Have you considered Home Staging for the Holidays?
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I have noticed a number of stagers talking about business slowing down around this time of year. Have you considered offering "Staging For The Holidays" services? I'm not talking about putting up Christmas decorations (or decorations for your religious holiday of choice) although that can be part of the services offered. I'm talking about helping homeowners primp and prepare their homes for holdiay visitors.
Business hasn't slowed down for us at Moving Mountains Design Home Staging. In fact I am looking to hire another assistant to help get through the holidays. Besides home staging, we are also working on several other non-staging projects:
- Accessorizing a home that has lovely furniture, but no art and limited accessories. In addition we are providing new lamps and custom window treatments in the master suite and office. The homeowner wants to create a retreat from the holiday hustle and bustle. And she wants her home to look fabulous for the holidays.
- Helping a client get settled into a new home in time for Thanksgiving. Besides arranging the furniture (and providing a few new pieces) we are shopping for new accessories, bedding , artwork and towels. This does not have to be expensive. We are doing most of our shopping at Target, IKEA and Marshalls.
- Consulting with a client to rearrange her furnishing and provide some new accessories for a fresh look before her Thanksgiving guests arrive.
- Arranging to put up a 15' tall Christmas tree in the front entry of a home, so when the family, who's had a difficult year, comes back from spending Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa, they will be greeted with a fabulous Christmas display. A lot of the decorations will come from Home Goods or Tuesday Morning. Again, not expensive.
- Helping a client select and purchase new carpet for their livingroom and dining room in time for the holidays.
- Working with two separate clients to create an inviting entry for thier homes. Curb appeal and first impressions are not just for homes on the market. Basically this entails having the front door painted, adding shiny new door hardware, and adding some colorful ceramic pots planted with beautiful and complimentary flowers.
We have marketed our "Stage Your Home For The Holidays" with an email blast to the Real Estate Agents and consumers on our mailing list. It has brought us lots of work and interest from new clients. If you want to try to market this service, be sure to emphasize that most Holiday Staging can be accomplished quickly and in a very cost effective manner. People may be spending less money this year, but there will be people spending money. What better gift to give themselves than a spruced up room or whole home that will give them enjoyment all year long, not just at the holidays.
You may get a lot of work, or maybe not so much, but you will probably get some new clients from offering these services. And you will get your name out to a lot more potential clients and Real Estate Agents who will see you as a business person who can help them with more than just staging.
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For more information about Los Angeles home staging or our Stage Your Home For The Holidays program, please call Michelle Minch at (626)441-8975 or email Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com .
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2010 RESA Professional Stager of the Year
Michelle has staged hundreds of Los Angeles homes, many of which have sold with multiple offers, above listing price.
She works with home sellers, listing agents and asset managers to prepare homes for sale throughout Los Angeles.
Moving Mountains Design provides vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design. We also stage model homes, REOs,foreclosures and auction properties for real estate investors and asset managers.
For more information about our Los Angeles home staging services, contact Michelle at (626)385-8852 or by email.
Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio
Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog
Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price
By the way, this was my 100th blog post!
Michelle, I think this is a fabulous idea and I'm sure many people would want these services. I love it, it's thinking outside the box and a real winner for you and your clients. Congratulations on your 100th post! I look forward to the next 100...
Michelle,
You've got some great ideas on this one! Congrats on #100!
Good post! Congrats on your 100th! I keep thinking about that book in your future..............:)
Michelle ~ These are some great ideas. Usually you think about the holiday decorating aspect of it, but helping people that are moving during the holidays is a great idea. There is usually enough stress at this time of year!
Carole: How about a "Feng Shui for the Holidays" promotion:o)) Now, more than ever, people are looking for prosperity cures and ways to improve their lot in life. I imagine that with the end of the year and the beginning of the new year approaching, you will be very busy.
Lynda: I was introduced to the idea by my clients who requested specific services. It has been working out very well for us.
Wendy: Thank you. I hope this post will be helpful to you to grow your business.
