Getting Your Home Staging Business Off The Ground

It seems like we get so caught up in our everyday lives that we rarely take the time to focus on building something that is really near and dear to us, such as our Home Staging and Real Estate Business. We take care of everyone and everything else, but fail to give our business the attention it needs to sprout, grow and thrive.

As we start off this new year with a bang, I decided we should start off our Home Staging Business with a bang as well.

I think that in order to get your Home Staging Business off the groundand then some, you have to have a specific plan in place. During my APSD Property Scene Designer Training, I actually do a business blue print with each PD so we can specifically create a 12 month plan of success. Needless to say, the PDs that follow the plan have a booming home staging business.

But, it is one thing to say you have to have a plan and another to actually understand how to do one and figure out what goes into your plan.

That is why this year, I am going to do an APSD 12 month Home Staging Blue Print with every single one of you that joins me for our ONLINE STAGE EVENT because that is how strongly I feel about you having a specific vision and plan of action to carry out the vision. (By the way, all the details are at www.APSDmembers.com/OnlineSTAGE -hurry it starts next week!)

The important thing though, is to start now. Dont wait because we all know how quickly time passes us by right? So please, I am asking you, encouraging your, willing to support youmake the choice right now, to be a success in the home staging industry!

First of all, there are several factors to consider when you decide to run and effective Home Staging and Real Estate Business:

1) Vision. Have you stopped to decide specifically what you want from this business? Are you looking to niche a specific service like Curb Appeal. Color Analysis, High End Homes, etc.? Or, are you happy to just set a goal, like 4 stagings a week and take what comes? I find by starting anything with a very clear vision, you are far more likely to quickly achieve your goal.

2) Momentum. Once you decide what you want, you need to build momentum by taking massive action. I know most of you work other jobs or take care of your children (many of you do both!) so the thought of massive action could stop you in your tracks. But stop to think about what massive action could be. Maybe you decide that you can make 10 calls every Monday to local real estate offices. Then, on Friday, you send out follow up emails to the same 10. If you are not doing anything right now, that is Massive action. When you do it consistently, you will get results which leads to momentum. It is like losing weight, drop a pound or two in the first week by saying no to sweets and yes to a daily walk, you get results, which leads to momentum and before you know it you are in week 4 and have lost 10 pounds. Massive Action leads to Momentum which leads to results.

3) MindSet. Now that you have a little momentum going, you may start to second guess yourself. Maybe it is because of how you were raised, or you dont have enough support at home or you simply lack confidence, but I find that in order to have continued growth, your head needs to be in the right place. Normally, we call this mindset and during my recentAPSD Stager Pro and APSD Certified Trainers Program, we talked a great deal about confidence and mindset. It is a special session that I will be teaching during ONLINE STAGE.

I am a big believer in putting yourself in the right frame of mind, and keeping it there, in order to achieve the success you deserve. I know when I first started out on my own home staging business, I lacked confidence in my ability, did not think I could succeed, had a wonderful husband that didnt understand what I was trying to do and was a very well conditioned mid-westerner that kept thinking work harder and I will be fine. WOW! Did I ever have a great deal to learn. Mindset is one of the biggest keys to success which is why I am devoting an entire session to it at our ONLINE STAGE training.

As women (and a few really cool guys) we have to put our mind in the right place for ourselves and our family. Otherwise we will live a life of poverty mindset and even worse, pass it along to our children. Wouldnt you prefer a mindset of abundance?

4) Extraordinary Skills. When my APSD Certified Home Staging Professionals ask me how to compete, or blaze the home staging trail, I always tell them to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. The funny thing, is that I tell my small business consulting clients the same thing, so it works for every industry. It is easy to just look at what others do and do the same. What takes a little more effort is to be better. One of my mentors, Dan Kennedy, says look around at your competition and whatever they are doing, do the opposite.

