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Staging for Newbies...Let's really help.

I am thinking that the newbies... the ones that truly need some advice and are a bit intimidated by some of our posts. Not that we have done anything wrong... it is just the fact that in order for a new stager to post a question to this group, takes some huevos. They read some of our posts and become disenchanted right off the bat. Staging is much more than anyone bargained for.

Bottom line, we here to help in this group. We, as experienced stagers, are here to "help". We need to make that commitment to help. Anything that is posted should be helpful.

Did you subliminally pick up on HELP?

On the other hand.... If you are new, you need to speak up. You need to know that "we" are here to help you. If you have questions... YOU need to ask. You also need to be open to constructive advice. We want you to succeed, we really do. If you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen... but if you really want to grow your biz, then ASK. Believe me, it is much tougher out there on your own than to have some experienced stagers, who really do want to help you, give some constructive advice. There are so many of us that truly care about staging, we want staging to be a viable business, and want YOU to succeed. Why.... because we all benefit from it. We were all there once.

Posted by Lori Kim Polk, Roseville, Sacramento Home Stager on 10/15/2008 09:04 PM

Comments (23)

staging, home stager, newbies, advice, confidence, lori kim polk, active rain

Post is included in group: Real World Home Staging for Newbies
Post is included in group: Stager's Coffee Clutch
Post is included in group: The Lounge at Active Rain

23 Comments on Staging for Newbies...Let's really help.

OCT

2008

LKP: You are such a kind and generous person. Your generosity shines through this post. I have not seen anyone not get help when they asked for it. Have you?

Michelle, you are such an inspiration to everyone. Always there to help or to steer in the right direction...:) Yes, there are stagers who do feel intimidated and do not feel comfortable/insecure about posting questions or pictures, or asking questions because they feel like they can't. I would really like to get beyond that. Karen developed this for newbies to feel secure and to be able to have a voice. I just wanted to reintegrate that this is what this forum is for. Newbies... shout out and tell us what you need!

Lori Kim, You know me.. I've never been shy of asking questions, in fact that's about all I do. So many here on the rain have been supportive over the last several months. I look forward to when I will be able to pass along to others the wisdom and knowledge that has been shared with me.

Hi Lori, as I know you very well, you heart is there to help newbies-an oldies too! Did I say that???

I was a newbie and you helped me!! So thankful too. I have read so many blogs from so many great experienced stagers and I know their heart is there to help people. I believe the people who are successful are because they have a servants heart- it shows to the clients and it shows here in AR.

So any of you new stagers, find a person locally in the field to partner with, 2 people to do things with is more fun anyway. Or ask to volunteer to help or shadow someone. That too is a great help for some experience.

Lori as always, codos to you!!!

Kath

Lori, old or new, we can all learn from each other. Every single day a new idea occurs, a new way of staging better or faster, new technology to better our businesses. AR has and is a great support network for us all.

OCT

2008

I hear you Lori. Hopefully, most of the members feel comfortable with the group here. I have noticed we have lots of new people on board. I have been nuts lately and haven't been on it as much and when I came back saw lots of newbies. I find that encouraging. I do believe some people forget that this is an open forum that homeowners and Realtors read and they put themselves out there in non-member messages that make them not look experts on their craft. That can be part of the problem. Yes, we are here to help but I hope they email people off line when they need help to keep their marketing imagine and brand equity clear and professional for Realtors and Homeowners to view.

When a post is a member only post Realtors can still read them? They are our clients too. Just a thought. Kym

Lori ~ I am sure there are those that are members but have not posted or commented as yet. I know it can take some time to feel comfortable doing so, and you don't want to say anything "stupid" to bring unwanted attention to yourself! Really, the only "stupid" or "silly" question is the one not asked. How many times has someone asked a question only to get either several different ways of looking at it or the consensus agreeing with the poster?

I'll join you in saying, please don't hesitate to post or comment. I also agree with Kym, I have e-mailed members for help, rather than it being an openly read post asking for help. There really are helpful and lovely people on here, and I can say from personal experience that I have gotten help when I needed it!

Lori - you are such a giving person. How kind of you to remind "newbies" it's okay to ask, you are here to help.

Hi LKP!

I am always open to share with others but I'm also of the mindset that eventually one has to start giving back what they have gotten. In the past I've gotten these but lately I've gotten a lot more emails from people wanting to intern or apprentice with me and I've never even met or seen these folks on Active Rain. While it takes some courage to write a stranger, I just have to say there is a slim chance that I'll be able to employ someone I don't know at all.

Relationships are built over time and yes, this place can be rough on newbies or even not so newbie - we've all seen the drama that can unfold here. Heck in August I celebrated 2 years in this industry and I still think of myself as new every day ;-) but I did jump in to Active Rain with both feet immediately - it wasn't as big as it is today but I felt welcome right away and I to this day steer clear of posts that are hostile, intimidating or unprofessional. There are just way too many good people here to worry about the few not so good.

