Home Staging Blog by Jennie Norris

Basic Training - instilling the simple and basic foundation for success - is something we all need to go back to from time to time.  I just completed another Staging class and had a Stager that had been trained a while ago that was really struggling with what to do next.  She was stumped on the whole business building side of Staging.  She had all the information on what to do - just could not connect the dots.  The Creative Side - she has it figured out - that's sometimes the easy part for us!  Most of us - we have an "eye" for Staging that goes back to when we were very young - and have been Staging our whole lives really.  But to wrap a business around this gift is hard for some.  When we have not run a business before - it can actually be scary to think about setting it up!

We tend to get wrapped up in the HOW and begin to complicate the process by thinking we have to have all these fabulous marketing pieces or have to say the very best marketing talk or spiel to an audience of 1 or 50.  We see and hear about these cool new devices or ways to do a presentation and feel like we are missing out if we don't learn how to use them too . . . It's hard not to compare ourselves to the next person we see or hear about.  Then we get intimidated or fearful - and when that happens, paralysis sets in and we end up doing nothing because we second guess everything.

In reality - it's the details that can COMPLICATE things and going back to the basics of building our business is what helps to bring peace of mind and remind us that we do know what to do.  Not that cool new marketing techniques and ideas aren't great and an added bonus to what we do - but it's easy to get intimidated by what we hear someone else is doing to succeed - and then try to replicate what we hear, but if we don't get it quite right, we end up getting frustrated at our lack of the same success they seemed to find so easily. 

In an instant society where our generation has the ability to get instant food, instant hot water, and instant messaging - do we think we deserve instant success too?  In reality each of our paths to success will be different based on our backgrounds and effort.  So comparison is futile.  Some have been handed "blue-birds" - that's sales-speak for an un-deserved gift.  A windfall that has nothing to do with marketing or longevity and everything to do with just happening to be in the right place at the right time and being the one to get handed a great opportunity.  For most of us - our paths to success are in direct proportion to how much effort and belief we have, and the blue-birds may come once in a while, but mostly it's our sweat equity that yields results. So there is no getting around putting in time in order to see results but always time to stick to the basics of what we know works.

Any time I have had a client where things may not have gone as smoothly as possible, I go back and review the basics of what I was taught, and see how I measured up in the process.  Invariably, I neglected to explain some basic principle of Staging to the client and without educating the client about what I do - my process - so I am then relying on probably some TV show or article or mis-guided conversation this client had about Staging - to frame the expectation. This leads to misguided expecatations, and backtracking to explain that which I should have been clear about from the start.

What are some basics? These are just my ideas - what do you think?

PLAN - Figure out what you want as a result of your business and then set activity goals to help make that happen.  Is it just the income - or what the income will allow you to have and do?  For me - the money is great - but it's the flexibility of being able to pick and choose what I want to do, and be home with my kids that I love.  I could never go back to an 8-5 job where I had to watch the clock and answer to one manager. 

Once you have identified that - it could be one thing or several - that becomes your primary motivator.  Once you have that identified, then you will know your WHY for having a Staging business.  We all love the Creative High we get after Staging, but we need to know WHY we do what we do - and each of us could have a different motivator.  When we lose our focus and take our eyes off the WHY - we will see our efforts wane and results slow down.

NETWORK - Work your warm referral base for business.  We don't have to cold-call and build everything from scratch - unless you are like I was and moved away from a 14-year base of friends and colleagues to an unknown area.  Most people have lived in an area for some length of time - use your warm network to bring in business.  People want to help others succeed - and all it takes is one nice person to offer to share your info and help you get in the door somewhere.  Persistence is KEY as well - not giving up - even when we might hear a few No's. . . There is always someone that can lead you to someone else. .  .it could be a colleague or someone you just met - but it's all about the ASKING - asking the right questions and finding the right people.

BUSINESS TOOLS - build a Business with a capital B from the start meaning put in professional systems in place to help you as your business grows.  Being efficient on the paperwork and maintenance sides of things means we will have more time for the creative side - which is what we love the most.  When these systems are not in place from the start, as business grows, we will not be able to track things efficiently and it will eat into our ability to serve our clients.