I took this to heart when I created APSD. I looked around at everyone and I did the opposite. I created an association that supported our members. Also, I assumed you were already smart and talented, so instead of showing you how to create a trilogy of candles (because I assume you already know how to put 3 candles on a plate), APSD gave you a proven Home Staging system; a model to follow so you can yield specific results. Then, and this is the best part, APSD came out with specific trainings that spoke to our members and their bottom lines. I think you should make a bunch of income with your Home Staging and Real Estate business and be able to help your client in the biggest and best way. In order to do that, you have to offer multiple services which yield you multiple streams of income. In the APSD ONLINE STAGE training, I will introduce you to 25 streams of home staging income. Everything from Color Analysis to Curb Appeal to our propriety programs like Bang for the Buck and Estage!

But it doesnt stop there. We continually differentiate ourselves from any other program by offering courses for todays Home Stager such as Vacant and Distressed Property Staging which we will be doing during our ONLINE STAGE event. This is a hot button across the globe and once you learn to effectively stage Vacant and Distressed properties, you will have every real estate agent in your market place knocking down your door for help.

The new APSD Certified Trainers have already had a sneak peek into the program and you will have your chance to do so as well at ONLINE STAGE. Make sure you have the best skills possible and that is what will differentiate you in your Home Staging Market and get clients rushing to you vs. you having to chase them down.

5) Marketing. You knew I would get there, right? This has to be one of the biggest parts of your plan. During the point on Momentum I talked about setting a marketing schedule such as calling 10 real estate offices on Monday and following up with the same 10 on Friday. Believe it or not, if you just did this, and did it with good marketing, like that which you receive in How to Market Your Home Staging Business after a short time, you would have enough business.

Imagine if you added a postcard to the mix! Whoo Hoo! Now you may have to hire someone to help you! Okay, okay, I know I am being a little sarcastic but most home stagers dont market. Part of the reason is they just never get organized enough to do so and the other part is that APSD is the only Home Staging Training Association to offer REAL WORLD home staging Marketing. The important thing is that you set up a marketing schedule and follow it. The more aggressive you are, the better your results. But there is one result that I know for sure, and that is if you dont do any marketing, you will get zero results. So, set a schedule that you can manage and follow it. Your 12 month home staging blue print will be a step by step process to help you with this for every single month in 2012.

In the Home Staging and Real Estate Industry, there are at least 19 ways to effectively market your business and during our ONLINE STAGE event I am going to go through each way with you, step by step so when you leave, you have a MARKETING PLAN! It doesnt have to be hard, but you do have to do it!

By simply following these 5 steps, you will find that your Home Staging Business is doing far more than just getting off the ground in 2011.

And because we are going to cover so much of this during our ONLINE STAGE training I wanted to give you an opportunity for you and a friend to come at our 2 for 1 pricing! Just check out my special offer below!

Log on http://www.apsdmembers.com/ for more details!

Over 700 Learn Home Staging Business From Highly Acclaimed Staging Diva

When I first started by Home Staging Business Training Program, I had no idea that it would take off so quickly. You know the saying, “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun”? Am I having fun? You bet! My hard work and dedication to helping clients become successful in their own home staging business is what makes my job and career so rewarding. Today, almost 700 men and women have successfully completed my training on how to become a successful Home Stager no matter where they live.

My graduates learn how to use any decorating talent they already have to successfully stage their clients’ homes, as well as how to develop and control the business aspect of preparing homes to sell quickly and for top dollar. I get such enjoyment out of watching my graduates pursue their goals. What is especially gratifying is watching former stay-at-home Mom’s or divorced women gain financial stability and security with their home-based businesses. Many have also recovered from health scares that convinced them it was time to follow their dreams and do something they would love.

My lessons teach and empower women, and men, from all walks of life and situations to gain the training and insight to build a home staging business from the ground up. I started my own house staging business, Six Elements Inc., so that I could have a more flexible schedule while pursuing my passions for decorating and real estate. While other home staging entrepreneurs have gotten into Home Staging as a side-line to interior decorating or real estate careers, I started my business from my home office, determined to be successful in a field that was typically “off-limits” to those outside the real estate or interior design field.

Within two years, I staged hundreds of homes and gained international recognition with articles in CNNMoney, The Wall Street Journal, Woman’s Day and appearances on HGTV and others. That’s what inspired me to create the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, to teach and inspire others to successfully follow their dreams.