I'm so glad I took the chance here and got involved - it is a committment that I have gladly made and I have great friends and associates who are living proof that Active Rain is full of caring, giving people.

Aloha Lori,

Thanks for this post. We should all make an effort to be more helpful all the time to who ever asks for it. The world will be a better place if we do.

Peace,

OCT

2008

WORD! people think that if they help new stagers they are giving the farm away, but seriously, if that's the attitude and newbies don't know what they are doing, it's worse for EVERYONE in the long run when consumers lose confidence in our professions.

Donna... thank you for stopping by and PLEASE keep asking ;)

Kath... my buddy ;) I am so glad that you are successful. Passion also keeps us going and you have it girlie!

Terry... you are so right. We must continue to share and help... how else do you build a legitimate profession?

Kym... hey there sista! You offer several services to other stagers like stagersLIST, coaching, and now your "green" training course. You are the queen of helping my friend;)

I might add right here that if you are a new stager and you are timid, take a trip back in time with any one of the leading stagers here in the rain such as LKP or Cindy Lin or Phyllis Parfumi, and read the earliest posts and you will see the issues we all dealt with back then and how they were solved. You will see we were all new at sharing, blogging, marketing, etc. You might even have a good laugh...and if you do, that would be a great post to begin blogging with...

Great post LKP

Lori, that is a kind thing to do, letting newbies know they can ask for help. You are very thoughtful and helpful.

OCT

2008

Hello Lori,

Thank you for your post and your spirit of caring and more importantly, of sharing. As one of the newbies here, I will also take this opportunity to say a huge "THANK YOU! ALL OF YOU STAGERS HERE ON ACTIVE RAIN ARE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!" You may not realize just how important your posts are to me and others just getting started.

I have gotten so much guidance from many of you on AR, and the professionalism is tops from all of you. I hope that I, too, will be able to pass along some nuggets of gold to a future Newbie someday. For now, I rely on your wisdom as I build my own experiences.

Again, THANK YOU ALL!

- Lin

Lori, you are so great!!! YEs we should all remember this. And, Sheron's comment is stellar. Go back and read your favorites old blogs and you'll get lots of info from when they were newer and asking questions as well.

Then there is Kym's point which is also a good one. It is that realtors and sellers do read these blogs and sometimes join incognito as members, and we do really want to learn but not advertise our inexperience. Oh, I hope I didn't make it worse. But, it's a valid point to consider.

THANKS for bringing good to everything you do, We just LOVE you!!! Terrylynn, StagersLIST, and Live Green, Live Smart CP Trainer (too) and Realtor...

OCT

2008

Lori, That is a great post! I love AR and all the wonderful people gathered here. I have grown so much, and much of it is due to you and all of the other wonderful people on AR. Thank you.

Thanks for the awesome reminder, I've been so amazed by the general kindness and willingness of the stagers here in the rain to help each other. Each and everyone of you has contributed something of value in one way or another :]

OCT

2008

Wonderful post Lori! Everyone's desire to help and share is shining brightly in the responses. I know I have received excellent advice and support on AR and by stagers I would have never known otherwise. I am always very appreciative of it. I only hope I can return the favor some day.

The talent here is abundant. Staging, marketing, artistic, design, communication, public speaking, networking, day to day business, training, technical/computers, the list goes on and on! We don't have to be experts in every area when you know who to seek help from. The kindness of others willing to share, including newbies, benefits all of us.

Hi Lori: It's not just the newbies that need help. Veterans can also learn from each other. The day you stop learning something new is the day you should think about leaving the business. :)

NOV

2008

Well said Lori

I Mentor newbies in the UK and they are often worried about asking a "silly" question, while we know there isn't ever a silly question it's still sometimes hard for them to ask. Thanks for your great insight, It's inspiring.

NOV

2008

just reading all your comments and so appreciate that there is somewhere that i will be able to come for assistance, a listening ear or maybe a shoulder to cry on?? i will be beginning my training very soon, ahhh, (i hear the chuckles already!) hoping that my background will assist me in pursuit of this endeavor. owned an antique/craft biz, was a realtor, and due to varied reasons have moved every 6 months/year every year for the last 13 years, so i am very, very adept at packing, unpacking and doing 15 things at once and skipping meals! my daughter is now almost 20 and is planning on joining me in this venture, as she has been my packing and moving buddy for so long that we work very well together. hope to be an a.r. member very soon, there to also offer up everything i have learned from my (multiple) mistakes in the future! thanks again for the great blog!

Thank yo everyone for your responses. Yes, EVERYONE needs to keep learning no matter what. Once you stop learning... you die, simple as that.

At our recent Round Table, it was so important for new stagers to receive help to get their business going. Very few training orgs. out there provide continuing education or help without a fee. If we all truly want our profession to be viable to the Real Estate industry... we must help each other and continue high standards. I will continued to help and mentor area stagers to the best of my ability ;)

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