As a home stager, you know how competitive the market can be. So do I. That’s why I’m sharing these 6 clever marketing strategies for home stagers who want to stand out in their market. So you know exactly what marketing strategies you can use that will help you differentiate yourself and your business.
When I was building my staging business, my top priority was marketing. My goal was to ensure we stood out, but that was a huge challenge. Initially, the only way we stood out was with pricing. We were the cheapest stagers in town, but this kind of marketing strategy doesn’t work long-term. Especially if we actually wanted to earn a living and build a thriving company.
Home Staging Marketing Mistakes
Maybe you’re doing the same thing: consistently competing with other stagers based solely on price. It might be working for you. However, it will also limit your potential business growth. As a business owner who used this strategy, I can tell you it doesn’t work. When we transitioned to value-based marketing instead, that helped the business thrive. That’s why it’s crucial to find other ways to market your services so you stand out.
Many home stagers copy what their competitors are doing when it comes to marketing. Too many are following the crowd. One of the biggest struggles I hear from stagers is that they can’t articulate their value. Or, how they’re different from the competition. If all you’re doing is copying the competition, you’re choosing to blend in, not stand out. This type of marketing strategy will keep you stuck in a cycle of competing for jobs. And losing out if you’re not cheap enough or can’t market your value.
If you want to change that, you have to figure out how you’re different. Then, you have to market your business accordingly.
These six clever marketing strategies for home stagers are value-based. Meaning, they’re tailored to helping you lead with value so clients pay you what you’re worth. And most of these marketing strategies are free to implement. Meaning you don’t need expensive Google ads or other paid marketing tactics. I successfully employed these marketing strategies, which played a key role in differentiating my business from my competitors. Value-based marketing helped my home staging company go from barely surviving to grossing over six figures consistently.
I encourage you to get intentional with your marketing. Especially in a saturated market. When you get clever and intentional with your marketing, you’ll see much better results. Not only that, but you’ll also develop a memorable brand that’ll further set you apart from the crowd.
Everything comes back to your marketing strategy and foundation. These six clever marketing strategies for home stagers are ones that I used to build a 6-figure home staging company. When implemented correctly, they have the power to transform your home staging business and get you more clients.
Creating a marketing strategy that helps you stand out sounds challenging, especially if you don’t understand your value. The first step is creating a solid brand identity. Why is that important? Because when you do that, you define what makes you unique. Then, you can create marketing messaging that effectively communicates this value and attracts your ideal audience.
A lot of home stagers miss this step. Which is also why many stagers struggle with their marketing. To get your marketing right, you first need a solid brand.
Once you have that though, you can get intentional with your marketing. And then these six clever marketing strategies for home stagers will help you stand out in your local market.
Marketing Strategy #1: Leverage Social Media to Showcase Your Work & Expertise
If you want to reach your audience, social media marketing should be your #1 marketing strategy. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are perfect for staging and design pros because they prioritize image and video content. This makes them perfect for showcasing your home staging projects, highlighting your expertise, and helping you build relationships with your audience.
Social media was a critical marketing strategy that generated hundreds of leads for my company. Facebook and Instagram were my go-to platforms. Through them, I was able to reach hundreds of people every day. As a result, my company’s brand became a household name, generating us numerous leads daily. All for free.
If you’re unsure where to start, begin by creating a social media content plan. Your content plan should include a mix of content designed to attract, nurture, and convert followers into leads. By doing so, you’ll market with intention (not just intuition), and actually get results from your content. In the Social Stager Club, we create content plans with this strategy built in. This is ideal for home stagers who want to simplify their marketing efforts. The reality is, you don’t need to post more; you need to post the right types of content that will resonate with your ideal audience and get them thinking of you as the ideal stager to work with.
By doing so, you’ll leverage the power of social media to build your brand and get more home staging jobs and clients.
Marketing Strategy #2: Use Email Marketing to Build Relationships & Brand Loyalty
Email marketing is another powerful tool that can help you stay top of mind with your audience. Create a high-value freebie to build your email list, and then use your email to showcase your latest projects, share educational content tailored to what your ideal audience needs to hear, offer discounts, and provide helpful tips and advice to establish your authority.
Many stagers still don’t utilize this powerful tool, missing out on the benefits that email marketing can provide. My email newsletter was packed with relevant industry tips, trends, and my latest home staging projects. It established me as an expert in my area and increased brand awareness. I can’t tell you how many realtors started calling us because they had seen our work in our newsletter and just had to have the same quality staging for their clients.