Has it been easy? No! It takes a lot of hard work and determination to succeed in any business, and my Home Staging business and Staging Diva Training Program are no different. I’m not going to tell you any secrets to instantly get rich, I’m going to tell you the truth: it takes perseverance, dedication and information to grow a home staging business from the ground up, but I can offer you the tools and tips necessary to do just that.

Those who know me know that I’m a firm believer that life is the adventure we make of it and that too many people ‘die with the music still inside of them’. I not only want to teach men and women how to start and run a Home Staging Business, I want to show them that they can do anything that they aspire to do. I want them to leave my classes and seminars knowing that their imagination is the only limit to their success.

Now, I toast my graduates, almost 700 of them, and grin with pride that they now have the opportunity to move beyond their current financial situation or conditions and have the education and know-how to break through boundaries and walls that they never thought possible. That, more than my own success in this field, is what gives me the most pleasure. So, to all my former students and graduates, and all those who will soon follow, I say, “Thank you, and Good Luck to your future success!”

Entrepreneur and Home Staging expert Debra Gould, The Staging Diva, knows how to make money as a home stager. Discover her secrets to business success in the Staging Diva Home Staging Training Program. Free quiz to see if the home staging business is right for you at http://www.stagingdiva.com

Home Staging Helps Obtaining The Highest Price For Your House.

There are lots of people, who are unfortunate, while selling their homes. Such things happen, as the major part of these people, dont wish to invest some funds and time to stage their houses. That’s the reason why here we wish to raise the issue of home staging as well as its significance for the fastest and advantageous home sale.
Despite the idea that every person has his or her own needs as well as tastes, many people still possesses a the same understanding of luxury and comfort. This is why, home staging, it may be not difficult to follow some general points, applied to create an appealing atmosphere within the exterior and interior of a house, which may be appreciated by many.
So, firstly it is crucial to make the home looking nice and trim. The presence of garbage or clutter is going to spoil the impression created by your house, once you will demonstrate it to your potential buyers. Secondly, the rooms in your own home should be well-lit, to allow your prospective buyers to view the furnishing of the house. And thirdly, the furnishing of the property as well as its style must provide the atmosphere of harmony and comfort, where your prospective buyers should be able to relax and enjoy their time, while staying at home.

You can try to build this type of attractive atmosphere, employing your own idea of comfort and style with some general principles we’ve mentioned previously above. On the other hand, if you would like to achieve the the greatest results, while making your property looking expensive and even acquiring the highest price for its sale, then it will be of great importance to take into account the advices of an expert to be able to stage a house to sell.
Today the real estate home staging appears to be quite intricate issue that will require a distinctive approach and consideration of the amount of significant points, which may be missed by non-professionals. Just to start staging a home we offer you to obtain decorating ideas provided by Lise Desormeaux, who is called a successful Home Staging and Decorating Educator. Her home staging tips present an excellent guide as for realtors as for homeowners, who will be capable to transform their properties into the million dollar homes, which often can be instantly sold. These tips might be also of great help for those, who’re going to decorate their abodes into the clutter-free and beautiful homes by not finding a decorator.
Follow the guidelines of Lisa Desormeaux, offered on www.lisedesormeaux.com, and you will be prepared to save big money, discovering the powerful secrets of home staging.

Home Staging – A Great Strategy To Sell Your Home Quickly.There Are Lots Of People, That Happen To

Despite the proven fact that each person has his or her own needs together with tastes, most people still possesses a virtually identical understanding of comfort and luxury. This is why, staging a home for sale, it may be not so difficult to follow some general aspects, used to create an attractive atmosphere within the exterior and interior of a house, that may be appreciated by many.
So, firstly it’s of great importance to make your home looking nice and trim. The existence of garbage or clutter will unquestionably spoil the impression produced by your home, while you will demonstrate it to your prospective buyers. Secondly, the rooms at your house need to be well-lit, to allow your possible buyers to see the furnishing of your home. And thirdly, the furnishing of your home and its particular style must provide the atmosphere of harmony and luxury, where your prospective buyers should be able to relax and enjoy their time, while staying at home.
You can attempt to make this sort of appealing atmosphere, employing your own comprehension of style and comfort with some general principles we have mentioned above above. Even so, if you wish to obtain the best results, while making your home looking extremely expensive and also obtaining the highest price for its sale, then it might be of great importance to take into account the advices of an professional concerning how to stage a house to sell.
Currently the real estate real estate home staging seems to be quite intricate issue that will require a distinctive approach and consideration of the amount of significant points, which could be missed by non-professionals. Just to start staging a home we offer you to discover the decorating ideas offered by Lise Desormeaux, that’s called a successful Home Staging and Decorating Educator. Her home staging tips present an ideal guide as for realtors as for homeowners, who will be able to transform their houses into the million dollar homes, that could be quickly sold. These hints might be also great for those, that are intending to decorate their abodes into the clutter-free and beautiful homes by not using a decorator.
Observe the tips and hints of Lisa Desormeaux, available on www.lisedesormeaux.com, and you will be prepared to save plenty of cash, discovering the powerful steps to home staging.