SHARE INFORMATION - Ours is a PEOPLE business so truly it's our ability to find the people who need our help and sharing effectively about what we do that will make the difference in how our business grows.  We need to be really good at explaining what we do in a short period of time.  All the other activities and efforts are really secondary to this.  When we share our basics with clients - it comes across as easy for them too.  I learned a long time ago, a confused mind says no - and so when we complicate things by adding too much detail or getting off track or giving too many options, the client gets confused and just walks away.

I have also learned along the way that when I help enough other people get what they want I get what I want - so helping others achieve their goals allows me to achieve mine.  For Staging - I am helping the Seller achieve their goal of moving, I am helping the Realtor achieve their goal of getting a house sold, and I am helping the Buyer achieve the goal of finding a new house to move into - so with all 3 getting what they want - I get what I want - which is success - money - and freedom to pick and choose my work.

It's Simple - really.  Staging simplifies the house - and helps the buyer make a simple buying decision.  And sticking with the basics of what we know works and keeping our WHY out in front Simplifies our business path.  The basics work - simply stated.

- Jennie

Road Tripping to learn about Staging?  Pretty cool.  Just read the blog about Lori flying to LA.  And what is so neat is I have a a fellow Stager that drove 900 miles from Colorado to be with us this week in Sacramento to see how we do things and to learn!  She met one of my team members last year at our IAHSP Convention, and I met her as well . . . and based on the connection she felt to a fellow Stager, she made a decision to hit the road!

I was impressed by her dedication and persistence!  I encouraged this gal to contact someone locally in Colorado (thinking of saving her time, gas, and $$), but she insisted that she really wanted to come to be with us!  We are keeping her busy!  Before she leaves town at the end of the week, she will have Staged a $1.3 Million with hands-on using what they have, plus our inventory, several vacant houses of all types, gone on reports with us to learn what we say, and how we handle the client, and watched us put bids together.  She is also learning about inventory - how to store, schlep and re-stock it.  I think the power of sharing is wonderful!  Love hearing about from others as I truly believe more means more for us all! - Jennie

Just got a call from a colleague on my team - and she completed a staging job on a vacant apartment that was modeled for the builder.  She put the rental furniture in her name, and has all her other stuff in the house.  Fee was about $2,000 for the Staging.  Seller/Builder gave her a check.  Guess what?  Doingggg!  The check bounced!  So now what?  The guy has not returned her calls and she called me for advice. 

First - I call this situation "Being Guido."  When we are Guido, we are bill collectors.  And "Being Guido" is not fun at all.  Guido takes our focus off of Staging which is our passion and love.  Being Guido means you and I "hope" the clent is ethical and will pay, and pay on time.  Collecting for ongoing rental in Guido mode is time consuming and frustrating.  People get distracted, our invoices are not a priority, and we wait for payment instead of running our Staging companies like a business.

What I have advised ANY Stager I teach or work with is to get a MERCHANT account.  This puts Guido away and puts us in charge of the process.  With a merchant account, we can take debit or credit cards.  Pay Pal is merely Guido via email - you and I are still not in control of the actual processing of the card.  So even if the person says, "Oh I don't like using credit cards or I don't have a credit card" - they have a checking account which means they have a debit card.  So, no more paper payment.  Debit cards work just like credit cards.  When it's a small amount and a 1-time fee, then I will take a check.  When I work with Realtors, I know where they work, and have recourse to go after their office, or license if it got bad.  But, when it's a seller or builder, good luck. They can hide, they can avoid.  Your next move is a lien or small claims court.  Those are costly if not in actual $$ in time and focus.  That is why being in control with a Merchant Account gives peace of mind.  If the money is not in the bank or on the credit account when you process the payment, you don't stage the house! And since the merchant account process takes up to 72 hours average to plop the $$ in your business account, we run the payment 1-2 days prior to our jobs, to make sure the funds are good.  My clients have not had any issues with this process.

