Free home staging consultations are a bad idea that will burn you out long before you make a living as a home stager.
A lot of you were very interested in the last home staging dilemma I posted. In case you missed it, I asked what you would do if you were asked to waive your consultation fee.
There were some different opinions and I love to see such a great discussion going on. Thanks to all who contributed.
Do you offer free home staging consultations?
I don’t think I could have provided better advice on this issue than Staging Diva Graduate Leah Fritz, who from day one has applied everything she learned from her training to grow Perfect Place Home Staging into very successful home staging business.
Leah hit it on the head when she commented that she constantly reminds herself that “If my mouth is moving, I’m getting paid!”
Or Staging Diva Graduate Gary Baugher of An Eye 4 Change who said, “Why waste your time giving free advice when you could be somewhere else making money?”
I love that!
As a professional home stager, you’re making a living selling your time, your talent and the accumulation of your experiences.
Several other comments that were left opened my eyes to how many home stagers do waive their consultation fee when they’re dealing with a vacant home.
I do not agree with that practice.
How much time do you have to take out of your day to book the appointment, travel to that vacant house, go through all of the rooms and come up with a plan as to how to tackle it?
Why shouldn’t you be paid for your time?
Have you determined how much an hour (or three) of your time is worth? When you get a real handle on that, you’ll see that it makes absolutely no sense to give that time away because the home is vacant and not occupied.
After all, it takes a lot of expertise to walk into an empty house, take all your measurements, imagine how the rooms can best be furnished, determine the style and type of furniture, calculate that you need 2 couches, 8 tables, 10 lamps, 15 pieces of art, etc.
This is not the same as doing a ball park estimate over the phone; of course you can tell someone the rough costs of furnishing a three bedroom home of a certain number of square feet.
But actually planning it out is an entirely different matter that requires you to be at the property using up your creative energy.
When you choose to give a free consultation, you’re devaluing your knowledge and your talents, not only for yourself but for all home stagers as a collective industry.
If you’re nervous about how to approach the issue of charging for your time spent at a home staging consultation, order a copy of the Staging Diva Sales Script.
You’ll get my word-for-word script that I use when I’m on the phone with a prospective client.
Please continue to discuss the issue here by leaving a comment below. It certainly is a hot topic!
Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Home Staging
Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love while helping others at the same time.
Thank you for noticing my comment Debra! You and my fellow grads are always a source of great feedback, knowledge and support. Having this cicle of sharing has been huge for me and my business.
Please post more staging dilemmas Debra, so we can get another great comment string going!
Yes, Debra, please post more staging dilemmas! This one is a hard one to deal with, although very true we are “selling” our experience and abilities, most people have a hard time payiing for something they can’t see until after they’ve trusted you and commited. Before and After pictures are so vital at this point!
I have to say also, that although I’m studying and not a grad yet, I’ve enjoyed all the feedback, knowledge and support I’ve gotten just from everything you put out there Debra. You are so generous with your knowledge and support, before I even spent a dime! Maybe you don’t get thanked enough for that, so, let me take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU!
Yes Debra. I SO appreciate this website and this chance to comment, ask questions and get good feedback. Even though I went through another well known staging course, they did little to prepare me for staging on my own. When I found your website and the materials that you offer, this has been the best thing for me just starting out my business. I just love the idea of having a forum for all of us fellow stagers! I”m way up in Alaska and feel very lonely sometimes in this business as there are practically NO stagers here. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Hi Debra, Good conversation & lots of intersting perspective. My view is if you’re not getting paid, home staging is a hobby.
Thanks you everyone for your comments, feedback and kind words. I’m glad to know you value the information I’ve been sharing with you.
When you join in the conversation it certainly inspires me to keep going and it gives me ideas for new articles and blog posts. I confess after 7 years in home staging, sometimes I worry that I must have already said all there is to say!
Hi Staging Diva!
Whats your opinion on a complimentary DIY consultation for first time agents? Is this a good no brainer offer to generate business?
Whether you’re “working” for an agent or a home seller, you should never be doing free consultations. If you’re in a home, you must be paid to be there. If you’re not a Staging Diva Grad, I strongly encourage you to consider the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. It tells you everything you need to know to earn a living at this and won’t duplicate anything you may have learned elsewhere.
Thanks for asking a great question!
Thanks Debra!
Your articles and comments are so helpful, and I really admire your business model.
I am definitely considering investing in your staging business training, I think it would be very beneficial for me.
Happy to hear it Nadesda! I look forward to supporting you in your journey as a home stager. When you join my program, you’ll be part of the Staging Diva Network Online Discussion Group. That’s like having me “in your back pocket” to answer any business questions or challenges that come up along the way. It’s a private group and where I answer questions in very specific detail. Not sure if you saw that I just launched a new payment plan, meaning you can get started on my program for as little as $367 right now. You can check it out in detail here: https://stagingdiva.com/home-staging-courses/
Thanks so much Debra!
I really look forward to taking the course in the future, and a payment plan will definitely make it easier for me.
I just finished reading Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide, I love it! And I started reading Simple Marketing Plan Companion, it’s soo helpful to have a marketing guide with the perspective of a home stager 🙂
Thank you for providing such helpful resources!
Hi Nadesda!
Thanks so much and happy you’re learning so much from my articles and the two guides you mentioned! Also looking forward to our call in a few days 🙂
For anyone else reading this, you can read more about the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide here. And the Simple Marketing Plan Companion can be found here.