Home Staging

Home staging, which recreates the look of a model home, has been shown to improve sales – both in speed and price, but sometimes the thought of staging your entire home as you try to live there as well can be a bit daunting.

At least stage the biggest room.

Your living room might have a big TV and be comfortable. In addition to a thorough cleaning, put away the clutter and family mementos, and only leave out one remote. Set out snack and drinks before they arrive. Adjust the lighting as you would if you were getting ready to watch a movie or a big game. Keep it brightly lit. The buyer will keep this image in their minds.

Maybe you have finally put together a chef’s dream kitchen. Clean and declutter well. Then think about how it might look if you were going to cook for a party, but hadn’t made a mess yet. Some fresh vegetables or fruit on a cutting board, a few utensils set out ready to use, maybe some flowers on the counter like they were headed for the dining room, and suddenly your kitchen comes to life.

Focus on the dining room. Put a fresh flower arrangement out and put out your best dishes.

You may have a great bathroom, and want to accentuate it. Set the scene as though you were planning on a long soak. To ensure the relaxed feel, you can put a book or a glass next to the tub.

Your kid might have an awesome room. Play that up. Clean the room, but then set out some toys or electronics that complement the room’s theme.

Outdoor living might be your biggest asset. You can set aside some drinks on a patio, or add life to the pool by adding some floating toys.

Once you start staging your home with one room, you may find the process is enjoyable and decide you want to do the whole house, or it could be something you build on as you discover what each room needs to bring it to life. Maybe this week the living room, next time two rooms and soon the whole house.

Tawni Oppenheim’s Golden Touch

Theres a Blue eyed girl with rosy red cheeks in town and everything that she touches turns to gold. A House thats been sitting on the market for a long time is her specialty. She comes to that poor old house that has been sitting on the market for months and she dresses it up so it looks and feels like a house that anybody would want to buy. Her name is Tawni Oppenheim, An accredited staging professional master, who happens to be the #1 stager in San Diego County, and is the owner of Staged4Sale.com, San Diegos premier staging company. In a desperate California housing market where some people need to sell their homes fast, Tawni Oppenheim is the solution. With her eye for color coordination and furniture placement, Tawni knows what needs to be done as soon as she walks into a house. Whether the house is vacant or occupied, Tawni always has a plan for whatever house that she stages. Both sellers and buyers are amazed by Tawnis work. Every empty room that she stages is like a blank canvas that an artist paints into a masterpiece. She stages with beautiful furniture, flashy accessories, and art work with colors that pop. She truly is a master of her trade. Tawni built her business from the ground up having no clients, and no inventory. Tawni has built her client base on her reputation of being an exceptional stager. Most of her jobs come to her on a referral basis. Tawnis ultimate goal is to get the house stage, to make the job happen. A lot of realtors bring Tawni in on the listing presentation so that Tawni can explain to the seller how she can help hem prepare their home for sale. Realtors know that its a big plus to have a professional stager on their team. In this tough real estate market, a stager and a realtor make a great team. And sellers feel more confident knowing that they have a team helping them to sell their home. Tawnis philosophy is to stage every room in a house, since the sellers goal is to sell the entire house. Tawni believes that when a potential buyer walks into a house, they tend to spend more time in a room that has been professionally staged and thus more likely to submit a high offer. This I what keeps Tawni in business, along with her high standards and exceptional customer service. I found while interviewing her how Tawni is very easy to talk to. She also listens closely when people talk to her, which is very important, as well. I found her to be very pleasant to be around and very cordial. After reviewing her statistics and visiting many of her staged homes that are on the market, I am totally convinced that staging services are a major necessity in todays competitive real estate market. For more information about Tawni Oppenheim and her company, Staged4Sale, go to http://www.staged4sale.com .

