Tag: APSD

When I first started staging, I was an active real estate investor, so my first client was me! I really did not know what I was doing, but I knew that I had to fill my homes for the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time, and I thought the best way to do that was by making my house look better than any other similar homes.

It worked! Before I knew it, I had my own home staging company; Simple Appeal, LLC and was speaking on home staging, curb appeal and home sales from platforms all over the world. My area of expertise was investor homes, what I refer to as -Bread and Butter- homes. They usually have 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a 2 car garage but this can vary slightly. Normally these are great properties that use multiple exit strategies, are a little less than perfect but generally appeal to those starting out (and sometimes, starting out-again!).

As more and more investors asked me to stage their homes, I started to develop a system, which is today, my APSD 6 Step Home Staging Pyramid (you can learn more about it at www.APSDmembers.com and get a free home staging CD there as well). This was a proven home staging system that yielded me amazing results! I was the Queen of Staging for Investment Properties! What I did not realize at the time though, was that people were investing in other types of homes as well. (Yes, sometimes it takes me time to catch on! ?). Pretty soon, someone asked me to stage their million dollar home. I of course, jumped at the chance and when I was finished, they called me to tell me to take everything out and give them their money back (even then, I guaranteed my work-which is a -golden nugget,- for you!). With tears streaming down my cheeks, I picked everything up and put their check back on the counter, locked the home and left.

I had about a 2 hour ride home and during that time, once I pulled up my big girl panties and decided I needed to clear my head, I started to think why it didn’t work-it always had in the past. That is when I had my -A-Ha- moment. It didn’t work because I deviated from my proven APSD 6 step Home Staging Pyramid. I realized that the system works every time, it is just the items that change!!! This was a defining moment in my home staging career (I still stage by the way, and at APSD, we are one of the only companies in the Home Staging Industry that still does what we teach). But, despite what I had learned, I still needed to figure out why I got booked in the first place when I had previously only been going after -bread and butter- homes. Here is what I came up with-

1) My results. The owner of this home had booked me simply because she heard about my results. My results were achieved by a proven model of success, the APSD 6 step Home Staging pyramid (get a free CD on this 6 step system at www.APSDmembers.com). In order to get what you want, get the results your clients are looking for. All of our APSD certified Home Stagers and beyond fully realize this. 2) Put your -brag- on. Once you have achieved these great home staging results, start bragging about it everywhere you can. Talk about it, put it on your flyers, print it on your business cards, post it on your website-where ever people will see it or hear it, you want to have your results. 3) Dress for success. This one probably comes as a surprise to you but it works every time. I know that you are often tired when you show up to network at a meeting, bid on a home staging job or even pick up your home dcor items from a previous staging. But these are opportunities for you to show others that you are a successful business owner. Make sure you dress for success! If you are in a business environment, always dress one step above the others. IF they are business casual, you should be in a business suit. If they are in jeans, you are business casual. I could write an entire article on this, and shall in future but today, take advantage of all the great sales and get yourself 3 professional outfits and wear them every time you have a chance to meet others that could use your home staging services. 4) Use a proven system. I always talk about the APSD 6 step home staging pyramid (www.APSDmembers.com) because that is what I use and what I teach our APSD home staging members in 7 countries. It works, plain and simple. And because I am so familiar with this, and I know the results it yields, I can clearly speak about it with confidence. I find this to be key in securing a high end home staging job because your client wants to know that you know what you are talking about.

5) This leads me to my final point, confidence. With proven results, a great system, and a confident look, you should adjust your attitude to be in line with your presence. Everyone wants to work with someone that exudes confidence as it in turns instills confidence in them, and the results they hope to receive. After every ASPD Certified Stager Pro course I teach, the resounding feeling that the entire group has is confidence. They just spent 3 intense days, in the field, working with me, hand in hand, doing some of the toughest staging jobs they will ever tackle and trust me when I tell you, they are amazed at their results. Suddenly, they have more confidence in their home staging business, their home staging marketing and themselves. So, when you put this all together, your results, bragging about them to anyone that will listen, your -dress for success- look, a proven system like the APSD 6 step Home Staging pyramid, and your rock and roll new found home staging confidence, you have a successful formula to easily secure those high end home staging jobs! Let me know if you have some other ideas or thoughts about this, I would love to hear them and share them with our World Class APSD Home Staging Professionals!

To your home staging success,

Karen Schaefer Founder/Creative Director; APSD The Association of Property Scene Designers The World Leader in Home Staging Training and Certification www.APSDmembers.com

How do you get your first home staging job? How do I find clients? How do I get referrals?