Kathy: Part of the stress is wanting their new house to be a home in time for the holidays. Also, for those not moving, they want their home to look lovely when guests arrive. Some help from a professional home stager can be a very cost effective way to get a fresh new look and a fresh start on the New Year.
Okay, this blog even looks festive with the red and green (smile).
These are great recommendations, Michelle. Thanks for sharing. And... congrats on your 100th Blog. By the way, I've read them all!
Kathy
Michelle - What a great idea. This is my first holiday season as a stager and I was wondering what to do to keep my business going. Thanks for sharing. Wanda
My pleasure Wanda. Consider offering gift certificates for your services as well.
thanks Michelle...another great idea :-)
Kathy: It has been working out well for us here in Los Angeles. Perhaps it will work for you in your area. It doesn't cost anything to promote it, so why not? Thanks for reading every one. That took some fortitude! I always look forward to your posts as well.
Michelle ~ thanks for these excellent suggestions for stagers who want to know how to expand their services in a challenging market.
featured in the group http://activerain.com/groups/RealWorldHomeStaging
Maureen: I hope this idea creates more business for you. It is not difficult to implement, costs nothing to market if you are already set up with a program like Constant Contact, and it is another way to get your name out there.
Hi Michelle,
Congratulations on your 100th post. That is quite a milestone. Thank you for all you do to help other stagers.
I've been struggling with how to charge clients when I do shopping services for them. When I do it by the hour, there seems to be resistence when it comes time to pay the bills (I need to get more clear budget guidelines before I start). I've also heard it suggested to just charge them perhaps 20% above the retail price on items.
Would you mind sharing how you handle it?
Thanks,
Beth
Michelle, your 100th post of many that really contribute to our profession. Thank You!
I am also finding other areas over the holidays and I am also helping with concept and design of a commercial property to open in 2009. It's all about passion and hard work. See you next week.
Michelle, I hadn't thought of it until you mentioned it but I LOVE the idea and am going to put something together for the holidays--Thank you!
Michelle, forget those who are moving - I would GLADLY pay someone to come in and decorate for me for the holidays. It takes me forever to get all of the junk crap decorations out of the garage and sorted and placed and hung and...well, you get the picture :)
This is a great way to make more money and get your service out to others.
Beth: I charge for my time and a mark-up, which varies for the project. Out of fairness to my client, I don't like to charge a mark-up over retail (if I shop someplace like Target which doesn't give us a discount) and that is where the hourly rate comes in. I also hate to spend a lot of time bookkeeping, so I usually quote a fixed fee (plus mark-up where applicable) then I don't have to be bothered with keeping track of my hours. I try to figure out how many hours it is reasonable to charge for a specific task and that is what I charge. If it takes longer because the cash register was broken, or because Target #1 was out of the item I was looking for and I had to drive across town to Target#2 , I just eat that time. Again, I try to be reasonable. I don't discuss all the details that go in to making my decision of what to charge, I just quote what I feel is a reasonable fee. If the client doesn't like it, I may negotiate or I may respectfully bow out depending upon how busy I am. I always make the client aware in writing what the final charges will be, and I always get a change order signed (or at the very least a confirmation email if time is short). No change order or confirmation email and work stops until I get it. It protects both me and the client. If you are going the hourly route, then you should send your client an email daily about how many hours you spent on their project and what you accomplished. Bill for your time and expenses every week without fail. I hope this answers your questions. Email me if you need more info.
Terri: I look forward to seeing you next week too. Thanks.
Carole: Glad to be of service:o))
Lisa: This year, go out and buy large clear plastic stacking tubs to store your crap lovely decorations after you take them down. Put outdoor lights in one tub, indoor lights in another, tree decorations in another, etc. Label each tub on top and the two ends. It will take you an hour longer to put everything away this year, but you will be thanking me forever more. My neighbors even number the tubs '1 of 9' , '2 of 9', etc. Hire a Professional Stager or Organizer to put everything away for you this year using this system if you don't have the stomach for it. I wish I lived closer. I'd love to whip your house into perfect holiday shape:o))
Virgina: Good luck with it. I hope you get lots of new work.
