You wanted to become a home stager ever since you first heard of the industry on HGTV. You knew it was the perfect career for you because of your natural design talent and entrepreneurial drive. You decided six months ago to dive in and start a home staging business. You felt like you had chosen the perfect life path and you were so happy you could hardly believe it.
Now, six months later, you’re scared.
The phone hasn’t been ringing like you thought it would be, even though you invested in a membership to the Chamber of Commerce and created and mailed an expensive flyer to all of the real estate offices in your community.
To tell the truth, you still haven’t even done a project for a client you weren’t related to.
Your spouse is telling you to cut your losses and find a job. You’ve spent more than you’ve made. Now you believe you don’t have enough money to take any courses to help you become successful or do any real marketing because you have no projects coming in.
With no support at home and no phones ringing, you think it’s time to give up on your dream.
With six months and no income, what do you do? Please leave your answer by commenting below. (Successful home stagers, I hope you’ll all chime in here!)
Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. 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.
[tags] home staging, home stager, home stagers, home staging dilemma, home staging investment, staging diva[/tags]
Initially reaction when reading this …. NO WAY do you give up! You keep trying, you keep investing in good, reliable courses when you can, you keep asking people who you know and trust who may be able to give you suggestions on what else you can do.
You consult Debra, a wealth of information and knowledge. You look at comments from other people on blogs, maybe you even write your own blog about ideas, you investigate further on the internet and you put yourself out there more and more. Perhaps you call your local newspaper and ask them about doing an article on home staging.. You go out to other areas you haven’t yet explored, you speak to real estate agents again – try others in other areas. You know you’re onto a good idea so you have to keep at it. You can never give up until you’ve finally tried every avenue, every opportunity humanly possible, Even then, if you really want it, you still keep at it until it happens.
But if what you’re doing isn’t working and you keep doing it, you can’t expect a different result because you haven’t changed anything. You need to take a new tact and a fresh look at something different until you find something that works for you. You never give up on your dreams..
Thanks so much Debra and Lorraine-
As a new stager just starting out I can appreciate this article tremendously as well as the advice!
I’m an accredited home stager and certified interior decorator. I have been working on my home staging business for more than a year now. Last January and February, I was busy. But since then I haven’t had any projects. I’ve been doing a lot of marketing including trying a google ads account, Facebook account, mailings, an ad in the county newsletter and website market optimizing. A real estate friend and I are trying to put our heads together and come up with more ideas — as well as advertize for each other on our Facebook accounts.
I’m already working another full-time job so I can’t work on my business 24/7. Any ideas? I will admit — I’m getting discouraged.
Deb, I’m sorry to hear that your previous training did not adequately prepare you for how to market your home staging business, how to properly charge for your services and any number of other things that may be standing between where you are right now and the business you’ve dreamed of having.
Other than the myriad of tips I share freely on this blog with three posts per week and my monthly newsletter Staging Diva Dispatch, you may want to review the Staging Diva courses to see where to fill in the gaps. Or alternatively, you can use a coaching call with me to review your website and other advertising to see if this is where the problem lies. You can learn more about my business accelerator coaching program at https://stagingdiva.com/store/#acceleratorcoaching
Wow, I feel like you’re writing about me, Debra! I just was feeling pretty much this way until a week ago, after a “dry spell” of 6 weeks, when I got a new project. I haven’t done any projects for family members :>) because they don’t own houses or aren’t moving, but I figure since I’ve only been doing this 6 months, I expect it to take a while to build up business and referrals. Meanwhile, I keep busy on LinkedIn, ActiveRain, I learn more about optimizing my website, I give out business cards and lately had three business owners ASK if I wanted to leave my cards with them (a furniture rental store, an auto body shop, the owner of an office suite for self-employed people). All people I met going about daily jobs, so you never know if you talk to people and are friendly, where the doors might open. A wallpaper hanger I met on LinkedIn just did me a favor by visiting a client with a lot of outdated wallpaper to give her advice on removing it. I really feel making connections both through social networking and real-life networking, plus doing a great job for clients, is the way to slowly build up your business. I will be happy if I make back all the money I’ve put into various classes, inventory, insurance, marketing materials, equipment such as a new camera, etc. within the year. If you like what you do, don’t expect great results quickly . . . it takes time to let people know you’re out there and get business. Doesn’t hurt to network with other stagers, either; I helped another stager out on a job and she gave me a great recommendation on LinkedIn!
