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Intuition or Demand. Which one triggers you to change?

By Gary Barnett

Home Stager with Home Matters

April 07, 2008 08:39 AM

A few days ago I was having a conversation with a pal of mine in Chicago (One of those Staging types) and eventually we got into talking about what drives people in service industries to change their philosophies and their behaviors in how they approach their business and in turn, servicing their clients. What happens that causes that very moment that the light comes on and we see all so clearly what needs to be done? I immediately remembered a thought I had heard many years ago from a very successful businessman. "Changing the way you do business comes about as a result of your own Intuition or the ability to see the changing Demands of your customers" The businessman was Sam Walton. I was a very impressionable youngster when I worked for Mr. Walton so most of his philosophies have stuck with me over all of these years since. It isn't much of a leap in transforming the philosophy from the Retail world to the service industry and more specifically the Real Estate Industry.

Intuition is, well it is, what it is. I don't know where it comes from, I don't know why others have it and I do not, it's just there or it's not. If you have the intuition to know what your clients need before they tell you, then you are truly gifted and will be forever ahead of the curve.

Demand shows up in our clients' words and in their actions. Client demands will more than likely start small and grow. Realtors and Stagers may see the start of growing client demands in questions like "What is Home Staging?" or "How much does it cost?", "Do you recommend home staging?" or "What can you do to market my home differently than other Agents?". As time passes and the demand grows the questions may change to "Do you provide a Home Stager as part of your listing?" or "Can you show me the results of the homes you have staged?" or you may hear Realtors ask Stagers "Can you show me photos of the work you have done?" or they may ask about "How can I be sure you will be professional when working with my client?" And of course "How Much does it cost?" As our clients become more educated, their questions will become more pointed and their actions will start to speak louder than their words. Agents and Stagers might start loosing potential clients because they just don't offer the things that have become standard as a result of client demands. You may also start loosing existing listings to other agents because the client feels that they did not receive the right advise on improving the marketability of their home. For Stagers we could easily see a large gap open up between those that are truly professional and those that are not, because our clients understand the difference. We could easily see those that lack the intuition it takes to market a home properly, fall by the way side, because our clients have learned how to spot those that can and those that cannot. Desperation can also drive client demands. Desperation for many is the reality of the day. Desperation can be seen in the reaction of the homeowner that has been making payments on two homes for a year and cannot understand why their cold, vacant home will not sell. Desperation comes in the reaction of a homeowner that has the 30^th ranked home in a market of only 20 buyers. Desperation comes in the reaction of a homeowner that after many months has just bought into the fact that their home is not worth what it uses to be worth, or the owner that has two months to sell before the bank takes their home and his equity. Desperation can also set in to those clients that chose to have their home staged by the cheapest Stager, rather than the most Professional. The ability to learn and correct our course as Realtors and Stagers can also come from the desperation of our own failing business.

So what is inevitable for those among us that do not have the god given Intuition to see what's coming and change, or for those that do not have the ability or desire to change as a result of our clients' new demands. EXTINCTION!

extinction

Making changes in our lives goes against every basic human instinct. We get comfortable in who we are and what we do and in fact many of us feel proud that we are really good at the things we do. We feel as though change simply represents turning over our proverbial comfort zones apple cart.

What path are you on? Are you one of the lucky few with a high level of Intuition and the ability to act on it? Are you someone that can read the changing demands in our clients and have the ability to act on it? Or are you paralyzed to act and will follow the path of extinction?

Stagers and Realtors alike, be an agent of change and avoid the path to extinction.

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Elaine Manes Gage

Home Staging Online Services - Denver, CO

Staging done ONLINE!

Gary- Great post! I think I have the intuition, but I do struggle with the "acting on it" part! I do see a change right now, from convincing sellers to stage in the first place, to convincing sellers to hire ME and not another staging company. It has caused me to really step up my game!

Apr 07, 2008 10:55 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Thanks Elaine, What you said is exactly why I decided to write on this particular subject. We are definitely seeing an increase in the demand. We have noticed lately that we are getting many calls from Home owners requesting our services and they are represented by agents that have historically not been interested in Home Staging. It made me think, at what point will those particular agents see that their clients are changing their demands? Thanks for stopping by, I know this is a much heavier topic than normal for me, but I just felt the need to discuss a serious subject.

Apr 08, 2008 12:38 AM

Kathleen Garvey

HomeSmart Cherry Creek - Denver - Denver, CO

Denver's Neighborhood Expert - Listings & Sales

Hi Gary...Interesting topic! There is an art to listening and 'hearing' your Intuition. Some of us have it naturally in abundance, however, we still must balance our 'intutive feelings' with the practical realities before us. (Are we deep enough yet?) : )

The tides are changing and demand for professional Home Staging IS growing. I hear more from Homeowners who call and seem baffled that their Realtor didn't suggest it at all. Why not?

Because we may still be in the early-adopter phase of the sales model but at some point, the curve swells rapidly to encompass the majority. At that point, we will have 60-80% buy-in. Smart business people are 'open' to new ways of selling....and they 'hear' it as they read and experience the turns in their business. The more attention we professional stagers bring to the subject, I feel that faster others will learn.

A true understanding of all that we provide and charge is another layer to conquer. The evidence is clear that change is before us in the Real Estate Industry.....but it can appear that old ways of thinking are clouding current judgment.

Even those folks with less intuition should not ignore the giant wave we are riding....Will you surf the crest or simply pretend the wave does not exist?? The tides always are changing....and the Surf is UP!