At most of my APSD home staging training courses, I teach at least 30% of the course on home staging systems and creativity,30% of the course on the business of home staging and 40% of the course on effective home staging marketing skills. So, in essence, we teach what it takes to successfully and completely build and grow your home staging business.

One of the things that I cover extensively in marketing is building a relationship with your clients. As a matter of fact, I really only think you need 5 good clients to get 50 home staging jobs each year. As one of our Certified Property Scene Designers about it and they will tell you the formula.

Life and Business is all about relationships. Think about it, if you are married, or ever have been, did you develop a relationship before you made a commitment? What about your friendships, same thing, right. The same holds true in business, especially today.

Your client, or future client wants to know who you really are and whether or not they can trust you, will enjoy doing business with you and if you will always under promise and over deliver. So, they may test you out a little. Thats okay, all you have to do is show them how fabulous you really are and they will love you forever.as long as you maintain the relationship.

If you are asking yourself, the questions at the top of this page, I think you might want to think about a better question, because you know the old saying ask a better question, get a better answer. So, what is the better question? How about, how can I build lifetime relationships with my existing and future home staging clients? THAT is a good question.

There are lots of ways, and some depend upon whether you are talking about new clients or existing ones, for the sake of space, we will discuss both, together.

New Clients;

1) Go where they go. Is there a local real estate investors club in your area? Go there and meet everyone you can. Dont come right out and try to get them to help you, find out how you can help them and then build your relationship from there. I am not saying you have to give away the farm, but maybe give a little advice on color or curb appeal, even marketing if you feel as though you can. Then, keep in touch. You know our APSD marketing cycle, 1/7/30.

2) You can do the same thing with sellers or real estate agents as you have done with investors. Is there a local meeting of agents or an event agents are sponsoring for home sellers (some of my small business clients are real estate agents and they hold these events weekly at a coffee shopvery successfully)? Make sure you attend. Bring everyone a small gift that has your business card tied to it such as a silk flower, pennant for a local team, a pak of via, or even a rubber duck. Just anything that makes sense to them that they like and will keep. Then, follow up.

3) In general , once you make the connection, follow the APSD 1/7/30 marketing cycle (ask any APSD certified home staging member if you need help with this), and always make sure that you add a personal touch. This week, I sent 2 personal emails, obviously that only took me a minute or two, but one was to an APSD Trainer, telling her I was keeping her in my prayers as her family was struggling with a personal issue and another was to another APSD certified trainer, just saying thank you, that I really appreciated her and hope that she stayed with us forever. I did not do this with expectation of anything in return. But, boy did I ever reap a rewardfrom both. The point here is that I kept in touch and made it personal by touching on something that was specific to them. During another posting, I will discuss creating your client information file system.

These are just a few examples of how to build a home staging relationship, there are many and I would love to hear your ideas as well.

For more ideas on building your home staging business and making some of the best home staging relationships of your life with your fellow home stagers , join us at STAGE; www.APSDmembers.com/STAGE

To your Home Staging Success,

Karen Schaefer
Founder, APSD, The Association of Property Scene Designers
The World Leader in Home Staging Training and Certification
www.APSDmembers.com

Riches in Niches

As more and more Home Stagers, Professional Organizers, Interior Designers and Real Estate Agents come to APSD for Home Staging Training and Certification, I realize the importance of teaching the concept of “Riches in Niches.”

Some of you already understand this idea and have specialized in one area or another, and others are still trying to be everything to everyone. I started with the idea that I could please everyone too. And I did, and then I was tired and broke. You have to face facts. As women (I know we have some GREAT guys too, but you don’t have the “pleaser” instinct of women!) we already have to please so many other people each day. We please our spouse, our children, our neighbors, our boss – basically anyone that walks in our path.

As I decided to make the real choice and lead the home staging industry, I realized that I could no longer be everything to everyone. I had to be extraordinary with my strengths and visions and help those that were willing and able to receive and exceed with my brand of training. I knew that I wanted to focus on the true business growth aspect of Home Staging Training and Certification. I didn’t want to teach people to put candles on a table. I wanted to teach systems, marketing and business development in an industry I loved. I wanted to teach creativity, lifestyle and money making techniques.

So, I niched myself and APSD as The Global Leader in Home Staging Training and Certification with a specific focus on exactly what I mentioned above.

And because I see the need of “niching” or creating a specialty, I teach 19 different streams of income to our highest level APSD member, Property Scene Designer. I want them to have the , education, resources and ability to niche. The same is true with my APSD Stager Pro’s. I teach 4 different streams of income in that course so they can become experts in certain areas and stand above any other Home Stagers in their market. Kim Holdbrook, one of my Certified APSD Stager Pro’s is awesome at Curb Appeal. She should make it an area of expertise. Mannie Tantawy perfects Origami displays and is already standing out as an expert in this area. Terri Garner is an expert with Home Staging for investment properties as is Cindy Captein. There are many more certified APSD Home Staging Professionals that have also seen the benefit of “niching” their home staging services, and have done so.

