Top 10 Tips for Picking a Home Staging Certification Online Training

Tip number three, a lot of people don't think about but trust me, this one is critical!  Always choose a trainer that teaches you both staging and design.

I have seen A LOT of my members who originally wanted to get into staging,  realize that design is more of their thing.  My members are SOOO happy they took the time to learn and get certified in both!

Staging is the perfect springboard to design work, so I always tell struggling designers to start with staging.  If you're taught the right business model for both, you will do awesome

Make sure you invest in a training that shows you both business models.  That way they will combine beautifully for success in your business.
You want to know and learn both and that's why our certification logo  and training has always included both:

Just because someone calls themselves the "world's best staging training"
doesn't necessarily mean they are.:)

So here's the deal. Make sure you can to a directory of their members directly and ask them about the training.  A lot of staging training companies do not have a directory and that is a RED FLAG.

Feel free to call any one of my members from the directory above and ask them
about my training courses.  But here's a little hint... don't call anyone in your direct area because they may not want to encourage local competition. ;)

Don't invest in a staging training unless you actually get to talk to a couple of their people.  I have seen a lot of fake testimonials on people's websites where they'll list a stock photo of a person with their name, but no business name... that's another RED FLAG.

Make sure you invest in a company that you can always refer back to because
this is a common mistake I've seen people do, too.  They think that classroom
learning style fits for them.  I get it.  We are traditionally used to going
to class.

BUT you actually don't need to have classroom training in this industry because you really will want to be able to go "back to the online class" when the time comes...

For instance, I have a lot of members who go through my training and then two months later they get their first consultation.  If they took a classroom style training, they would be frantically scrambling through their notes  Luckily they didn't and they can jump right into my online training, watch that consultation video and get a shot in the arm of encouragement and confidence.

They're ready to roar and confident going into that consultation because they feel knowledgeable having brushed over that material again.  That is why you will want to be able to refer back to it and why online training is
essential in this industry...There's so much to know.

Make sure you choose an online home staging certification company that gives you all the forms, the walkthrough guides, the contracts, the price sheets, the process, the sales sheets and Canva imagery for all of those services that you're
going to want to offer.

Why would you want to reinvent all of those things after spending $1000 on a training company!? And also why wouldn't they give that to you?!

Here's another hint...make sure they give all those resources to you in a format that you can use like Word so that you can customize it. You want to be true to your brand, not the trainers brand.

That's I provide over 100 different forms and resources for easy download, customize and print/send. I have been accused by other trainers of providing too much...But you know what?  You'll be glad you have that resource!

This hot tip is a biggie....Never choose a staging trainer that does not advocate for you and this industry!  
 The Real Estate Staging Association. RESA is the third party association for our industry, so make sure you choose a trainer that is accredited by RESA, meaning they've been completely audited and vetted by a legitimate, third party  accreditation company which only RESA is for the staging industry.

Also make sure you pick a trainer that advocates for you.  What does that mean?  Make sure they are sharing your success stories, advocating through the National Association of Realtors, have a directory for agents to search and promoting your business.

If all they're doing is selling, training, training, training, then they're not necessarily looking out for your best interests.

I actively blog for my company and for the National Association of Realtors promoting my directory of members.  I actively speak and support RESA and I actively share success stories and member photos in my social channels....Check them out:

What is your biggest competition as a home stager?  Usually the real estate agent that thinks, "I don't need a stager, I'm just going to learn this thing
called "staging" and do it myself to save money."

Well, there's a lot of home staging certification online companies that have the product just for those agents, so why would you want to invest in a training that is creating your biggest competition and undercutting the industry as a whole?!!!

I personally believe that being an awesome professional home stager is a full time job and being an amazing, successful realtor is another full time job.  Staging is an art form and I have been advocating and growing this separate industry for over 15 years.   I do not have a product for realtors because I don't want to undercut the industry I care so much about and have helped create.

 I would not be looking out for the best interests of my students.  

Choose a staging training company that's not training your competition, it's kind of sending a greedy, mixed message. Choose one that really is just all about you.

Speaking of all about you...

I also recommend you pick a home staging certification online training provider that actually is 100% available for you and isn't also trying to run a staging company.   I know I've been criticized for not having a staging company currently but when I started over 20 years ago I had a staging company which my sister still runs to this day.  I found that I could not successfully support my members AND run a staging company, so I know how important it is to focus on one.

I think it's far more important to have my finger on the pulse of hundreds of successful stagers out there from all over the world!  Rather than take my own advice from my little, local staging company (or just my sister's), I'm taking it from the hundreds of stagers out there I talked to every day who are telling me what's working today for their business!  

This is why HSR consistently has the most successful, RESA award-winning and influential stagers in the industry!  It's a winning group who got their start with HSR.

There's just not enough hours in the day for me to run a staging company
and a training company.  Otherwise, guess what I'd be doing...
outsourcing the support for my training to assistants and you wouldn't
hear directly from me.

I want you to know that I'm available for you as your staging trainer.  I'm not out with a client all day long with my training business....Speaking of being available...

You will need a lot of guidance and support in this industry, so always choose a staging training company that has a:

• PRIVATE community that supports you
• A phone number you can call for support
• A chat line for immediate support
• A trainer that you can email directly for answers
  
  So in my training, I have a private Facebook group, not a public one.  A public one is for the staging trainers that are just trying to sell their training and is NOT a safe, encouraging space for members.
  
  My private Facebook Group is a free part of my training and a safe place for you to work with other stagers, bounce off ideas, get great ideas, support and encouragement for your business along the way.
  
  I learn something in my private Facebook group almost every day!
  
  So make sure you choose a training company that has all of those areas
  that can support you.  That way your questions are answered when
  you need it at the right time.

I was never going to stop at ten because I never do that....I always give more.

No matter who you choose, you're going to love this industry.  It is filled with the best, the brightest, the most generous, the most wonderful people who I am so
privileged and proud to work with!

I hope you choose me, but I understand that I'm not always for everyone. That's why I give you these tips so that you can have these things in the back of your mind as you choose before you invest.

But no matter who you invest in, you are going to love this industry.

So I welcome you to it.

You will absolutely love it.

And I also welcome you to give us a call,
email us, email me directly if you have any other questions about picking
the right staging training for your business, email me at audra at homestagingresource.com.

I'm here for you.