Hi Michelle, I've started putting upscale, 4-color flyers in the high-ticket neighborhood adjacent to me with a similar theme of helping homeowners refresh the look for holiday guests and entertaining. Haven't gotten any nibbles yet but I'm figuring that as Thanksgiving gets closer, I'll start hearing from people. I'll take your lead and get this info to my realtor clients as well!
This message dovetails directly into the StagersLIST.com philosophy that stagers need to become a one-stop resource for all things home-related. You're right, realtors do look to us for all things that involve temporary design. I promoted this half-heartedly last year, got a few enquiries - one quite serious - and then panicked, thinking that we would have to charge huge amounts of money to cover the expenses, the homeowner would never pay the bill! Last year, even wholesale stuff was terrifyingly more expensive than in years before. This year, I'm feeling a little more confident on what we might be able to achieve, so will definitely give it another go!
Thanks for the nudge! Jj
Michelle, great idea...and I'm going to use my new favorite saying here...Innovator not imitator...you are uniquely on top of your market, A leader and a trend setter for stagers everywhere. What a fun theme too.
ps. Juliet thanks for the comment, we appreciate it.
Michelle, this is a fantastic idea. I'm glad to hear that you are keeping so busy. Thanks for sharing how you charge clients for shopping. That was very kind of you. Congratulations on your 100th post. I look forward to reading the next 100!
Michelle, yay, 100 posts, congratulations. I too think that is a fabulous idea. Winter time is busy time for us here in Arizona, all of the "snowbirds" have arrived and hopefully looking at houses they want to buy and retire here someday. Sellers know that this is the time to list homes for sale so it's busier for sure.
I would love to hire somebody too here but like Lisa H and probably a lot of stagers I can't even get close to the Xmas decorations with all of the "stuff" in our garage! :)
Janis: I don't know if you have a Whole Foods in your neighborhood (or your target neighborhood) but try putting a flyer up on their community bulletin board. Good luck with your promotion. Let us know how it turns out.
Juliet: Try contacting some NY/NJ prop shops for the film industry to see if anyone is renting christmas decor. We have several here in Los Angeles that rent holiday decor. You might also contact companies that create window displays for department stores or their Christmas tree displays to find out if they rent or if they know where you can rent holiday decor.
Thank you Terrylynn. I strive to keep moving forward. I hate just treading water.
Charlene: Thank you on all counts. I look forward to meeting you in December.
Robyn: Time for a garage "staging". Start at the front and work your way back. Get rid of anything that is broken/in bad repair/not working. If you haven't fixed it by now, you probably never will. Get rid of anything you haven't used in a long time. That should clear out half the space right there. Plan to work on it for one hour, plus one hour to drop off your donations and go to the dump. If you take it on in small "bites" it won't be so daunting. Every weekend tackle a little more. You'll be done in no time.
Consider marketing staging services to people who own furnished rentals. If you include high quality photographs as part of your package, they can use them to advertise their rental listings and possibly get a higher price and better quality tenant.
Great twist for the holidays, thanks for the info.
I'm going to pass your ideas on to several people.
Sorry you're not in our area.
Allen: I hope this idea helps the people you pass it on to. Thank you for commenting.
Congratulations on the 100th post! This sounds like a great addition to your business!
Thank you Kristina. I imagine Staging For The Holidays could be a big hit in Minnesota.
Michelle,
Congratulations on your 100th post! Holiday staging is a great way for home stagers to add additional services to their traditional staging business. A lot of business people are too busy working and don't have time to get their houses ready for the holidays, yet they are planning on entertaining during the holidays! Hiring a professional home stager, is a great way to prepare your home beautifully for the holidays and have a lot less stress!