Amy, that’s all great stuff! Keep going and good luck!
This is exactly what I am dealing with. Help!
I don’t think someone should give up after only 6 months. You’ve probably heard that it takes 3 years for a small business to be successful, i.e., profitable. When I first heard that when I started my business 2 1/2 years ago (full time), I thought “no way – that’s not going to be me”. But I too was spending more on my business than I was making. But I continue to plow money into my business in terms of marketing and promotion, and I feel that it will really take off this year based upon the marketing and promotion I’ve done and the relationships with real estate agents I’ve developed. I also won’t give up until I can say “I’ve tried everything, but it isn’t working for me”. So 1) try everything you can do to promote and market your business [get ideas from courses, reading other stager’s blogs, etc.] and 2) give yourself a deadline you can live with financially: “if after 2 years or whatever I am not making $X profit, then that is when I will give up”.
Wise words Donna! I personally wanted to give up every single week of my first year, but I kept going.
In my second year things really took off in the second half because by then I’d really mastered my marketing and pricing strategies, plus I was able to reap the rewards of all my activities leading up until that point. I wish I had known from day 1 what I now teach my students based on my 7 years in the business. It would have saved me a lot of trial and error.
How can one “give up” when education & training haven’t had an opportunity to be successful? Of course I’m scared, but not of me failing (I’m good at this!!). If I read lots of posts correctly, we’re looking for someone to jump start our business. So, its time we started thinking outside THEIR box … if business won’t come (easily) to me, then I’ll go to it! From here on out, I’ll be pro-active using a “hands on” approach. Active is the beginning of MY successful staging business. I’m starting it myself!!!
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MY PLAN: Find one or two real estate agents/firms & offer to stage a “difficult project” for free. [“Difficult project” defined: The home must be priced right but in dire need of staging.] The AGENT must heavily promote the staged property during our agreed time.
The SELLER must (a) have enough $$$ to pay for their staging needs, (b) agree to hold at least one open house, (c) must maintain the staged property.
I have a designated display area with “before & after” photos, my cards, (perhaps) a “take home” leaflet explaining the wonders of staging & I attend the open house to quietly promote ME. [Anything else, Debra, others?]
Will this plan work? Why wouldn’t it? What does the agent – or the seller – have to lose? What would appeal [to me] were I the SELLER or the AGENT? That SOLD sign accomplished their goals; both made money (perhaps more). AND …
… that SOLD sign makes me impressive! I completed a difficult (but successful) staging job. I made my mark. I became a business. The agreement included all that agent’s business when the property sold [after my superior staging job]. It’s a win/win all around.
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SOLD is an undisputed fact. When that unsellable property sells, staging made the difference: not the agent; not the seller. I became the “go to” business for S-O-L-D!
The way I see it, doing nothing = nothing doing. What’s being passive got me? Being pro-active means we consider untried ways to promote our business. If we don’t, who will? [Other suggestions?]
Starting a business is difficult if one doesn’t know their market. Stagers: our market is staring us in the eyes: thousands of “for sale” properties internet listed with all the information we need, including their photos.
DOES ANY ONE ELSE HAVE PRO-ACTIVE IDEAS WE MIGHT TRY?
Sherry, I love your “can do” attitude! You go girl!!
Wow..I read this thinking this is me !!! I took training last year and started my business. I had more calls when I first started than now..altho none of those jobs ever came thru. It’s really discouraging. I will also admit I haven’t put 100% into my business…so I have no one to blame but me. I have sent out postcards to realtors and homeowners..joined a BNI Networking group…given out flyers…contacted real estate agents..but nothing. I helped out a realtor in my BNI group for free (his house is on the market) and I gave him ideas of what he can do to help his house stand out..I’m hoping that he’ll pass the word out to his co workers and that I’ll get some jobs from that. But I will have to find a full time job as well..money is going fast !!!
