5 Things to do to get your Home Staging Clients to Love you even more!
There is no greater experience in my life as when a client tells me how much they love me or how much I have helped them. Seriously, I live for your kind words and feedback (and no, I don’t have a self-esteem issues, I promise). It makes me feel as though I have gone above and beyond the call of duty, you recognized it and appreciated it in such a way that you wanted to share your gratitude with me. It tells me I am doing something right and that you have experienced positive results. Yeah! All is well in the Home Staging Queendom!
When it comes to your clients, you want them to feel the same way. You want to make sure that they feel extra special and in tribute to Valentine’s Day, you want them to feel loved…but not just this month, every month, every service, every time they work directly with you and your company.
Following are 5 advanced strategies that I use to make sure my clients love me. Some will sound a little familiar, but I encourage you to read the explanation as you will find the nuance to be a little more sophisticated than what I have shared in the past.
Why am I sharing these complex and secret strategies with you right here in the Home Staging Report…simple, I want you to be my Valentine!
#1 – Under Promise and Over Deliver. Those of you in my advanced level programs like the APSD Certified Stager Pro and Property Scene Designer Programs have heard me discuss this often. It is important to always under promise and over deliver. A great example of this is telling the client it will take you 4 hours to complete the staging and you are finished in 3. Or you can tell them that you will complete 3 key rooms, based on a “Bang for the Buck” service, and you complete a 4th room at no extra charge. You may decide to waive a normal fee or to just give a few extra curb appeal or marketing tips. Either way, when you give them far more than they expect, they will immediately love you!
During “STAGE” I will be covering “Under Promise and Over Deliver” in detail during our marketing session. You can get more information at www.APSDmembers.com/STAGE
#2 – Add Touches of Love. Yes, these can also be Pockets of Emotion, but regardless, it is important that both your buyer and your seller “feel the love” when they walk into the home. This might be an old family photo album open to key photos, little cookies that have been baked in the shape of hearts with a note from Mom telling her son or daughter how proud she is of them for a certain accomplishment or a gift from husband to wife. When you add touches of love in your staging, it is felt by everyone that enters the home and they will certainly tell your client.
#3 – Track the results of your staging. When you follow up with the seller, investor or agent, to find out the status of the property it tells them you care, and as a bonus, it puts you back in the front of their minds. By tracking the results and the feedback of the showing you might be able to slight “tweak” the property in order to help get it sold. When you view this as part of your service, your client will be stunned, appreciative and love you as their Home Stager for life!
#4 – Be grateful when you follow up. I hope it goes without saying that you need to send a follow up with every single staging, no matter how often you have worked with the client. Each time, be grateful. You might want to point out one favorite aspect of the home with each follow up or send a small gift that will remind them of the property, maybe a bag of candy that you used at the property or a special type of coffee your client commented on; send one of those, or just a special note telling them how much you appreciate their business…every single time. One of our home stagers, that I love to brag about, Mannie Tantawy, takes her clients for coffee, just to say thanks. She appreciates them, and as a result, they LOVE her!
#5 – Promote and Refer your client and the property. Yes, I realize this could really be about 4 steps all by itself, but I said “5,” so I am sticking with it! J Whenever I complete a home staging job, I always ask my clients permission to refer them and the property. I might have a quick discussion with them as to any special guidelines they would like me to stay within, but even when I just offer, they are immediately touched. I always ask for a few of their promotional tools such as business cards or web address and then of course, their property flyers and MLS or internet listing. Then, depending upon our agreement, I refer them and promote the property. You can promote them to your friends, family and colleagues, as well as posting the property on your website, in a newsletter and on various networking sites as well. And, you have probably guessed it, but I promise, your client will LOVE you for it…especially when it sells or they get another listing or property because of you!
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Karen Schaefer
Founder and Creative Director, APSD; The Association of Property Scene Designers. The World Leader in Home Staging Training and Certification www.APSDmembers.com.
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