If you’re unsure how to start building an engaged email list or are guilty of ghosting your subscriber list, then it’s time to start utilizing this powerful marketing tool. When we work with home stagers, we help them create a comprehensive marketing system that includes email marketing to enhance brand awareness and establish trust in their services.
Marketing Strategy #3: Partner Up with Local Realtors
Out of the 6 clever marketing strategies for home stagers, I find that this one tends to be the one most home stagers overlook. Listen, realtors can be your best allies. Partnering with them can—and does—often lead to consistent referrals and new home staging jobs.
And when I talk about partnering up, this doesn’t mean showing up at brokerages touting your services. This means creating and fostering meaningful relationships with realtors based on shared interests or endeavors as opposed to just trying to sell your services.
This might include shared marketing initiatives, such as hosting a homebuyers or sellers event. I did many of these when I was running my home staging business, and it was always a great way for both myself and the realtor I was partnering with to get exposure and attract new clients.
It might also include joining a networking group, volunteering with a realtor or a brokerage, or sponsoring one of their events. These are great ways for realtors to get to know you and your business without it being sales-focused. When I did these things, realtors were much more inclined to connect with me and learn more about my business.
Start by connecting with realtors online through social media, and then build on those budding relationships by continuing to engage with them online and attending local real estate events, conferences, and networking gatherings. Nurture those relationships by consistently following up with agents and taking the time to get to know them in both group and one-on-one settings.
Last but not least, ensure you’ve professionally designed marketing materials to give them. I recommend everything from business cards to brochures to home staging services and pricing guides if you want to impress them.
Marketing Strategy #4: Host Virtual or In-Person Workshops
Hosting a workshop, I found, was one of the most powerful ways to build your rep as an expert in your niche. For years, I conducted workshops for realtors and home sellers, as well as design workshops for individuals seeking decorating advice.
That’s why I strongly recommend that home stagers find ways to host events that enable them to connect with people and establish themselves as industry experts.
From hosting a virtual Q&A session on social media to holding a home-selling workshop or seminar for homeowners in your area, there are numerous ways for you to get in front of your ideal audience.
Not only do these events set you up as an industry expert, but they also enable you to foster connections and relationships with other professionals in related industries that will bring in referrals and put you in front of other audiences.
Marketing Strategy #5: Offer a Unique Service or Niche Down
To stand out from the competition, consider specializing in a niche and offering a unique service that no other home stager provides in your area. For example, you could offer both virtual and real staging services for your clients. Alternatively, you could specialize in staging luxury or model homes. I know of several home stagers who offer unique services, such as short-term rental or Airbnb staging, which helps them stand out because those niches are less saturated.
When I switched from staging for anyone to focusing specifically on luxury and model homes, my business exploded. Not only did this make my home staging business more profitable, but it also allowed me to focus on what I was truly passionate about.
If you’re unsure how to niche down in your staging business, I encourage you to take my free challenge, which will enable you to not only nail your niche but also define what makes you unique, allowing you to improve your marketing messaging and stop competing with other local stagers.
Marketing Strategy #6: Start a Blog or Vlog
One of the first marketing initiatives I started was a home staging blog for my business. By doing so, I was able to establish myself as a thought leader in my industry, provide relevant information to my target audience, and once again stand out as an expert in my field.
That’s why when I work with home stagers on their marketing, I encourage them to establish either a blog or vlog to help them achieve the same results that I did.
If you want to stop competing with other stagers on price points, then one of the most critical steps is to establish yourself as a thought leader in your market. This helps build the know, like, and trust factor with prospective clients and adds value to your services.
Of the six marketing strategies for home stagers, this was my favorite simply because writing came naturally to me. I wanted to share my expertise, stories, and insights into what was happening in my industry, which I believed my ideal client would find interesting and beneficial. Whichever medium you choose to share your stories and expertise, this marketing strategy will dramatically boost brand visibility and help establish you as the go-to expert in your area (and beyond).
You can do it for practically free as well. Setting up a blog is inexpensive, as is starting a TikTok or YouTube account. All you need is content to share and a willingness to be consistent to see amazing results.
Become the go-to Home Stager
If you want to stand out in your market, these six clever marketing strategies for home stagers will help you set yourself apart from the competition and establish yourself as a home staging expert. Remember to stay true to your brand, stay active on social media, and always look for new opportunities to promote your home staging business.
Want help building your brand or managing your social media? Be sure to check out my services for home stagers. If you’d like help elevating your marketing materials, be sure to visit my template shop. And if you’re not ready to outsource your social media yet but want help making it simpler, check out The Social Stager Club.
Here’s to you becoming the go-to stager in your area!
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