Anyone else have "Being Guido" stories?  I hope that if you read this and do not have your business set up to accept credit cards, you get this set up.  One bad experience where you are left holding the bag is all it takes to set us back financially.  Don't be Guido.  Check with your bank to see what their merchant options are.  It's so easy to set up and gives us total peace of mind.

- Jennie

The Newsweek Issue with Don Imus on the cover has a feature on Home Staging!  NATIONAL feature - yeah!  It features Barb Schwarz, Creator of Home Staging, and has some good basic tips for Sellers.  Staging is the rage! - Jennie

I was reminded two weeks ago about why it is so vital that we all have insurance to protect ourselves and our "stuff" while it might be in a vacant or occupied home.  I staged a $1.6 Million 4500 square foot vacant house - looked great - and the Seller, Builder, Lender and Realtor were thrilled.  That was 2 months ago.  Then we had Spring Break.  Kids had too much time on their hands or something - because the house was broken into.  It was obvious that it was kids - probably teenagers - that did the breaking in - they were not interested in stealing any of the good furniture or decor (thank goodness!).  They did take all our candles (?), some decorative items, chenille throws, and drank our prop-alchohol.  Then they proceeded to mess the place up - they threw pretzels we had as props in the pantry, ate our popcorn, cooked the "faux" oatmeal in our prop dishes (it was like glue - with blue fuzzy mold by the time I got there to the house).  They jumped on the bed, moved our furnishings around for "fun" and just basically messed with the house.  Unfortunately for them, because they stole things, it's not just a minor incident, and the Sheriff got a good set of prints off my silver tray that housed our crystal decanter (also gone). 

I learned two things.  First, I don't think I am going to put real alchohol in houses anymore - not wine bottles or in this case, it was our Martini Mix and props.  Too risky if someone DID drink it and then go off and drive and injure themselves or others. After hearing in one of my classes how a Stager put a candle in a house as a prop, left and a Realtor showing the house lit it - forgot to blow it out - and half the house burned - and the STAGER was held responsible (!!), I don't want that risk.  (Note:  De-wick your candles that you put in houses - then they can't be lit.  Even writing not to light them in your contracts or agreements is not good enough).

Second, I DO have coverage for ALL my stuff sitting in houses.  Years ago when I first started Staging, insurance companies did not offer this type of coverage for our stuff in vacant houses or in transit to jobs. Now they do.  Fortunately, the loss is minimal for my situation, but it still takes time to have to clean items, and replace those things that were taken.  One item in particular had gone to the "Big show" for the first time - and it's gone.  Sigh.

What you need to know is that a good policy that gives you liability coverage AND insures your stuff should cost about $500-$600 per year. Many realtors and homeowners are now requiring that Stagers show proof of insurance.  If you work with Builders, they definitely need proof.  Your own insurance carrier for your house or auto may be able to write a policy, but if they are scratching their heads and saying, "What is Home Staging exactly?" go to someone that DOES know.  If you want a recommendation, I can give you name, but this blog was not intended to promote a company - I just wanted to share what I learned from a recent experience that could have been much worse, but overall, no one likes to have their stuff stolen - even a little amount.

Happy INSURED Staging!! - Jennie

I was absent from AR much of last week because I was part of a neighborhood group of 400+ homeowners that were opposed to this large building project that is slated to go into our area.  Imagine a house with a nice open living room, and you tell the sellers to cram as much stuff inside to the ceiling as possible and that it will actually be BETTER than what they had before!  That is what this project is like - 5 stories, 54 units per acre!  There is nothing like it in our region.  The City of Roseville wants to build an urban condo and retail center right in the heart of my neighborhood.  This is a great project - there are many of them in the U.S. - but this project belongs in a city center, not surrounded by thousands of houses away from any major employers, no transportation, and no retail. 