A Sense to Sell The Role of Smell in Home Staging Success

Home staging addresses and refines the numerous sensory impacts a home will have on potential buyers. One important sense, that is sometimes overlooked, is that of smell. Smell, triggers memory which triggers emotion. Essentially, you want the smell to sell your home. Aim to trigger positive emotions through smell and eliminate the potential to trigger any negative emotions.

Have you ever walked into a home and felt turned off by a smell you can’t put your finger on? The smell may not even be so bad, but it is definitely distinct. A good place to start before adding any new smells in your home staging adventure, is to neutralize already existing smells. A distinct smell may be good for you, but a more neutral smell is good for the masses. It is a good precaution to neutralize the smells in your home, even if you think your home smells fine. Chances are there is a distinct smell to your home, which could be a turn-off to others.

To start neutralizing the odors in your home:

– Have your carpets professionally cleaned, or at the very least clean them with a product that contains a neutralizer.

– If you are not going for a professional clean make sure to focus on any stains yourself. Old pet stains could still be emmitting odor. Eliminate what you can.

– Have all drapes in your home cleaned.

– Wash all bed linens and blankets. With all your cleaning, use non-allergenic products if at all possible.

– If you have pets, try to have them out of the house prior to a viewing. Likewise if you have cats, remove the cat litter from the premises and if there is any other pet paraphernalia such as toys or blankets, remove them as well.

– This may seem obvious, but remove all garbage from the house before showing your home.

– Stinky shoes belonging to you or your children should be stored away in an air tight container.

– Vinegar is a great cleaning agent and combats smell without being toxic or commonly allergenic. Use vinegar (1/2 cup to one gallon on hot water) to clean floors, countertops and bathrooms.

– Make sure there is no dirty laundry. Keep up with the wash and again try to use neutral smelling and natural products.

– If there are any smokers in the house keep them (or at least their smoking!) outside in the weeks, or even months prior to your viewings. The smell of cigarettes definitely does not fall into the “neutral smells” category.

Once you have done all the grunt work and your home smells neutral as a puff of scentlessness, you can then consider adding some natural, inoffensive aromas. Citrus scents are nice and refreshing. Try running a grapefruit or orange skin through your garbage disposal just before showing your home. Essential oils are a wise choice. Look for products with lavender, tea-tree, eucalyptus, pine and sage. These are cleansing, calming and rejuvenating scents that will evoke pleasing emotions for most viewers. There are great room sprays you can find with all-natural ingredients. Test them before your showings. You don’t want anything too pungent. Once you have eliminated the bad and the distinct odors, a hint of something clean and refreshing is all you’ll need.

For your next home staging, rid your home of smelly deterrents and fill it with the sweet smell of success.

Eric Badgley is a motivated and professional realtor located in beautiful Whatcom County. For information contact Eric at http://www.bellingham-realestate.net/chuckanut.php

