This may be too basic and maybe not. Some things bear repeating. I have a question for you.
Do you wait for people to come to you or do you go after people who would be a good fit for your business? Say you are selling cars, you try to find people who want to buy cars. Well, yes, but if you are selling luxury cars, then don’t you want to take it a step further and find those people who might buy luxury cars? What are their characteristics?
- Income level to be able to afford the luxury cars
- Already own a luxury car
- Live in areas where people own luxury cars
- Have a car that is older than a few years and may need a new car
How many ways can you dig deeper into the “target” market that might want a luxury car? The further you go, the more focused your audience and more likely they would be to purchase a luxury car. Do you see how this is different than just sending out a big marketing piece to everyone?
Target marketing in real estate and staging is much the same thing. Realtors don’t just look for someone who just wants to buy a home. If they have a $1,000,000 home, they try to find the people who can afford the $1,000,000 home and if it’s a condo they try to find people who are looking for a condo. The places they want to “target” to advertise or focus their marketing efforts will be much different. The deeper they dig, the more focused the audience, the more likely they are to find someone who might want to buy what they have listed.
How does that relate to staging? If your target market is Realtors, then how can you target the right realtors for your business? Remember the deeper you dig, the more focused the audience, the more likely you'll find a “good fit”. You can use ANY criteria…
- Realtors in your board of Realtors area
- Realtors in your city or cities you want to work in
- Realtors in neighborhoods where you feel comfortable
- Realtors with a certain price point of business
- Realtors whose listings fit the style and architecture of the furniture and accessories you are most confident with (Does this mean you don’t go out of your comfort zone? No, but it means you have a segment of business that is easy and comfortable for you to master.)
- Realtors not currently with a staging partner
- Realtors who are not the TOP, TOP producers (Top producers can be more demanding and want you to be available for them and not others, sometimes that can be a conflict unless you are looking to work mainly for one Realtor. Putting your eggs all in one basket can be risky if something happens, all your business is gone.)
- Realtors with whom you share similar interests and work habits
- Realtors that belong to the same groups and/or clubs as you
Does that mean you shouldn’t work with other Realtors or homeowners? NO… It means that a few target marketed Realtors who feel you are invaluable, who truly fit your business and you fit theirs, will be the foundation of your income and business when times are tough and when times are good. Stagers who are making it through the tough times have worked on their business in this fashion. Their business has been deliberate and they have utilized target marketing to their advantage. The foundation of their business is a core group of people that they have sought out and connected with. Then you have time and ability to stretch and grow, you deliberately find another “target” market or it finds you, and you continue to build on your business with the various “target” markets until you have all the business you can handle.
Galt
Galt is the daughter of Academy award-winning actress Anne Baxter and god-daughter of famed Hollywood costume designer Edith Head. Inspired by her illustrious heritage and desire to encourage everyone to live life to the fullest, Galt has written Celebrate Your Life! The Art of Celebrating Every Day and will include a copy of her book with each purchase. To view Galt's furnishings for sale including this delicious bedroom set valued at $7000, go to 