There we were, crammed in the City Council chambers to say our peace.  Only allotted 30 minutes, 6 key speakers presented the information on behalf of our group and I sat listening to each present valid arguments against moving forward (I was the behind the scenes communicator for the group).  You know I was so disappointed because the council members did not listen to one thing shared with them - and read their prepared speeches at the end.  It was evident to me that the people's voice did not matter - the builder's pockets did.  The people heading up the opposition invested hundreds of hours of researching documents that had some serious flaws and raising important questions, but in the end, none of it mattered.  And so engrossed in the hope that we could make a difference, I was so disappointed when not one city council member stopped to think and wait for more answers.

It was a moment of pure disillusionment for me.

That idealistic part of me that thinks everything is going to be fair, still exists. 

The good side - It sure made me thankful for what I do as a Stager!  Where my voice is heard - and people do listen - our clients listen.  And they pay US for our expertise - and we are HELPING them!!  And when we share from our expertise and ideas to help them, they are grateful. Gosh it is so much easier!  When we prepare a report or advise on a vacant house, people actually do what we say (well, most of the time :-)) . . . and we really do make a difference in how the house sells, how much money the seller keeps, how much the Realtor earns, and how a buyer finds a home.

That is pure joy!! 

Civic pride aside - I'll stay as as Stager, thank you.  - Jennie

I was thinking the other day about how exciting it is when first building a business - the hope and dream of success right there in front of you.  And that it CAN be overwhelming to figure it all out but it is so exciting to be on a path of a new passion.

Then as we get a handle on all that is needed to market, manage and run a successful Staging business, do we get to the point where we get on a "same old-same old" treadmill?  Are we at risk of getting burned out or losing our passion as we focus on the building of a business?

As a Stager that has been doing this professionally for 5 years (and I acknowledge that most of us would say we've been doing Staging our whole lives - just didn't have a name for it or did not know it could earn us money!) . . . I thought it would be great to hear from those "old timers" that have been Staging professionally for 4 or more years (or 3 years+ if there are not enough 4 years+ to have a good post) - to find out how you/we make and keep each day or experience fresh?

Here are some of my thoughts:

• I still love the transformation - I love standing back and seeing how a space has changed and feeling that feeling inside that "I created this with my vision and ideas!"  It's what I call "WHOO HOO!"  It never gets old to me.
• I love the "WOW" Factor that we create for others - the sellers and Realtors and Buyers!  They may be experiencing Staging for the first time - and so it is gratifying to hear their responses, and share in the newness of it all through their eyes.  That never gets old to me.
• And I still love the thrill of the hunt - going after business, educating, and sharing so that more and more will want to Stage.  I love that I can still find people that have no idea what I do - one mom at school asked me if Home Staging meant I put on puppet shows for kids' birthdays!  I love it!  It's a constant process and keeps me fresh.
• And I love the development of new market niches - to expand services and bring Staging to a whole new facet of people and places.

If you have been professionally Staging with a business for a number of years - share what keeps you fresh and excited.  As I look to the future, I know that I want to be doing this for a long time - and I want my passion and creativity to stay fresh.  There have been times when I have reached burnout after a particularly full week and prayed that the phone would not ring for a day or two while I refresh my batteries.  It's important to take creative breaks from our Staging - weekly - have days set aside that we do not use for Staging - and over time, find ways to not have it become a rote routine of predictability.

I think the biggest reason I have not experienced that is that even though Staging is not new to me, each house I deal with and each seller I work with - they are new - and that is what helps keep it new and fresh.  I appreciate what I have learned in the past, to help me handle the present and future, and work to keep the FUN and PASSION at the front of what I do in Staging.

Someday we will have a post on here that will be "Octagenarian Staging - Still At it After All These Years!"  As I have always shared with others, as long as we have our minds, we CAN Stage until we are old and gray!

