A home staging business is perfect for people who have a natural flair for design. You will be showcasing your talents in a career built on artistry and creativity. A home staging career allows you to work from home and set your own schedule so you can spend more quality time with your family. Lastly, you get the satisfaction of helping homeowners sell their homes for a higher price... and during this economy homeowners need all the help they can get.
Here are some steps to follow if you are thinking about starting a home staging business.
Do your research
This assumes you already have some basic knowledge on home décor and design. Familiarize yourself with how the home staging business works in your area. The best way to do this is by talking to people who are involved in the industry. Get to know other home stagers and the top realtors in your area and learn all you can from them.
Create a home staging business plan
Create your own business plan to help you set your sights on your goals. Determine how much capital you'll need, where you'll get it, and how you'll spend it. If you plan to get a loan, you will need to present a business plan to show how you are going to pay it back. Then again, even if you don't need a loan, a business plan helps you stay on track.
Choose a name
Come up with a business name for your home staging business. This will make it easier for you when introducing your business to potential clients. Then visit your local business licensing office and submit all the requirements needed to establish your own business.
Create a portfolio
A portfolio is a very important marketing tool that will do most of your selling for you. It will showcase your design skill and should contain before and after pictures of rooms you have staged. Hint: To build your portfolio, stage your own home or that of friends for free.
Get testimonials
References and testimonials give you credibility and prove you can deliver. Consider offering free home staging consults in the beginning to build up your references and testimonials... you can include the testimonials in your portfolio.
Sell your services
Get professional-looking business cards made up and hand them out to people who can refer you to their clients, such as realtors, moving companies, painting companies, residential contractors, and repair companies. Also, the Internet is a cheap and easy way to sell your home staging services, if you know how to do it right. After you have a small portfolio and some testimonials get a website up and try locally targeted Pay Per Click advertising using a program like Google AdWords. Start collecting materials
As a home stager it is wise to invest in home décor materials like furniture, accent pieces, and other home accessories. Often you can find them affordably at garage sales and thrift stores. Just make sure your pieces look and smell clean before using them. In the beginning you'll be renting most of your pieces from a furniture rental company, but as you grow you'll want to collect your own pieces.
Get Educated
Don't worry about certification in the beginning if you can't afford it but invest in at least one good course that teaches you more of the business side of Home Staging. The course I recommend most often is called Home Staging Success, it's inexpensive but packed with great tips and documents from a very successful home staging business owner. Find out more at http://www.home-staging-career.com
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Angela_Morrell
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