It does not mean that you can’t provide an entire menu of services but if you can become known for one specific thing, you will always be the “go to expert” which then opens the door for additional opportunity.

Here Is how you develop your niche:

1) Decide what aspect of Home Staging you Love the most. Do you love doing vacant homes? Maybe working with investors is your niche. What about high end properties? You might specialize in homes over $1 million. You could also focus just on certain type of Home Staging service, like Curb Appeal or Marketing.

2) Once you have decided what you love to do, become the expert. Take the training you need to get to the top of the pack. Practice, practice, practice. Next, you have to toot your own horn. Go out and start telling everyone who will listen, that you are the expert. Then own it internally and do an extraordinary job every single time.

3) Continue to Educate yourself. You can take a course, listen to CD’s, become a member of a great organization like APSD that offers continuing education, look at others work, attend Home Staging events, etc. The biggest mistake that most so-called experts make is they stop learning and growing. Then, others that are willing to receive education surpass them.

4) Market Yourself and your work endlessly. The more you talk about your specialty, the more others will as well. So, don’t be afraid to brag a little about your results and your extraordinary achievements. Before you know it, others will be doing it for you.

An easy way to begin to develop your “niche” status is to listen to the APSD Complimentary call I recently did on Curb Appeal. “Curb Appeal, Creating Impact and Profit in your Home Staging, Design and Real Estate Business.” You also still have time to take advantage of a very special offer I made at the end of the call! http://www/apsdmembers.com/curbappeal

To your joy and success,

Karen Schaefer
Founder, APSD
The Global Leader in Home Staging Training and Certification

So far in this series, we have talked about creating curiosity with Press Releases and announcements as well as giving your potential clients what they really, really, really want in order to build celebrity for your home staging business . Then we took it one step further by -celebritizing’ your business by offering limited availability.

Today, to conclude our series, we are going to talk about pricing your services for a celebrity home staging business.

As with the rest of this series, some of you will find this controversial. That is fine as you know the old saying -no press is bad press!’ If you are bold enough to follow these steps, you will find great reward in the abundance of newly found celebrity and recognition you have created for your home staging business.

In this economy there seems to be a prevailing thought process about low prices. The truth is, there is plenty of money out there, around every corner if you just give someone what they really want and show them the extreme value they will receive and how it will help them, specifically.

Why do you think that people who train on money, weight loss and sex are so popular? Everyone wants to be rich, skinny and sexy so the people who teach that have created huge desire and can now price their products and services accordingly.

When I first started APSD (www.APSDmembers.com) everyone said I would not succeed because my trainings were more expensive than other home staging training companies. But I never thought of myself as just another home staging training company and was prepared to present the difference and the value. It worked and I soon became an underground celebrity within the real estate investing community.

Recently my husband sent out a request for business quotes from contractors for his business. The funny thing is that he received 3 quotes and each one doubled in price. He immediately dismissed the lowest quote without even seeing examples because he assumed that the person must not be very good. Hmmmm. Have you ever thought about this? How can you run a -celebrity’ home staging business if people automatically assume you are no good because your prices are so low?

If you really want an abundant and prosperous -celebrity’ home staging business, you have to learn to price accordingly. For some of you this will be difficult because you have become the -Wal-Mart’ of home staging-pricing so low that you assume everyone will want to shop in your store. Nope, not everyone does and those that do are usually a pain in the rear end.

The best way to step up into a -celebrity’ home staging business pricing structure if you have started too low is to offer staging options. So, you can still keep your low end pricing for a lower end service, then offer a mid range service as well as a -super star’ hands off service that may include everything from an extraordinary home staging to curb appeal to real estate marketing.

What you will find is that most people choose your middle option. Eventually, you can let your low end option go, move your middle option to the lower end option, move the top to the middle and then create an all new -celebrity’ staging that may now also include packing and moving or whatever other options you want to include to best serve your home staging client.

Give your customer the choice. When you present yourself as the -celebrity home staging business’ and treat your clients as celebrities as well, you will be surprised as how quickly your recognition, business and celebrity grow!

To your greatest success, Karen Schaefer Founder, APSD The Association of Property Scene Designers The World Leader in Home Staging Training and Certification

For more information on Karen Schaefer and APSD and to receive a free home staging CD go to www.APSDmembers.com

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!