Thank you Michelle. Everything your said is absolutely true.
This is a great idea...and I also think your blog is geared up for the holidays!
Thank you, Sonja. A little bit of html is a dangerous thing.
Michelle, I am so glad you posted this. You've inspired me to get working on my next newsletter with a holiday decorating theme. Another thing is to mention to your realtor clients that they can offer your holiday decorating services to their clients as a closing gift. They may give you a budget (which may allow only for a couple of hours onsite using what the owners already have) or they may give the client a credit of $200 to use towards your services. Either way it works! :)
Annie: Great ideas! I will mention that to some of my REA clients. Thanks!
Michelle, you've outdone yourself once again! Thanks for the excellent suggestions to bring in some biz. Marketing it as a gift certificate might be a good one too. Congratulations on the 100th.
Excellent post Michelle. You've been featured on Bright Ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Magi: Thank you. I love the gift certificate idea.
Thank you Greg. I'm honored:o))
Congrats on your 100th. May the next 100 bring you profits galore and sanity in a tough market
Shelton
100th post! Phew, I'm impressed...make that awestruck!
I'm glad you are having such success with this idea. I just started marketing a full service "Deck the Halls" campaign in my new home town of Sag Harbor, NY ( "The Hamptons"). So many people have second homes out here and come out for the just the weekend during the winter holidays. I'm offering to provide a complete Holiday make over and tree trimming service. Who wouldn't want their house fully decorated for the holidays, tree, lights and all the trimmings, and done by a professional when they pull up Christmas Eve? I thought it would be a good way to introduce my services and meet clients as this is not the best time of year to get Staging business in a summer resort community.
Thanks for confirming I'm on the right track!
Thank you Shelton. Right back at you!
Allegra: Good for you. Home Staging For The Holidays has worked out remarkably well for me. Notice I am not catering to a specific religious group. I welcome all! You may get even more clients in the Hamptons by taking this route:o)
Of course Michelle, that goes without saying!
Allegra
I agree with this fully. You can take advantage of the Holiday season and stage accordingly.
Chris
Ohh look what I've been missing - you've gifted us all with great holiday tips Michelle and you've gone in technicolor too. Great tips for keeping business flowing all season long.
Been missin' ya chica.
I love this idea and will work on a mailing this week. I use Constant Contact so it should be pretty easy! Thanks for the idea.
Thank you, Team Honeycutt.
Ms. Otto: I have found that even in this economy people want to tart up their homes for the holdiays, especially if they have guests coming. I miss you too. I am hoping things will slow down a bit after this weekend and we can catch-up.
Sharon: I hope it works out well for you. We are going gang-busters on this.
I'm sad to say I have so much Christmas decor, that some of it has never been opened. Maybe a good way to get rid of some stuff!
Cindy: Well, this will be a win-win situation for you and your clients. You have immediate inventory you don't have to spend any money on. They get a beautifully decorated home . Go for it!
Great ideas Michelle! Congrats on your 100th blog!
Michele: Thank you. I hope you can put these ideas to good use.
Michelle, it seems like Christmas would be a great time to showcase a home. Good that you have your Christmas file open!
Charlie: We have already started this program and we are very busy with it for Thanksgiving. It has been a real boon to our business. I can't wait to see what Christmas brings.
All: I have received a few emails from stagers asking about my Home Staging For the Holidays progam. A few have sent me samples of their flyers. All I can say is WOW! If this doesn't generate more business I will be very surprised.
great ideas....very timely...I am staging a home Friday :)
Pat: Thank you, and thank you for being a supporter of real estate staging.
Michele -- Congrats on your 100th post! I'll have to go check to see where I'm at...
As for the Holiday Staging, I think it is a wonderful idea and honestly, I know several people who aren't even moving who would pay to have someone come in and decorate their home... including me!
Kerry: Thank you. We stagers also Stage to Live as well as Stage to Move. You have some wonderful professional stagers in your area. Let me know if you need names and numbers.