Home stagers who take the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program know that I emphasize using staging stories to pull your audience in rather than throwing a bunch of home staging statistics at them.
Please know that when I say “stories” I’m not suggesting making anything up.
What I am saying is, use real life examples of what home staging has done for real home sellers who have had trouble preparing or selling their home on the real estate market.
While it’s fine to quote studies that say that the average staged homes sells X number of days faster or for X number of dollars more, it’s hard for the listener to put their own situation into the numbers.
If on the other hand, you share a meaningful staging success story, especially if it’s one that relates to their situation, they will connect with the power of what you do.
Here’s a great example of what I mean. It’s an old ad for Google. Watch the unique way they shared what their search engine could do (back in the days before “Google” became synonymous with “search”).
If you’ve just watched the clip, notice how you feel right now.
Realize this could have been an ad where Google told you how they dominate the search market, how many seconds it takes to get a result after typing your query into the search box, etc.
But would that have had the same effect?
Would you remember the statistics an hour from now, or would you remember the story?
What about later when you’re trying to decide which search engine to use?
Home staging statistics pale against home staging success stories
I’ve written over 100 home staging success stories that prove home staging works. I know these will help you build a case for home staging with your potential clients.
They’ll find real life examples that mirror their own situation more memorable than a bunch of home staging statistics. Plus, they’ll help you build a connection with your potential clients.
After all, who doesn’t want to read about a homeowner who made over $15,000 in just THREE days by hiring a stager?
Home stagers, I’d love you to share your comments about this topic. And please share examples of how you’ve successfully used home staging statistics or staging success stories in your marketing, and whether they helped you connect with your potential clients.
And if you’d like to read a different type of home stager success story, click here to get a behind-the-scenes look at how 10 home stagers got their start!
You’ll read about a registered nurse who stages homes part-time, a home-schooling mom who makes a living as a stager, and more!
Thanks Debra! This is great advice. If you have actual stories to tell your customers you look more credible. But what if you are just starting out and have no stories?
Christiana, my first success stories were about my own homes, though I didn’t go out of my way to mention that fact. If anyone had asked I would have honestly told them it was my own home, but since they didn’t ask I didn’t feel compelled to mention it.
How I used my examples, went something like this…. “In the last home I staged, the property sold in only one week for $30,000 more than….”
Once I had client projects, I used their examples.
If you’ve never bought, decorated and sold your own home, or helped a friend or family member and therefore have absolutely NO examples to draw upon, you could resort to statistics, OR you could also drawn on examples you’ve read about. This is unlikely as most stagers get into this field because they have at some point decorated a house to sell.
But assuming you can’t draw upon personal experience, you would say something like, “There are so many examples of the difference home staging can make. Homes that have sat on the market with no offers suddenly sell once they are staged. The reason for that is…. ”
You’ll find more information about how to talk to potential clients in Course 3 of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
Debra, I recently used BOTH the newly released statistics published by Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) and backed it up with one of my own staging success stories. My blog started out with the new 2009 RESA statistic of “staged homes that were on the market then subsequently staged sold 78% faster than before they were staged (or spent 78% less days on the market than when they were listed and unstaged)”. I then told the “story” of a recent staging I did of a vacant apartment that had been on the market for 5 months with no offers and then once we staged it, the owner received 3 offers in the first week and it sold for 99% of the asking price. The story made the blog and statistics much more tangible. However, lately I’ve just been telling potential clients my own personal success stories without the statistics. I think my successes are much more convincing of the power of staging to sell a property. But there will always be those potential clients and real estate agents asking for statistics, so it doesn’t hurt to have both stats and personal success stories in your arsenal.
Thanks Donna for sharing that. I totally agree with you!
I collect statistics on home staging. To date though, I have not used or relied on them to prove home staging works. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t a true believer until I staged my second home. It was these hands-on experiences – not statistics – that convinced me staging works.
My first success took place during the real estate boom in early 2005. When this home sold with multiple offers, asking and above, I chalked it up to the market.
It wasn’t until the market slowed in 2006 that I saw the true value of home staging. A friend trusted me to stage his home which had been on the market almost a year. On the final staging day, I just couldn’t get over the transformation. I thought it would take at least 6 months to sell, but within 2 months, there were multiple offers and a bidding war.
I was finally sold on home staging, and all it took was a simple scientific experiment. Try selling the same home “as is” and staged. Give each enough time, and I think you will find that, hands down, staging makes the difference.
So when it comes to stats, personal examples are the best, even if you only have one. Personal stats are easier to remember, more interesting, and clients/agents will see your passion when reciting them.
Hi Debra,
I recently was asked to present at a “home selling seminar” for a local broker in our town. I was stressed over what I would say and did review the Staging Diva Chronicles to try and draw some key points from that. However, once the photographer started showing pix of the homes she and I had worked on together the words just started flowing. I was able to talk about the length of time these homes were on the market prior to and after staging, the cost involved, and how near the asking price they received. I’m still surprised despite success after success how many homes are listed and marketed in less than ideal condition???? I guess I have my work cut out for me!
I participated in a home show last weekend and I told my personal home staging stories over and over again. I found that people entered my booth to look at my photo boards (people LOVE before & afters!), but they really engaged with me over a good staging story! I discovered something at this home show I’d really like to share…. it is sooo much more fun being a story-teller than a salesperson, and way more effective! Of course I answered all sorts of questions, and I must say one person put me on the spot asking about my success rate. Since I really don’t keep my stats (and maybe I should) I told her what I know to be true… To date, all my staged homes have either sold or received nice offers. What my clients decide to do with those offers is out of my control as a stager.
Note to Debra: I just discovered a new product for you to create. “The Staging Diva Home Staging Stat Kit – Everything you need to easily collect, track, compile, and convert your home staging success into numbers.”
Alot of people are wrapped up in numbers and I do like when I have the success stories to share. However, unfortunately there are properties that don’t sell and they want an explanation for that. Ultimately they have to perceive that a property is a good value for the money. I do my part to make the property show in its’ best light, but there are factors we as stagers have no control over….pricing is key, condition that home is shown in, and if the homeowners actually implement the suggestions made during a consultation! My best results are usually when the homeowner has me do the entire job. I agree with Debra that it is hard to compile stats unless you have the exact house, exact price, exact location …one staged, one not staged etc. That being said people do like to see stats. I recently pulled some 2009 stats off the RESA site…..a lot of mumbo jumbo to me, but I do like the one from Home Gain that gives an idea of the return on your investment for certain home improvement projects. Students in my class really liked that piece of paper!
I am doing a presentation next week on my business where I will be mentioning the stats and then showing real life examples from my staging to back it up. I also use testimonials such as “Mary Ann did an amazing job staging my clients property, and it showed when it came time to negotiate an accepted full price offer the first day is was on the market!” on my website under testimonials and also under my services to tell the story.
Great strategies Mary Ann! Speaking of testimonials, check out this article on how to make testimonials even more powerful.