-Jennie

One of the subjects on my first intro blog was how to Stage with children and someone just asked me about it - so it's a good blog topic.  When I got started as a Stager, I was a full-time Mom of 4 children, ages 2 1/2 to 7 years old.  My oldest is a girl and then I have 3 boys!  Yeah!  I worked full-time in the environmental consulting field as a marketing and business development manager before coming home after having our daughter.  My goal was to stay at home, and when my husband was faced with losing 1/3 of his income in high-tech, I had a decision.  I could either go back to corporate (not!) or find something productive I could do from home.  So my search began, and I had always toyed around with the creative side of my talents - knowing that if I could frame a business around what I was good at, I could make it work.  Enter Staging.  I had the last 2 houses I sold in the Bay Area Staged by someone my Realtor brought in.  She gave me ideas, I implemented them, and the houses sold.  So, when I moved to Roseville, and my husband's job situation happened, I thought, "Staging!  No one is doing it here."  We looked at 80 houses for sale and I knew no one was Staging.  So a lightbulb went on, I did my research and got trained.  The rest is history.

But part of my journey is my life with children and running a successful Staging company while also being a Mom.  In the beginning, I was homeschooling my 4 children.  Two were in primary and 2 were in preschool.  I had to teach during the morning up until about 1 PM and had homeschooling networking groups where I taught Spanish, and other subjects.  So, in the beginning, I only Staged during evenings and weekends. It was tough but I did it.  My husband was in outside sales, so when I had a presentation that I had to do in the early morning, he would stay home and teach, or watch the kids, and I would be gone for an hour.  After 2 years of this, we decided to put our kids into private Christian school, where they attend to this day.  I was "validated" when they had their test scores for entrance and all placed well above their grade levels for all subjects except their writing samples that were at "age level."  I hate getting up in the early morning to get them off to school, but now I do have my full day to get Staging done, network, and do other necessary tasks for running my business.

The key turning point was when my husband got into Real Estate full time about 3 years ago.  I do all his marketing too - all his pieces, website, etc. and so we realized that my time was being squeezed and in fairness to our kids, we needed to put them in school because I could no longer manage their schooling, my growing business that had tripled in size, and now my husband's Real Estate business. 

Now our children help me on jobs from time to time - and really enjoy it.  I have my 8 year old Austin that can carry a rolled up area rug all by himself!  My littlest one Logan (7) is "Mr. Clean" and loves organizing my tools.  My daughter Lauren, (12) is a Stager in Training - loves the creative side, and Steven, my 11 year old is just willing to help load, or do whatever I need.  I am excited to have them grow up in this business - and hope that they decide to do something entrepreneurial for a career - whether it's joining my husband in his business as a Realtor, me as a Stager, or helping us run our businesses.  Our boys have this knack for math (I did get an A+ in Calculus at UCLA) - that analytical mind that would make them great at organizing or assembling or ???  Of course they will pick their own paths, but as they need summer jobs, etc., they can help in Mom & Dad's businesses! And there are some GREAT tax benefits to paying kids to help in a family business. And thank goodness for GameBoys - when I have had to take them on a job and they grow bored, they can play those little games and stay quiet!

As my business grew and I had demands from clients, I added people to my team.  I knew I could not get out during the afternoon - the first 2 years I was in business I could not do this, so I needed team members that were available.  So I added them - and they would go out on the jobs I could not, plus had their own jobs to do.  It worked out great - I never had to turn away business, I never had to tell a client I could not get to them, and so it grew. 

So for those of you that have children, they are only little once, so make sure you take the time to be with them.  I have said to myself, I don't want my kids to reflect on their youth and say, "My Mom was this great Stager and our house looked really nice, but she was not around."  That would be so sad.  So, I have to stop sometimes and put aside the marketing or jobs I want to do and go on field trips, help with school projects, and just watch a movie with them.  Making memories is important.  I had someone tell me that they wished my kids would hurry up and grow up - and I don't want that.  Time is fleeting - so find a balance - I guess that's the best advice I could give to anyone in a similar situation.

Balance - it's not always easy.  I find myself getting sucked into working all the time (or the AR site!) . . . so I end up staying up really late - into the wee hours of the morning. That is MY time.  The kids are in bed, books read, pj's on, and sound asleep.  I have been known to go to sleep and get up at 3 AM to work on the computer.  I schedule most of my jobs starting at 10 or 11 AM, and only go out earlier if I have a networking job or a presentation. . .or it's summer and I am trying to beat the heat.  So, if I am super tired after a late night, I can go back and rest for an hour or so.  I LOVE not having a time clock, but I do end up burning the candle on both ends for sure.  Make sure to protect your health too!  I ended up getting pneumonia last year because I let myself get run down - which is yet another good reason to have a colleague to work with so you can rest up if needed!