Hmmm...I think I will do a blog on this analogy! Thanks for the inspiration Gary! : ) Regards-Kathleen G

Apr 08, 2008 01:13 AM

Charlene Storozuk

Dezigner Digz - Burlington, ON

Home Stager - Burlington Ontario

As well as being intuitive, we must also be diligent in observing what's going on around us. We can't stick our heads in the sand because it is more comfortable. The real estate industry never stays the same. It always changes according to the overall health of the economy. To not address those changes in our business plans WILL put us into extinction. In the decor industry, we have to stay current on decorating trends, but we must not forget as business owners, to stay current on market trends as well or the wheels will fall off of our proverbial apple cart. Another great blog Gary!

Apr 08, 2008 01:55 AM

Gabriele Campbell

D F Campbell Ventures Group Inc. - Saint Albert, AB

ASP, CID

It's hard to be so far ahead of the game - so tapped in to one's intuition - that no one else gets it. I live in Conservative Alberta and talk about concepts taking a long time to gain momentum! There are some very skilled and dedicated professionals in this area, and that collective effort will move the industry forward. Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise.

Apr 08, 2008 03:24 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Hello Kathleen, yes it is an interesting topic, one that I would not generally broach but because of recent events I thought it was timely. This really does deals with the broader topic of people skills. Your assessment about the 60%-80% is right on the money. This is the group that we have to do a much better job to educate them on what staging is and what it is not. An agent or Home owners knowledge is based on their individual experience and we all know that there are a wide variety of experiences that can be had with the staging industry today. It is important to define all of what we do and how that helps support marketing a property. As in some posts I've read recently, if an agents only experience comes from seeing a stager simply do what they feel they could have done themselves, then that is their reality about home staging. The overall point is that whether we "get it" through intuition or as a result of hearing the new demands of our clients is immaterial, but not getting it will lead to Extinction. Thanks for your comments Kathleen, I know this is a large and deep subject.

Apr 08, 2008 03:29 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Hello Charlene, Thanks for the comments. I find it extremely interesting that what drives the point home with some, does not work with others. I think the message about home staging has to be customized many times over so that it can be absorbed by a broader range of people. Just with-in the last few days I fully realized that there are many definitions of what staging is. Each definition is what a persons own individual experience has been and may be clouded by what they have been offered. Very perplexing! I have read that many Realtors believe the definition is that a stager simply suggests cleaning, de-cluttering, removing old or outdated stuff, etc. These things are only a small part of what Linda does in support of what the agent already knows and has already told their clients. She also discusses paint colors, landscaping, Furniture removal, additions and re-arrangement, and the list goes on and on. We seem to hear only from those that are well equipped to tell the seller what needs to be done, not the ones that do not or will not do the same. I also find it interesting that agents will say that price is everything, yet homes still set on the market for ages. Does that mean that many believe it but do not act on it? Why would you represent a client that is demanding unreasonable expectations. So if you don't need us because you can do it your self, why isn't the very basic need for a successful sale accomplished? Regardless of the noise, when you get right down to it, I will stand by the results of a well priced, good conditioned, staged home any day over a well priced, good condition, non staged home.

Apr 08, 2008 06:09 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Hello Gabriele. As I watch stagers from across the country talk about the areas they live in it is obvious just like your self that some areas move at a much faster pace than others. I think it just points out that real estate is a very localized matter. Thanks and hang in there, it will progress even if it is slowly.

Apr 08, 2008 08:46 AM

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

"Stagers and Realtors alike, be an agent of change and avoid the path to extinction." I love it!

I am glad you touched on intuition, it's a very big part of how I do business. I follow my internal compass. So far it has served me well :D

Cheers,

Cindy

Apr 08, 2008 11:13 AM

Minnesota Home Staging Firm, Minnesota

Minnesota Home Staging Network~ MN's Top Home Staging Firm - Inver Grove Heights, MN

Hmmm...that's a tough one Gary. I'd have to say Intuition typically but every once in awhile when life gets crazy it's demand that kicks in. Great blog!

hope you are well!

All the best,

Beth

Apr 08, 2008 03:27 PM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Hello Cindy,I believe Intuition is the corner stone that every successful Home Stager is built on. There are many professions that require Intuition as a starting point to become something more than mediocre. Just comparing Linda and Myself is a pure example. Linda has the intuition for the artistry and I do not. She has had that intuition with property presentation and I have also seen it in play when she switches gears to decorating. All of this time, I have been right there, constantly watching and trying to understand, but I still do not have the intuition to execute what I have seen and been a part of for so long. I have enough experience with home staging that I could easily call myself a stager, but all I could really do is re-arrange furniture, just because I do not have that cornerstone, Intuition. There are many out there in the staging world that are just like me except they have not come to grips with the fact that they lack the intuition. Thanks Cindy for stopping by, it is always good to hear from you.

Apr 09, 2008 12:59 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Hello again Beth. Just be thankful that even when the old intuition slips that you can recognize the demand feature. I'm finding that too many don't even recognize when the demand is there. Again it is good to see you out and about. Thanks for coming to see me.

Apr 09, 2008 04:21 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Elaine, sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you and every one else. We have been real busy doing staging stuff.

You in fact do have the intuition. You can see it in your work. I don't think you should hesitate to go with your intuition at all. I love to read peoples profiles and in turn I always check out their web sites. I remember looking at your site and what I see is someone that really gets it. That's why I say you have no reason but to go with what your gut tells you. Thanks Elaine, always good to hear from you.

Apr 14, 2008 02:10 AM

Gary Barnett

Home Matters - Indianapolis, IN

Home Matters Property Stylist Group, Indianapolis

Hello Kathleen, I believe that in the end it doesn't matter if Intuition told you to change your business model or if it was the growing demand that lead you to re-examine your methods, as long as you can read the signs and not be left in the dust. Thanks for your comments Kathleen. And definitely write that blog. If what I say causes inspiration, then I did good.

Apr 14, 2008 02:19 AM