(you may have noticed that this blog does not link to my normal staging blog. I now write a tech topic only blog at www.smallbizgurltalkstech.com)
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<div class="info">by smallbizgurl*</div>
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milano stazione centrale ferrovie - milan train station / italia, italy / hdr by paolo margari on Flickr
I get asked that questions all the time now since the real estate market had slowed down. I meet a lot of people who are not working as much as it used to be, or just plain desperate for work.
Frankly, that’s like asking me “What bar do you go to to find a husband?“ or “What diet do you do to lose weight?“ There are just no magic bullets in any types of networking, whether it is online or in person. What works is persistence, consistency, and being geniunely caring to your sphere and friends. It never hurts to have a bigger sphere, in real estate (or small busienss for that matter), you never know where your next referral will come from or if you will meet a potential business partner.
So I have had my flip cam forever and I have just been recording random family stuff and traveling stuff for my own amusement. I finally put it to good use for my business last night for recording a 90-sec video pitch for one of my business partner Edith Yeung's new pet project: bigsuccess.tv
Using flip is super easy, but I must say recording is hard. After an hour of bumbbling and mumbling, I finally had a decent sounding video to show the world. It was very difficult for me, because I was not happy with the way the lighting worked in my house or how I looked on screen. After 30 minutes fiddling around, I decided to screw it and take a less formal approach by sitting down and propping the camera in my face. Because the more formal sounding I am, I think the more boring I sound.
I was 20 secs over, so I had to edit everything done and cut out the unnecessary sentences. I was clueless since it was very first video recording E-VER! But luckily the amazing Mike Mueller came to rescue via twitter. (@mikemueller or http://areweconnected.com/) 3 hours later fiddling around Window Movie Maker, I was able to upload it to Youtube (first time too!!!)
My first video was not too bad of a disaster, but it was actually pretty fasinating and fun. Now I know how to put my flip video to use better, I will definitely record many more. No longer a video virgin....
I had a chance recently to go to LA and spoke at local stager's event (graciously hosted by the Brooks distribution center) about online marketing (we also now offer trainings, if you are interested, visit Staged4more's Training page). I was really pleasantly surprised to get emails from people before the event on them looking forward to me speaking about online marketing and looking forward to finally meet me since they have been seeing my photos around on Active Rain. When I got to the event, I was really taken aback by how many people remembered me from Active Rain, even if I had never met them before.
("Hello! Hello. Hello?)
That's what I really love about Active Rain, I have made so many cool and meaningful friends on an online real estate community. THEN the most awesome thing is that when I go to real estate events that I meet people in person, it's like we have been friends for years. People even come up and say "Next time you come to LA, you can come and stay at my house." How amazing is that? Active Rain not only has given me education from my peers, knowledge from senior stagers, encouragement and lots of love both online and in person. If it weren't for these amazing friendships developed over the internet, I would've never have so much fun owning a staging business!
I was very honored to be invited and got invited to speak. The most incredible thing is of course visiting seeing friends in the staging industry and meet new ones.
Brook Furniture is generously hosting a day of networking, learning and lunch for all Los Angeles Home Stagers. And the best part? Its FREE!
Who? All professional home stagers are invited
Where? Brook Furniture Distribution Center
18960 E. San Jose Ave.
City of Industry, CA 91748
When? Monday February 9, 2009, 10:00AM
The Agenda:
10:00 - 11:00 AM Networking and socializing
11:00 AM-12:00 Noon Presentation about SEO (search engine optimization) by Professional Stager Cindy Lin of Staged4more
12:00 - 1:00PM Lunch and presentation about adding custom window treatments to your offerings for additional income, presented by Ashley Whittenberger from The Interiority Complex. Lunch is generously provided by Brook Furniture.
1:00 - 2:00 PM Tour of the Brook Furniture Distribution Center. A behind the scenes look at their warehouse facility.
2:00 - 3:00 PM Presentation about Feng Shui and how it applies to home staging by Feng Shui Expert Sharon Ball
3:00 - 4:00 PM Additional networking and socializing
This event is free, but please RSVP so we can get an accurate head count. Here is a link to the Evite:
If you have any questions, you can email Michelle Minch at Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com or contact Connie Tebyani (805)553-9952 or Connie@PlatinumHomeStaging.com .
I am in the process of finishing up my book on real estate marketing that is set for publishing this spring and want to incorporate a few more case studies.
Please email me cindy@staged4more.com if you are interested. I am looking for case studies of agents who: *transformed their businesses after incorporating home staging as selling strategy *have successes of selling homes after the properties are staged: if this is the case, please share the details of the listing: listing price, sold price, days on market, sellers' comments, etc.
These interviews will be done via podcasts or blog formats and will be incorporate into the book as well (double exposure!) I am looking to incorporate success stories nationwide.