I look foward to involving my children even more as they get older and I think it's great that they can see their parents working their own business, and they understand the value of money as we share with them how hard we work - and they see it first hand.  But they also see that we really enjoy what we are doing. 

So find your balance, and enjoy your family.  Find a colleague to help with jobs as needed.  If things happen in the family that pull your attention away for a time, know that you can put the Staging aside for a time to handle more important needs. . .it can always be picked up again when life is back on track.

Those of you that have kids, how have you handled having kids at home - or on the job?

Please share - it's a valuable topic and I know a lot of Stagers are Moms first . . . or are Dad's first . . . or will be someday . . . and your children may be children or your pets or you may have some other person you care for - and so the key question is how do you find your balance?

- Jennie

Because of another blog where I posted some of the Tales from the Trenches, wouldn't it be fun to post some of our funniest, oddest, or craziest Staging stories?

I shared one on a blog already - where we were Staging a house during the daytime, and were not quite done as it got dark. We realized that the electricity was not working - as we began to try to turn lights on, and so began working as fast as possible to finish up.  I was literally Staging by flashlight in the bathrooms as I worked to finish "staging the towels."  We had to pack up and get out with a little tiny flashlight to guide us.  But I was determined NOT to have to go back.  I am a one- trip woman.

Another time we were driving to a job, and this was in the day when we would use our SUV's and pick up trucks to Stage instead of a box-truck.  So we are driving along the freeway when one of my whicker chairs goes FLYING out on to the freeway.  It just took flight.  We pulled over - and the next thing I know, our mover guys are dashing traffic to rescue this chair while I am screaming at them to come back!  They got it - we now call the chair affectionately, "Freeway Chair."  It is a little worse for wear, but with a little spray paint and a strategically placed throw, you'd never know of its misadventure!

Then there was the time I was teaching a class - and it was during our class project where I had about 40 students Staging this house.  I was outside with the outdoor team and we had our sign displayed out front promoting the fact that the house was being professionally staged.  This guy drives up in a teal green pickup and waves me over.  I walked over and he started asking me question, "Oh you are Staging.  How is it going?" And then he proceeds to tell me that he thinks he might want his house "decorated" and needs some help.  I was thinking to myself, "This does not add up - the guy is in a truck, wearing a flannel shirt and vest, he had dried spittle in the corner of his mouth (TMI - I know but it goes with the story) . . . so I am talking to him for about 3 minutes, when I look down into his car, and realize HE HAS NO PANTS ON!!!!  EWWWWWWWW!  I looked up, I turned around like a robot, waved ALL the students inside and just said to myself, "He is not wearing any pants."  Thank goodness, what little of his flannel shirt was down there covered whatever he hoped I'd see (Thank god!) . . . Yes, I called the police after I got home - and actually located the truck in the neighborhood so El Perverto could not "surprise" another unsuspecting "Stager."

So there you have 3 of mine . . .I have more that I can share later!! - Jennie

I thought it might be fun for us to share photos of some of our "incredible" Staging finds in houses we work with - you know, those items that the seller is so proud of - the painting, sculpture, collection of items - they all have names and stories . . . but they all gotta go!

I have some doozies I have seen over the years!  Here are just a couple I could dig up easily - and I am sure I can locate more!

Before:  The INCREDIBLE and RARE - "Jacka-Phea-alope!"  Found in the western states desert regions.  Placed by the front door in a prime spot for all to see!  (Staged - now in the closet!)

Before:  Nude Sculptor with busts and bodies in yard as art, and all throughout the house!  "Art to some - offenseive to others" - she agreed to put all but one naked sculpture away.  I had to "John Ashcroft" the remaining piece with fabric. It worked.