At RESA we field 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.
Our 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.
A recent question was asked, “How do you filter new job inquiries and decide which jobs to take?”
Ellen Mann, who serves on the RESA National Board and owns Chrysalis Creative Home Staging Inc. based out of Canada, shares her insight on the topic of how to filter new job inquiries:
As your staging journey evolves, how you choose customers evolves too.
Initially, I quoted any inquiry that came my way, even if my client radar didn’t think it would be a good fit. I was working alone and was in that vicious “You need experience to get a job and you need a job to get experience” circle.
Gratefully, I had very few clients who were difficult to work with, but certainly the two most challenging client experiences I knew were going to be hard right from the start. Now, if I get an inkling that the job might be higher maintenance, there are two ways to approach.
One is to tell the client that I am not a good fit for the job.
The other is to ensure I am pricing the job to make the extra time worthwhile.
To determine which choice to make, asking open ended questions is a great way to suss out red flags that may indicate a client isn’t your best fit.
Red Flags to Look Out For When You Filter New Job Inquiries:
While most people are great to work with, the following are things that would give me pause:
1. If a client sends back my contract with a lot of red line changes, it may indicate trouble ahead.
Questions are great and we welcome them, but if a client isn’t comfortable signing the contract which protects my team, it may indicate we aren’t a good fit. Contracts are living documents which morph and change, and feedback is a good thing, but if a client wants every protective clause removed, I would be wary of taking the job.
2. If the client’s only criterion for choosing a stager is price, it can indicate they may not be my ideal client.
If our base price fits their budget that’s great, but we do have a minimum charge to make sure every job is profitable. My business model isn’t to be the lowest cost provider. If yours is, your client base may be different. There’s room for every type of business model, and they can all be profitable if done right.
3. If a prospective client is asking to come to the warehouse to “choose the pieces” that will be used to stage their home, this may indicate red flags ahead.
Personally, I like to keep creative control as to what goes in my stages. We sometimes have to remind clients they are hiring a stager as the expert and that staging is different from design.
4. If a client is rude or disrespectful at the beginning of an interaction, this is grounds to walk away immediately.
Not every client is going to appreciate your style and that’s fine. But you don’t need to tolerate disrespect. Ever.
Photo staged by Ellen Mann, one of the Top Ten Best Vacant Luxury Home Stager Of The Year, Canada 2021
What are signs that a client is a perfect fit?
1. Sometimes clients are worried they’re going to be judged or criticized, but realize after talking a little that it’s practical advice that makes sense.
Taking the time to answer questions and explaining your process can be invaluable. Clients who are initially resistant can become your biggest champions!
2. A client who takes action on many of the points discussed during the initial consultation usually becomes a great staging client as well.
If I communicate the “why” behind the suggestions, I generally get a 90% compliance rate which can dramatically change the look and feel of a property.
3. The best clients are those who are genuinely interested in the process, and want to learn.
You’ll know by the light in their eyes.
4. A client who recognizes the value you bring to the table right from the get go is a jewel.
Especially if they’re a real estate agent. This can mean repeated work, and can lead to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.
The bottomline is you need to develop an understanding of the red flags that are important to you. And once you begin to get clear on them, listen to your gut, trust your client radar, and try to avoid client situations that will not be positive for you or your company.
Not every client who comes across as a challenge is a bad thing. I’ve had wonderful relationships with some who needed some convincing that I could really make a difference, but no job is worth losing your sanity.
Together through the RESA executive team, RESA leadership, and the RESA Board of Directors (including Ellen Mann), 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.
Felicia has a background in production design and studied at Academy Of Art University where she had a focus in Motion Pictures And Television. In her free time you can find her reading about the latest marketing trends or hanging out with her husband in Disneyland.
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