Thanks again for your amazing support in the past few years. I know I have been quiet on the blog lately, but with good reasons. Staged4more had received great press opportunities in 2008, such as staging for HGTV and awards (2008 Make Mine A Million competition winner in Micro category and Sam Walton Emerging Entrepreneur Award). All these are very exciting. What is even more exciting is what I have in store for you in 2009!
*2 real estate marketing books will be published this year *an eco-friendly real estate product line *a home accessories product line *new website (yes, we are growing out of this one!) that will have online shopping capabilities and more free useful content for you *trainings in areas like green training, color designs, redesigns, etc.
As a token of appreciation for all your wonderful support since I founded Staged4more, here is a 2009-staged4more-real-estate-goals-calendar. You can print on any letter size paper of your choosing. All you need to do once you printed is cut them up and put them in a CD case for your desktop. (see photos below) I have also letterpressed these calendars and gave them out as gifts to clients, vendors and some of our Facebook fans. If you would like a letterpress copy, please email me directly at cindy (at) staged4more (dot) com. We have very few copies left.
I know, I know, I haven’t written blogs for awhile (you will see why in 2009! I have books and courses for training companies being written & published right now, so all the writing juice went that way… You will definitely be the first to know when the first book hit the market in mid-spring next year)
I have always wanted to do podcasts for awhile, so here was my first try today! I interviewed TerryLynn Fisher, who not only gave me lots of words of wisdom when I was a newbie stager, who is also a wealth of sources for both real estate industry and staging industry. She has been incredibly active in real estate circles with her green initiatives, she also co-founded Stager’s List, which is a community dedicated for stagers to buy, sell their inventory.
The topics were very broad. I have decided for the podcasts, we are not going to do any formal Q&A, but more of a chatting format. I personally think it is also easier to listen to. Our topics included are:
*Top producers’ secrets even in down economy *Staging industry *Stager’s trainings *Realtors who stage properties themselves vs. Realtors who work with stagers as a team together -> what are the differences and how that has changed Realtor’s business (TerryLynn has done both) *Green initiatives in our industry *Economic benefits of staging *Being realtor/stager is a small business *Profitable & sustainable business models *Return on investment of staging & stats *First LEED-H house in Northern California (Margarido House)
To listen, go to TalkShoe to either join stagingbabe’s community or just to listen.
Please help me welcome my friend Monica Vera who is a stager in Texas! She is just about to write her first blog and she needs some encouragement! I would love if you can shoot her a message to help her getting over the first step! We were all once newbies ourselves and don't you remember how hesitant it could be to start that first step? So please help me and send her a WARM ACTIVE RAIN WELCOME!!!
I read this script recently that teaches realtors how to teach their clients “on staging home to sell:”
“I’m going to give you the two biggest money-making words there are when it comes to showing your home: depersonalize and declutter. It’ll make you house look bigger and is the best thing you can do.”
Hmm, really?
De-personalize and de-clutter, although 2 important aspects in home staging, does NOT substitute home staging.
(furnished not staged)
I have heard agents telling their clients all the time, and I even have sellers say to me all the time, “Oh, I know I need to de-personalize and de-clutter. I learn that from HGTV.“ or “All I need is to de-peronsalize and de-clutter, I don’t need anything else.” And that’s ALL they do.
And you know what happens when you just de-personalize and de-clutter? You are just showing an empty space and a shell of a home. BUT PEOPLE WANT TO BUY MORE THAN JUST 4 WALLS AND A ROOF.
We often forget what it felt like when we were buyers when we sell our homes. We forgot that we (Read more …)
Professional Home Stagers Gather to Discuss Industry News and Promote Home Staging
The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) the Trade Association for Professional Home Stagers has announced that November is Home Staging Awareness Month.
RESA along with IRIS and ASHSR is proud to announce that we are National Co-Sponsors of Home Staging Awareness Month.
During Home Staging Awareness Month the popular “Stage it Forward” (SIF) Round Table Meetings will be taking place all over North America. SIF originated from a powerful internet blogging community that is hosted by Real Estate Blogging website called Active Rain.
The meetings will focus on the Staging Industry, creating standards, ethics and the wants and needs of the Professional Stager. You ALL can have a voice in creating standards and choosing the direction you want your industry to take.
Keeping with the tradition of SIF and RESA ALL Stagers are welcome to attend or facilitate/moderate a meeting. You do not have to be a member of RESA to attend or facilitate the meeting nor do you have to hold any particular designation.
The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) the Trade Association for Professional Home Stagers has announced that November is Home Staging Awareness Month.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States LicenseDISCLAIMER & DISCLOSURE: Staged4more disclaims liability for any damages or losses, direct or indirect that may result from use of or reliance on, information contained in this blog, on this website or for accuracy of comments or opinions of visitors to Staged4more's blog and site.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
(furnished not staged)
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