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12 Lessons for Home Staging Business Success

12 Lessons for Building a Successful Home Staging Business

You are going to LOVE this home staging business success story because it walks you through a staging and design business model that made this new stager an over 6-figure salary in less than 7 months!

Want to know her secrets to home staging business success?  Watch the video for the lessons AND gorgeous photos of her work:

I thought I would write about this in this post and talk about the 12 lessons learned from this six figure stager. And when I say six figure, this is not a stager that's been staging 10 years and she's finally figured it out. That's what I love about this story. So I'm going to walk you through my lessons. And I also want you to know if you're one of my HSR members, our entire conversation, we talked for over an hour kind of podcast is in the training under "Industry Overview" and finding your niche (where I share a ton of stories like this).

It all started with a an email I got from Megan...

Picture of an email from Megan Bristol.
Picture of an email from Megan Bristol.
Picture of an email from Megan Bristol.

How awesome is that?

Let me break this down for you, because I know you may be wondering...what does she mean furniture packages?  I want your wheels to be turning, because this is the one thing I always talk about in the very beginning of my certification training and that is...

Not all staging businesses are alike.

And that's the beauty of it. You know, in my training, I give you a business platform in which to launch and leap off.  But we spend a lot of time in the beginning of that platform going over who exactly you are, who do you want to work with, what do you really love to do?

Your business should be all about you, so those are critical questions to ask in the beginning!

Because there's so many different directions you can take this business. And I always showcase those different directions in my live workshops. 

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Lessons Learned:

Lesson 1 - She Invested in Her Knowledge to Feel confident with Clients

My training is designed to just save you time and effort so that you can go in confidently and you can know what you're doing. You don't need certification to be a home stager BUT if you don't have confidence, then investing in your knowledge makes sense.

Lesson 2 - She Started with the Home Staging Business Model for Easier Jump Start

Home staging is absolutely by far the easiest business model to start. Why? Because you have agent partners who can give you business over and over again. Once you create about five agent partners (or sometimes it's just one) that's just like your best friend, then you're never marketing yourself again. So it's a kind of slam dunk business model. That's why I train first on staging in week one then design in week 3.

Lesson 3 - She was able to Pivot when she hit road blocks

She was able to pivot her business and find that need to design, so when you're running into roadblocks in your home staging business...I don't want you to look at those as closed doors. Too many times I hear stories like Megan's where they are open doors to start something new and pivot your business into a direction that may make even more sense for you.

Lesson 4 - She understood her demographic

What is your market's biggest struggles and how can your design talent be the answer?

What do they look like?  Where do they hang out? What do they drink, you know, all of those things and write that down.  Then ask yourself, what do they want to see in their designer and stager and how can I fit that? What are their struggles with their design interiors? In this case, their struggles were the dated vacation second homes they were buying needed modernizing. 

Lesson 5 - Know your schtick or brand and connect it to the struggles and desires of your clients

She was clear on her "mountain modern" design style and fit her brand around her art and her interests.  

She taps into the local community by shopping boutiques and art galleries because when somebody buys a vacation rental home, they want the home to reflect that community. They want to feel like they're a part of it, even if they're an outsider.

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Lesson 6 - she discovered a lucrative niche

She had all the tools and the resources through my training. One of those resources is connecting immediately to trade vendors. I have a lot to say about trade vendors and best shopping practices but the most important thing is to find your lane and be awesome at it.  Not everyone is her client and that is okay.

Position your home staging business on VALUE and not on PRICING

Lesson 7 - she used technology tools as "visuals" so clients could see her vision

In my free, E-Design workshop I show you how to do this easily and while I know there is a lot to know in this industry...staying on top of technology and using visuals is key!

A picture is worth a thousand words, so use it in your home staging business to showcase your talent!

Lesson 8 - she Confidently depended on her design talent to speak for itself

You're talented. You've been perfecting your art all your life if you've got a passion for design and have been rearranging rooms since you were a kid.

In my staging certification training, I'm going to walk you through how to communicate that design art and obviously go through the rules of design. There's a lot of different rules out there that you need to know and communicate with clients. Having gone through my training, Megan could confidently stand on the fact that she had a talent in design. I mean, there's no question when you look at her photos!  She follows my rules of arrangement.   She follows my rules of scale.  She follows my rules of color, rhythm and numbers.

Lesson 9 - she established her vendors and perfected her systems

Take time connecting those valuable vendors that will support your business and make you money!  As a trainer, I spend a TON of time doing that on behalf of my members.  Relationships are key.

Lesson 10 - she positioned and packaged her services to her ideal client

Package your services in such a way that your clients love you!   Have services that fit multiple budgets, have clear deliverables and visuals, as well as a page explaining exactly how you work.

Lesson 11 - she scaled fast and didn't play small in her home staging business

Once she had the marketing and business coming in, she invested in a warehouse and truck, so she could receive the furnishings and do the install in ONE BIG HGTV MOMENT REVEAL.  She invested in her process and package instead of playing small.

Lesson 12 - she gave client's a win-win (they had nothing to lose)

She positioned the design plan in such a way that it was free to the client with a retainer of XX amount that got credited to their shopping budget.  In other words, the design plan was free and she made the income on what the client purchased because of her wholesale connections (like a furniture store does).

Lesson 13 - She not beholden to agents (or any one kind of client)

By expanding into design she's hedged her business well and able to offer many design service options to multiple types of clients.  In fact, each client she's worked with now wants her to design on their primary home!

Picture of Audra Slinkey

Thank you Megan for sharing your story and talent to encourage others!   This is an amazing industry because of people like you.

If you're reading this and thinking about becoming a home stager and creating your own story...then watch my free video about how to become a home stager below...

Picture of text "Could home staging be a career for you?"

Could â€œ Home Staging" be a Career for You?


Don’t miss this..!!

  • 7 Key Questions to Ask Yourself
  • What the Cost is to Starting this Business
  • Do You Have the Personality for This Industry?
  • How You Know If You Have the Design Talent?

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