A Home Stager's #1 Skill Set - PSYCHOLOGY SKILLS
/I was scrolling through posts I did on an old blog forum and came across one I wrote way back in 2008 and it so rang true having just spent the day last week with Realtor students in a C.E. course I teach on HOME STAGING. The #1 issue they have is communicating to their clients the importance of using home staging services.
This is an updated version of that old post still so important 8 years later.
In 1999 when starting my business, REINVENTING SPACE I struggled with constructing my bio for my brochure, website and marketing materials. I could check off that I had taken specialty interior redesign and home staging training, but felt a bit funny stating that I had degree in Psychology. My naivety pressed me to think that my degree would be meaningless to my prospects.
I was very wrong! Little did I know that one of my greatest assets in the success of my business has been my wonderful degree! I quickly discovered that what I did for a living, yes, required me to have great decorative creative, expert, and business skills - more importantly was my aptitude and understanding of the psychology of people and their needs that has brought me so far.
I can't stress the absolute significance of refining your skills to include an in-depth education in understanding your clients and prospects. Whether you are meeting with a Realtor as a potential associate, conducting a home staging evaluation, coming up with your staging plan, or talking to a reporter on the phone - One of the main components to your trade success - is that you understand the needs and personality types of not only your clients, but those associated to your business.
Why Hone Your Skills to Benefit Your Business?
•· We are in the business advising and consulting homeowners regarding the most expensive purchase they ever made, and likely a majority slice of their net worth; as well as their safe haven and emotional grounding. Knowing their personality type is a crucial element in not only conducting one-on-one business with them, but also how you creatively and productively provide your services for them.
•· We are in the business of understanding what the latest trends are in consumer spending and needs in the house and home arena. Having sharp listening, communication and trend spotting skills allows you to be on the cutting-edge of your industry and serve your clients well.
“We are in the business of offering expertise that updates, rejuvenates and capture the essence of the home’s soul and re-packages it for a new family that will be moving in - Allowing the prospective buyer to emotional connect with the home.”
•· We are in the business as being a reliable and educated resource for our business associates, helping them create a better revenue stream and professional image. Understanding your associates' personalities, how they conduct business and how you can morph your skill and service set to benefit their business style is a crucial component to your business philosophy and plan.
•· For business success, one has to been able to network and promote themselves in the community and media. Understanding how to effectively pursue these key associations, and create a long term relationship with them allows you to become the go-to resource - Keeping you in the Public's Eye.
Develop your home staging psychology skills set
How Do You Refine These Skills?
•· Find someone in the industry that is an expert in this area, and learn from them. The best education is to be educated by someone just like you. HOUSE STAGER | INTERIOR STYLIST offers coaching and mentoring and connect you.
•· Take courses in psychology and use your 'to-the-trade only resource partners'' educational forums. Many of your business or industry partners have wonderful free education workshops on this subject. I attended a great color class through Benjamin Moore that spoke of the psychology of color.
- Take additional specialty courses. We offer the INTERIOR STYLIST FINISHING SCHOOL. A two day advanced certification course in the art, science and psychology of interior stylist method, mindset and lifestyle design techniques.
•· Be a voracious reader - Take the time to be a student of text. I dug up an awesome doctoral thesis on the psychology of the home buyer as it pertained to model homes, and found in its bibliography an eye awakening book on the social psychology of home decorating and design. You just never know what you'll find when you GOOGLE around.