The Benefits Of Staging Your Home Before You Sell

If you are considering selling your home, you know you need to have it looking its best before prospective buyers come calling. Sure, the furniture and knick-knacks they see during the open house don”t come with the property. But these impressions matter, and can tilt the scales between a sale and no sale in an exceedingly tough seller”s market.
Recently, sellers and realtors have increasingly contracted the services of a professional home stager to prepare their homes for viewing. A home stager is a professional with design training that will prepare the home for sale. More than a specialized home decorator, home stagers have in-depth knowledge about buyer demographics and how to appeal to serious buyers. They are trained in how to highlight your home”s assets, while minimizing flaws or potential value detractors.
You may be thinking, “Why should I take on the added expense of a third party stager? Can”t I or my realtor spruce up my home sufficiently?” In the case of the latter, many realtors lack the time or training in how to successfully stage a home. In the case of the former, homeowners can benefit from the objective perspective a stager brings to the table. Many homeowners are unable to view their spaces without bias, while a stager can enter the situation from the perspective of a prospective buyer, and make changes accordingly.
Opening their homes to strangers can be unnerving for some people. Many home stagers will arrange to have your belongings placed in safe, self secure storage during the selling process to ensure none of your valuables are damaged or stolen during the selling process.
The value of a home stager is supported by the numbers. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that home staging typically costs between 1-3% of the home”s total asking price, while a staged home generates a return of 8-10%. A Home Gain Survey of more than 2,000 Realtors found that home staging provides an average of 568% return on investment.
Staged homes also sell faster, and less time on the market means a higher return for the seller. The NAR found that homes that stayed on the market for less than four weeks sold for 1% above their asking price, versus 10% below their asking price in homes on the market for 24 weeks.
With record numbers of homes on the market, every effort to separate your home from the pack may be beneficial to you. With such fierce competition from sellers, buyers are extremely particular about which home they settle on. With a professional home stager, you can relax knowing a trained professional is making your house look its absolute best, decreasing your stress level and resulting in a higher sale value.

Your Networking Paying Off

For most solopreneur home stagers NETWORKING is one of your key marketing strategies because you do not have a ‘company’ working on your behalf. You now are responsible for finding ways to attract new potential clients to work with you.

Are you joining networking groups where the members are your ideal target market, or who can give you referrals? This is an important question to ask yourself because there are only so many hours in the day that you have to spend on your marketing.

When I am teaching or conducting workshops on networking, I always recommend that you focus on ‘Quality’ and not ‘Quantity’. It’s not about how many cards can you get; it is about ‘how many relationships over time can you build’. In earlier ezines I talk about people needing to ‘Know You, Like You and Trust You’ before they will buy from you. We need to have our marketing pieces whether in person or electronically seen by them between 7 and 12 times. So it makes sense that just because you meet someone for the first time that they may not necessarily want to ‘buy from you’.

Follow up is critical after your networking event. When following up from a networking event it is considered very old school and unprofessional to follow up and try and sell something to someone you just met. You want to focus on ‘pull’ marketing rather than ‘push’ marketing so people self-select and want to buy from you. Find out how you can help them.

TOP 10 Networking TIPS – Creating A Networking System That Works You:

This is a system that I have used for years and 85 – 95% of my business has come from people I met at networking events. The business may not have come directly from the person I met but from what is called ‘Word of Mouth’ referrals – meaning someone who met or knows me, referred someone else to me whom I had not yet met.

This is what you need to do:

1. Determine which networking group is a good fit for you.

2. Attend as a guest a few times before you decide to join.

3. If you are shy and don’t consider yourself outgoing go with a friend but don’t stay together for the whole event.

4. The focus in networking is on the person you are meeting not on you – Ask Questions to get to know them: “How long have you been doing what you do?”, “What do you find most challenging in your business?”, “How did you get started?”, – you are there to learn about the other person not to tell them everything about yourself first; wait your turn.

5. Wear your name badge on your right hand side of your top – that way when shaking hands you can easily see each other’s name.

6. After you have chatted and exchanged business cards make a little note on the card about something to remind you of that person – sometimes a personal note on the card can be a great way to reconnect.

7. You have heard the expression ‘The Fortune Is In The Follow Up’ it’s true! When you follow up send everyone you met an email within the week. Always ask if there is anything you can help them with in your follow up email.

8. If there is someone you do want to meet with privately, ask them for a coffee meeting.

9. If you are on Facebook or LinkedIn see if they are too and connect with them.

10. Make sure they get into your database!!! With most database systems you can enter the contact name and they will then receive an email asking if they would like to sign up for your ezines/newsletters. If they are really interested in what you have to say or offer, they will ‘accept’. You can always send people directly to your site to sign up for future mailings, reports, courses, announcements, etc. but just in case…

PRES Staging Resource Centre founder, Dana J. Smithers, (founder and president of Sun On My Back Redesigns), has enjoyed a prestigious and successful career in Interior Decorating, Home Staging and Interior Redesign. Dana is passionate about this industry and has prepared over 700 students for successful Interior Decorating and Home Staging & Redesign careers of their own.