In Course 4, Staging Diva Sales & Marketing Secrets to Boost Your Home Staging Business, I provide tons of marketing ideas that you can use with your 4 key target markets for home staging.
One of these targets is the media because I’m a big advocate of free marketing (where you can get it). Plus, the media will always get you in front of a larger audience than you can reach yourself.
Imagine what it would have cost me to buy an ad on the front page of The Wall Street Journal‘s Home Section?
Yet there I was in a feature article called “Tricks of the Trade: Setting Up a Home for Sale” about how I stage my own homes for sale.
This front page story not only raised awareness of home staging in general, but of my services in particular. Now did I get any home staging projects from it? No because it’s The Wall Street Journal, not my local paper. Though I did get contacted by a New York literary agent who wanted me to write a book about home staging, which was very cool.
Clearly, being featured in the media also provides a significant boost to your credibility as a home staging expert in your market. Do not under estimate the value of this.
You may not get a project immediately that you can directly trace to your media appearance, but if you make sure potential clients know that you were featured, it will help many of them make a decision to hire you.
Here are some recent media appearances for Staging Diva Graduates that I happened to learn about on Facebook.
(Note: You can improve the chances of being featured on my blog— which gets your name out there even more— if you send me your success stories!)
Nashville Staging Diva Graduate Gary Baugher of An Eye 4 Change was featured in the Home Improvement section of Hendersonville Star News, with huge photos of one of his home staging projects, a photo of himself and a full article on how staging a house gives home sellers an edge in today’s market.
In fact, he’s the only stager quoted in the entire story! Gary writes:
“Aside from my own talents and ambition, I attribute my success to the Staging Diva home staging courses and your continued support. Most of all you helped me gain the confidence to put myself out there and follow my dream. Debra, You truly are an inspiration to us all.”
New York Staging Diva Graduate Donna Dazzo of Designed to Appeal is frequently quoted in the media, her latest story is in the Chicago Tribune.
By the way, Donna came to home staging after a layoff from her 25+ year career in financial services and I doubt she would have predicted all the magic that lay ahead of her when she decided to follow her passion and use her creative talents!
Learn more about how others have reinvented themselves as home stagers.
Wisconsin Staging Diva Graduate Leah Fritz of Perfect Place Home Staging was featured in a full page spread in Kenosha News including 3 sets of before and after shots from her staging projects.
What a way to get her home staging portfolio in front of a local audience of potential clients and real estate agents!
I’ve always had the media seek me out which is why a strong online presence is so critical — you need to be easy to find and have a professional web presence that positions you as an expert. In fact, the reporter told Gary Baugher specifically that she found him by Googling “Nashville Home Stager” and loved his website. And when the CNN reporter found me, it was because of my home staging website.
Thanks for the mention Debra! Having the media coverage has been great for my business. Lots of inquiries have been coming in from home sellers and agents saying they saw the article. I’ve always believed in the power of the media, but having it help me first hand has been tremendous. To see my home staging message quoted in print was very exciting! It makes me feel that the expert status I’ve been working so hard to achieve has finally taken hold. I couldn’t have asked for a better spring staging season!
Leah, you’re so welcome! Glad to hear you’re getting such a great response. Make sure to quote the story in your blog. A big part of the value of media coverage comes after, as you continue to mention it and bask in the glow of the continued credibility boost that comes from it.
Debra, thanks so much for the mention in this article. The fact that the editor called for the interview was so exciting. I feel the article really made my expertise shine and has been great for my business. Your continued support throughout this journey never ceases to amaze me. You truly are the best!
Gary, that excitement of realizing you’re talking to a reporter who has chosen you out of thousands of others he could have called instead, never wears off!
Thanks for keeping me in the loop of your continued success as I know you are inspiration to many others! Besides, I always get such a kick out of your stories and what you’re up to.
Congratulations Gary, Donna and Leah! Your Inspirational stories and updates are victories for the rest of us stepping into our home staging careers. Congratulations to you Debra for your role as a catalyst. The success of your graduates is also your victory and inspiration!
While we are on the topic of media, I would like to ask others if they are struggling to get attention or interest from their local news papers for articles or press releases? In communications with staff from the local news paper here I am told that they will do their best to run a release or an article if they have room for it (shrinking subscriber base and shrinage in staff) or there is interest in the topic. Anyone else dealing with this? Any advice?
Using large news papers, or smaller local news publications?
Hey Stacy, I’m glad I could inspire you with continued stories about successful Staging Diva Graduates, to write about them inspires me too!!
I’m going to tackle your question tomorrow in an Ask Staging Diva blog post, gather some opinions from readers and then provide my own thoughts on this topic. Thanks for asking.
Thank you, Debra! I look forward to other insights, ideas or experiences. I love that we have this “expert” home stager network with all of its opportunity.
Hi Debra,
Love this subject !!, I am actually in the process of writing an article with spring time just around the corner, thought this would be a perfect time to contact my local newspaper ……..fingers crossed !!!……
Thank you again- you are such an inspiration !!……………
Lucy, Thanks for commenting and good luck with your media coverage. I’d love to be writing a similar story about you soon!
Here’s another tip, you can have your photo show up next to your comments on blog posts by following the instructions in this article: Does Your Home Staging Business Image Follow You?