I would love to get more credibility, what organizations are good to join?
This is a great question! Every home stager should be affiliated with certain organizations to gain more credibility – and visibility!
First, if you haven’t already done so, look into the varying training programs offered to home stagers. RESA believes in advancing professionalism and excellence in the industry and has a list of accredited training providers you can research that best suits your needs. A certification not only develops skills, but it can grow your business and it shows real estate agents that you know “your stuff.”
Once certified, look to join RESA (if you haven’t done so already) and other local staging and design associations that may be present in your area. By being apart of these associations you can brainstorm and troubleshoot among peers, collaborate, get referrals, as well as gain leaderships skills by becoming an elected official to help promote the associations mission and agenda.
Next look to grow your network and insert yourself in organizations with people you’d like to align yourself with to grow business opportunities. Become an affiliate member to your local real estate association/board, Women’s Council of Realtors or Young Professional Network to mix and mingle with real estate agents. Many times you can sponsor their events, which allows you to present to their members about your services.
You can also look at Real Estate Investor Association (REIA), if you’d like to work with investors on staging their properties. If you are interested in working on new construction properties and staging vacant homes, then definitely look into joining a local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders. You will be able to learn what new projects are up and coming, as well as issues that matter to your potential clients.
Finally, plan on joining business organizations to continue developing skills that will further your career. Join a speaking association to perfect your public speaking (National Speakers Association, Toastmasters International, Global Speakers Federation) this will help build confidence for those office presentations and one-on-one meetings. Research active business meet-ups or entrepreneur networks in your area to join – they will help build your referral network and learn more about leading a company to success.
Tori utilized her unique skills as a TV Reporter to market her company, as well as the home staging industry, and is the Host of Home Staging TV, a YouTube channel exclusively dedicated to the home staging industry with over 2 million views.
She’s increased visibility as the best-selling author of Feel at Home: Home Staging Secrets for a Quick and Easy Sell inspired her to create The Stage 2 Sell Strategy™, the world’s first home staging course developed exclusively for home sellers, available online utilizing on-demand video. She’s been featured in top media outlets including U.S. News & World Report, Realtor.com, CNN Money, Martha Stewart Living, The Today Show, Good Day New York, Oprah.com and MyDomaine.com.
By seeing firsthand what video has done for her, Tori has been invited to speak to thousands of professionals at home staging and real estate events, including The Real Estate Staging Association, about the importance of maximizing their visibility through property presentation and video.
Co-author of the book Marketing for the Staging + Design Industry Tori shares her visibility expertise and is the creator of the new membership site Visible You Incubator™ and an online course called Video Visibility™ sharing her video marketing secrets and allowing small business owners, like home stagers, to develop a comprehensive strategy to step outside their comfort zone build a marketing strategy and press “record.”
Tori proves that by broadcasting your message and leveraging your position on the market you can inspire others to take action. Now, it's your time to share your story, influence your audience's perspective, cue the life that you desire.
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