A recent question was asked, “Do you have any tips on how to get your name in front of agents?”
At RESA HQ our team is asked questions from home stagers throughout North America on a daily basis, from where to get training, how to keep up with inventory, where to find clients, the best resources for contracts, and more! For our Ask The Experts Blog series we take some of these questions to experts in our industry to get their advice.
The RESA mission is for home staging to be an industry where high standards are well-established and practiced universally, and by sharing some tips from the experts we hope to help those in the staging industry be the most successful they can be.
For over a decade Shell has worked to advance professionalism and excellence in real estate staging by creating the trade association for professional real estate stagers, RESA.
Shell is a motivating and thought-provoking business strategist who has helped thousands of real estate entrepreneurs navigate the obstacles that are holding them back as well as to realize their own potential.
Through her work at RESA Shell has created, an Internationally recognized accreditation system for CORE business staging education providers, an MCE program for real estate agents, the Home Staging Industry Awards®, RESACON annual conventions, RESA-Connect events, as well as a united network of professional real estate stagers that includes over 2,100 members, 50 chapters and 250 leaders.
Many agents are just dying to figure out a way to better serve their clients and increase both of their bottom lines. Staging can do just that, and you can be that stager!
Shell Brodnax shares her best strategies on how to get your name in front of agents:
There are many ways to get your name in front of agents, but the most important thing to remember is when you do get in front of them stay top of mind by becoming part of their community.
Understand that anyone new on the local real estate scene is being screened and judged in order to determine if people want to do business with you.
They are looking for any notable red flags, but they are also looking for green flags as well. Many agents are just dying to figure out a way to better serve their clients and increase both of their bottom lines. Staging can do just that, and you can be that stager!
Here are five ways to get in front of agents, make a name for yourself and set yourself apart. Don’t forget to be authentic!
Join Your Local Association of REALTORS® and WCR Chapter
If you want to get business from agents, you need to party where they party.
By joining your local association of REALTORS® and/or your local Women’s Council of REALTORS® Chapter you will be surrounded by real estate agents that have an appreciation for belonging to a trade association as well as being like-minded, top-producing entrepreneurs. It’s very important to attend their networking events and when you do, don’t oversell yourself. Agents are sold to every single day, so be different by being authentic, but not overly chatty.
Sometimes when we are new to an industry we get a little nervous when talking with others and then we tend to ramble and overshare. This gives the appearance of a lack of confidence. Instead, focus on the agent and ask them questions about how their business is going. Being authentic and taking a genuine interest in them, will sell you by default.
Sponsor An Event
If you are an affiliate member of your local association of REALTORS® or WCR Chapter they will have sponsorship opportunities throughout the year that you can take advantage of. They may have a golf tournament and you can become a ‘hole sponsor’, they could have a fashion show and you can be the stage sponsor and do the staging for the stage, you could sponsor a lunch or breakfast at one of their meetings. When you go to these networking events, notice who the sponsors are. They are typically the title reps and mortgage companies. They sponsor over and over all year long. Why? Because it works. Do what works.
Hold a DIY Workshop and Market it to Agents
By offering a DIY Home Staging Workshop you can market this to agents and homeowners. Agents can refer their clients or pay for their workshop. It’s ideal to have 2-3 sellers attend the workshop.
The workshop will start out with an overview of what staging is, why it works, and both national/local/your own stats. In addition, you should cover all the universal checklist-type items such as what to clean, what to pack up, fix light switches, electrical outlets and light switches should match in color, etc.
Clients will send photos of their property to you in advance, room by room from every angle. You will do some homework prior to your workshop and review these. Add the photos to a PowerPoint program and you have an instant presentation. Take the best photo from each room and go over exactly what you recommend in order to stage each room.
This is a very interactive workshop that should flow easily. You will be able to interact easily with everyone throughout the process.
Teach CE Classes for Real Estate Agents
RESA-PRO members are eligible to apply to become a RESA Approved Instructor and teach our Staging to Sell, What Every Agent Should Know course. The course teaches agents everything they need to know about staging and how to work with a professional real estate stager. The course is worth CE credits in most states. All agents who complete the course will earn the RESA-Certified Staging Advocate Designation. Teaching generally takes place through local associations of REALTORS®, brokerages, and sponsors like title companies and mortgage lenders.
Benefits of Becoming a RESA Approved Instructor
- Potential clients will view you as an expert.
- Grow your business through teaching.
- Change the way real estate staging is viewed on your local level.
- PR opportunities.
- Create strategic relationships with key industry professionals.
- Potential income generator. Charge up to $35.00 per agent.
- Position yourself as the local expert.
- Added exposure to your target audience, agents.
2022 RESA Approved Instructor of the Year – Bobbie McGrath
Market to Agents on a Property Basis
Use Redfin.com to search for properties that align with your business model and that have been on the market for an extended period of time. You can query a search by zip code, sq.ft., rooms, time on the market, etc. Review the photos of each property in order to determine which ones you believe you can do the best job with helping to get the property sold. Download this list to Excel and track your marketing progress.
Create a magazine-quality one-page marketing piece that speaks to their situation. For example: Do you have a listing that has been on the market for more than 90 days with no offers? Call your company name today, we can help! We just staged this home and it sold for (whatever the verifiable claim to fame is) $15,000 over asking and sold in two days. Add the best quality photos, your company logo and contact information and send it to them in a handwritten envelope. Note the flyer’s marketing message you sent on the spreadsheet for tracking and the date you sent the flyer.
In ten days check to see if it’s still on the market and if it is, send another one and change the messaging and photos and note them on the spreadsheet. Over time you will be able to see any trends and will be able to determine which marketing message gets the most replies and how many it takes on average before someone replies. Do this up to eight times.
RESA members log into MORA to receive your discount on RESACON 2022 sessions.
Together through the RESA executive team, RESA leadership, the RESA Board of Directors, and our members, we have built a community of entrepreneurs and professionals that are stronger together. The RESA community supports, uplifts, and encourages one another to continue to grow as an industry. Together, RESA home stagers and affiliates are growing industry awareness and raising expectations.
If you have a question that you would like us to bring to the experts, submit it here.
Not a RESA® member yet? Click here to learn how to join and about the many benefits RESA® makes available to help advance the home staging industry!
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