that we are able to source furnishings and service providers better and less expensively for our clients.

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!
1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

PS – Does your training provider always give you the latest, critical information as part of your membership?  Click on the image below, to see Why Certification Matters…

Model Home Staging

Secrets to Model Home Staging

I’m so excited to announce an advanced training class I’m adding to the HSR Certification program on Successful Model Home Staging.  This class is free to Home Staging Resource members and will cover EVERY aspect of designing and staging a model home.

I created this class because I had so many members get calls from new home builders and I wanted to make sure they were well prepared to handle this business!

If you are a home builder looking for a stager who is well-trained in handling model home staging, click here to go to our directory

Here’s what I go over in my class and what YOU should know about model home staging:

• How to Define the Buyer Demographic and Create Your Home Owner Profile – My 10-step research process that is critical to selling your concept to the builder and setting yourself apart from your competition
• Five Design Rules for Every Model Home – These are rules of thumb that should never be broken
• Audra’s Five-Step Formula for Design Success – I’m very clear on how you should pick your finishes, fixtures, furnishings, window treatments, art and accessories for these homes.  What to splurge on and what to save on so you get the most bang for the builder’s buck!
• Training Your Eye Using My Formula – I show you an easy way to know exactly how to design for your area plus over 50 photo examples
• Most Important Questions to Ask the Builder – The interview sheet and why the answers will determine your price, services and concept
• Sharing Your Vision – How to easily create a concept board that communicates your vision and expertise while NOT looking cartoony!
• How to Price Your Services – What the builder expects, customizing your quote, working within budget, getting what you’re worth and setting expectations!
• Setting Up Your Critical Vendor List –  Using my design formula, there are critical vendors you will want to source your materials from that I recommend.

Plus…all the forms, price guides, interview sheet, step-by-step process, vendor list (trade discounts), product ideas and more!

The live webinar will be this Wednesday, March 11 at 10am (pacific time) and will go at least 2 hours.  I may have to break it up into 2-parts since there’s a lot to go over!  If you are an HSR member, login to the Members Area to attend but don’t worry, I will be recording this session and adding it to the advanced section of the training.

By the way, much of the process I outline will be perfect for your design clients as well!

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!
1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

PS – Does your training provider always give you the latest, critical information as part of your membership?  Click on the image below, to see Why Certification Matters…

4 Steps to Finding Your “Calling”

4 Steps to Finding Your Calling

Another year went by in a flash and I’m taking a moment reflecting on what can help me to slow down time, be very intentional in my planning and focus on my “calling”.  The reality is that everybody has a “calling” and your job should be finding out what that “calling” is for your life.  In Stanford’s graduation ceremony this year, Nike founder Phil Knight said something very profound to the young, excited new grads:

You see, when you find what you were meant to do, what gets your blood going and keeps you up at night thinking excitedly about…you will succeed.  Money usually always follows passion because it doesn’t become “work” at that point and training yourself daily in your passion helps you be become “the expert”.  A key to finding a calling that can become a career is following these important 4 steps:

Step One – Identify Your Core Competencies and Strengths

What is it that you know about and are good at?  What is it that people are constantly complimenting you about? Make a list, if you need to organize your thoughts.  For some ideas, consider your ability to achieve, adapt, analyze, arrange, communicate, compete, connect with people, develop, empathize, focus, learn, etc…Knowing your strengths will help you to understand how to pathway your career.

 Step Two – Identify and List Your Interests and Passions

What is it that you love to do?  What really gets you excited about life?  What gets your blood boiling?  Make a list of the things that you do in your free time, when nobody is watching, and consider whether or not there may be something deeper to that desire.  Many times the things you love to do, correspond to the talents that you have, so look for connections between what your talented/strong at and how it corresponds to what you are passionate about.

Step Three – If Fear and Money Were Not A Factor What Would You Do?

Okay, here’s the tough part…taking fear out out of the equation.  How do you do that?  You need to face the fears and break them down in you mind.  What is the worst that can happen if you pursue your “calling”?  Is the consequence of inaction, better than the risk of trying?  I love this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Step Four – Take Action and Get Busy!

Just sitting and dreaming does not make things happen.  Take the first steps you need to move closer to your calling for 2015.  The good news is that you have the Internet and so many ways to explore and learn about new things.  Make this year the year you grow, learn and create!

If you love design, know that there is a home staging industry that would love to take that talent and help you do something GREAT with it!  At the Home Staging Resource, we are focused on giving you the tools, strategies, forms and training that allows you to never reinvent the wheel and focus on what you’re great at…staging and design.

I just got this email from Pramiti of BlueGrape Staging who has just been nominated for the RESA Rising Star Finalist of 2015:

Pramiti just took the plunge and followed her calling LESS than a year ago by becoming a home stager!  Don’t let another year go by to follow your calling.

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!
1-888-563-9271

Not all professional stagers are equal! Our HSR Certification training was the first and one of the only staging and redesign training programs that has been third-party, accredited by the Real Estate Staging Association, so invest in the best!

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