When it comes to business, every small business owner wants to stand out in their industry and home stagers are no different. As a veteran home stager who built an award-winning and renowned home staging company, I know how challenging it can be to stand out in an increasingly saturated industry. Differentiating your home staging business is critical however, if you want to become the #1 home staging provider in your area and start getting jobs based on your value instead of always competing on price.
Part of differentiating your home staging business starts with having a strong brand identity. Without that, it’s going to be very difficult for your ideal clients to tell your business apart from other local home staging companies. When you have a strong brand identity that is reflected across all of your marketing, then you build brand awareness, recognition, and trust with the people you’d most like to do business with.
Too often, I see home stagers rush to market their new business before taking the time to build their brand identity. This is a mistake that costs them in both revenue and growth. It’s one of the key reasons why home stagers consistently end up competing with each other based on price alone. When all that differentiates you from your competition is your pricepoint, then it’s little wonder why that’s the only factor prospective clients use to make their decisions.
But what if you could shift the narrative? What if you could make your home staging business stand out and become known for the services and value you add instead of everything boiling down to a price point?
How can you ensure that your home staging brand and services stand out so that you can market your home staging business effectively so that you generate more leads, and become the go-to expert in your area?
Here are 7 strategies I’ll explore to help you differentiate your home staging business, making it more about the unique value you offer and less about competing on price.
Differentiating your Home Staging Business with a Unique Brand
To stand out, you need to create a unique brand identity. Your brand should define what you do, why you do it, and who you serve. It should also include elements like a unique brand philosophy, tell your brand story, and include a unique selling proposition that clearly communicates your value.
Beyond those things, your brand should have a visual identity. One key way of differentiating your home staging business is to use your visual brand identity across all your marketing so that your ideal clients can easily recognize your brand and tell you apart from your competition.
Everyone’s brand is as unique as they are. When we work with our branding clients, we help them uncover and develop a brand that is authentic to them, their business, and the people they wish to serve. When you have an authentic brand, you have no problems conveying your value, and this, in turn, helps when you’re differentiating your home staging business in a competitive market.
Differentiating your Home Staging Business by Niching Down
Specializing in a specific niche, like luxury or model home staging, is a great way to differentiate your home staging business. Part of any good branding process is uncovering who you want to serve, and helping you clarify what services you want to focus on offering. When I discuss creating a compelling brand, I emphasize the importance of niching down so that you can easily brand yourself as an expert and set yourself apart from the crowd.
And while it may seem counterintuitive to niche down, maybe even a little scary, just remember that people are always looking for experts. They value expertise and service providers who don’t just “do it all” but who, instead, specialize in the one thing they are looking for. This strategy not only differentiates your home staging business but also builds trust with your ideal audience and sets you apart from all the other staging businesses in your area.
I get many home stagers who push back on the idea of niching down because they’re afraid of losing out on jobs. The reality is that when your clients are virtually anyone, your business stops standing out. It’s also a lot harder to craft your marketing messaging because you’re not speaking to anyone in particular. It’s often only by niching down and targeting a specific type of project or client that you start standing out.
Differentiating your Home Staging Business by Enhancing Your Services
Differentiating your home staging business by enhancing your home staging service value-added solutions your customers ask for is a great way to stand out. You can do this in a variety of ways, from adding additional steps or add-on services to your process to make it more robust or value-packed to beefing up the information or materials you provide them with.
Some home stagers do this by making their consultation process more detail-rich and customer-focused with a customized Client Welcome Folder that includes all the information homeowners need prior to their consultation to set them up for success. Other stagers include value-added steps to their process like complimentary property visits once the home has been staged to keep the property looking its best or cleaning the home and filling any holes they might have made when they’re destaging a sold property. The point of doing this is to help enhance the services you offer to include more value and things that matter to your ideal audience.
Looking for ways to enhance the services you already offer is a great way to add even more value for your clients and start differentiating your home staging business from competitors. If you aren’t sure what to add to enhance your services, ask your home staging clients what things they would appreciate being included as part of your services. This way, you add services that will make a difference to them and help them become ambassadors for your brand.
This approach sets you apart and showcases your adaptability and commitment to client convenience.
Differentiating your Home Staging Business by Including Complimentary Services
Adding value-added services, like professional photography or virtual home staging services, elevates your home staging services from basic to premium, giving clients more reasons to choose you over others.
Many of the home staging clients we work with include photography services with their staging packages, at minimum. This not only sets them apart and adds a service their ideal clients will value, but it also helps them because they can consistently add those professional photos to their portfolio and keep their website and marketing materials updated.
If you don’t want to add additional services, consider improving the quality of furnishings that you stage with. Investing in luxury or high-end furnishings will help differentiate your home staging services from the competition and appeal to luxury homeowners who understand the value of having their homes staged with high-end furnishings.
Differentiating your Home Staging Business by Becoming the Expert They Need
Differentiating your home staging business isn’t always about the services you offer; it’s about you standing out as an expert in your niche.
One of the ways I helped my home staging company become one of the most well-known in our area (and across Canada) was by standing out as a home staging expert and thought leader in my field. I did this by writing magazine and blog articles, giving home staging presentations, and writing email newsletters that were informative, helpful, and inspiring. By continuously standing out as a thought leader, I built credibility with my ideal audience, and as a result, prospects and peers sought me out for both home staging jobs but also other educational opportunities within my community.
If you want to increase your expertise, you can do so with certifications and by looking for ways and opportunities to share your knowledge and expertise with your community. Doing so allows you to position yourself as an authority, as discussed in our blog on Mastering Instagram for Home Stagers.
Differentiating your Home Staging Business by Becoming a Trendsetter
Sometimes, when you’re running your business, it takes time to see where the market is going and what design or functionality trends buyers are looking for locally and globally.
Take the time to stay informed about trends in the home staging and real estate industries so that you can adapt and change before your competitors do.
One of the ways my home staging company did this was to attend seminars, trainings, and workshops that covered these topics. By doing so, not only did our staging designs reflect new and upcoming trends before anyone else, but we became one of the first staging companies to discuss those trends with others, further elevating our status as experts.
So, look for ways to adopt new staging techniques, technologies, and methodologies to stay ahead of the curve. Being a trendsetter in your industry can significantly differentiate your business. and uplevel your reputation as a home stager in your market.
Get Involved in Your Community
Engaging in community services builds a brand image that resonates with local clients. It’s about being seen as a business that genuinely cares and contributes to the community.
Your community is both the local one you service and the online one. Building a solid online community and taking the time to collaborate with local businesses and home staging peers will help your brand stand out.
Building Your Home Staging Brand
Creating a home staging business that is recognized for its distinctive qualities – and not just the price of its services – takes time and effort.
By implementing these strategies, you can shift the focus from price competition to the unique value you bring to the table. As discussed in the podcast episode on how to create a compelling brand, it’s about building a compelling brand that resonates with your ideal audience.
Ready to transform your home staging business into a standout brand? Embrace these strategies and watch your business evolve from another option to the preferred choice.
Want more help with creating your brand foundation so that you can differentiate your business from the competition? Take my free 5-day challenge so you can learn how to nail your niche, and check out my brand development services to help you set your business apart.