HI Sue, I can sympathize with where you’re coming from. It’s good that you are able to see and admit to yourself that you have not put 100% effort into your business, I can tell you that this is part of why you aren’t having the success you want.
While you mention you did training last year, it was not the Staging Diva Training Program. Of the things you are doing, I can see a lot of time and money being wasted on the wrong things. I strongly urge you to consider course 4, Staging Diva Sales & Marketing Secrets to Boost Your Home Staging Business, which will teach you the right marketing tools to use.
Or, if you don’t want to take the Staging Diva courses, because you’ve previously invested in another training program, consider investing in one hour of business coaching with me. You’ll be amazed at how many pitfalls I can identify for you in how you’re currently operating and all the ideas that will have you making more money right away. You can learn more about my business accelerator coaching program at https://stagingdiva.com/store/#acceleratorcoaching
The only money I SPENT to start my successful staging business of 5 years so far was on The Staging Diva Home Staging Business Courses, all of them, and that money came from a color consultation I did before I took the courses. I built a website myself on Publisher, did a LOTof due diligence reading online and commenting to improve my SEO free, I went to a ton of Open Houses- professionally dressed business card in hand, and just talked to anyone and everyone about Show Smart Home Staging until a Realtor needed me and simultaneously a random client found me online. From these I took great pictures and was off and running from referrals. So, my expereince was to put a lot into my business, just not money.
Patricia, Thanks for your comments and I’m so pleased that you followed the formula I lay out in the Staging Diva Program where you put time, not money, into growing your business. The process you’ve described is exactly how I created my staging business Six Elements 7 years ago. I’ve never really spent money on it, except for a small Google Adwords budget during my second year. The rest I did on my own.
That’s why I have trouble understanding why some people talk about investing so much money. Home staging is a totally low cost business unless you build up your own inventory (which I rarely recommend) or plow money into expensive advertising (which is unlikely to pay off).
Congrats on hitting that 5 years in business landmark! Isn’t it great how everything just gets easier the longer you’re at it? By the way, I’d love to write an article about you to help promote your business. If you’re interested in this free service, submit your info here:
https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness/staging-success-stories/
I am in a similar boat but am always hopeful. I think you need to network, network and network. People need to get to know you personally and then business will follow. Trust me!
Reading everyone’s posts was helpful. I know that currently, our town has SO many homes on the market due to so many companies downsizing and even leaving town, homeowners know they have to move to another (usually larger) city for work and therefore they don’t want to invest a penny to sell their house, even if it’s been months on the market or already had price reductions. It’s a tough economy. I was also surprised when a dear friend, a realtor, tried to discourage me from going into staging because she had started to try to do it herself for extra income with so many price reductions and homes just sitting — she isn’t making the commissions she used to make.
Do NOT give up after 6 mos. In my experience, it takes at least 8 mos to a year to start seeing results from your initial marketing efforts. From presentations at real estate offices to marketing meetings – to currently: social media and using my projects as my main marketing tools….you find what is right for you and your area. I look for ways to market without taking so much of my time, especially if you do everything yourself! After 8 years in the business, I would say about 98% of my projects come from referrals. From agent to agent, home owner to homeowner, investor to investor. It’s like a domino effect….so, I think it’s wise to wait at least a year or two to make that decision. After making a list of marketing efforts just do it! All you really need are your business cards, a website and a smile! Start establishing your relationships and keep finding creative ways to market yourself without spending too much time or money.
All wise words Melanie, thanks for sharing your comments as a stager who has been in business for awhile. Congratulations on all your success! I also agree that “All you really need are your business cards, a website and a smile!” — that is if you know how to get the word out and build your business correctly! But honestly that’s all I had when I started my own staging business in 2002. From there I figured out the right marketing, pricing, etc. These are all things I share with my students so they don’t have to figure it out the hard way.