I just finished reading the blog post by Ed Rybczynski "Words you shouldn't use"http://activerain.com/blogsview/1061636/Words-that-you-shouldnt-use
The interesting thing about overusing a phrase is that it becomes cliche' to the point of losing it's effectiveness with the client. The death of the presentation is when they glaze over and have heard the phrase so many times that they just don't believe any of you can perform on what it says.
For example, the elevator speech you give which could include..."We stage homes to they sell faster for more money" or some version of that. Who hasn't heard that over and over...to the point that the client doesn't really listen.
Instead "We transform your home utilizing home staging, color and techniques that draw in your target buyer. Our work produces an optomized sale and more equity. Would you like to see how we accomplish that?".
Another overused word in staging is declutter. Not that it isn't important to the process, but because we say it so much describing what we do, the client thinks they know what it means and they can do it themselves. If that's the major part of our description of what we do, they figure anyone can do it. It's packing a box, putting things into the garage right? WRONG, they need a competent home stager.
Well, just a my thoughts on the subject. Nothing profound, just encouraging you not to use the overworked and overused phrases that everyone is using. Be creative in your descriptions of what you offer and what you do. Add value and they'll value you.
Right you are.
Overused phrases always sound like rehursed "pitches" to me.
A conversation between two entities has much more persuasion.
I would have to say, the value added from these out of pocket cliches and/or generic terms, blah, blah. .... I see what you mean!
I hear you. I am guilty as charged.
Right on target--part of the reason I try to avoid scrpts. Maybe they work for some situations but .....treating each situation and client as unique adds more than detracts.
When I saw your title, I immediately thought of "declutter" because of it's over use. You are right, sellers think the key to staging is removing some items and they can do that without having to spend any money.
Terrylynn I agree, sometimes it sounds like you just learned a lot of buzz words to impress someone. Because they become second nature, it is sometimes hard not to use them. Thanks for the reminder.
Terrylynn ~ I stop myself before the word "declutter" comes out of my mouth. It has definitely become too cliche in describing staging.
Great points Terrylynn! I try to never, ever use the word "declutter". If I were the client I would think "oh, she thinks my valuables are junk huh!"
Thanks Terrylynn, all good points. The other word that I always avoid is STUFF...
I try not to say those "buzz" words, but sometimes just can't help it. Maybe this is a good reminder to all of us that we need to really think about how we say it and what little impact it has when we use the same ones over and over. Good thought and one for all to consider.
"declutter" "depersonalize" "sell faster & for more money" - used ALL too often in our field. Thanks for the post and also putting in in the Newbie group =)
Your post is DEAD ON Terrylynn!! I think if I hear that a stager helps to 'sell faster and for more money' one more time I might just start pulling out my muli-colored locks! (that's hair for the rest of you... lol)
Great post -- featured in the newbie group!
So very true! Let's try to be more original in how we describe the magic that we do for our clients. I'm going to sit down and think of several alternatives!
Lenn, right, a "pitch" and tired one at that. We are creative beings, let's come up with something descriptive and original.
Gabe, that's the problem, the words themselves are not bad, just have become blah, blah to the consumer because they are so overused and overexposed. thanks for commenting
Liz, aren't we all, it's our fall back, again, not bad words, but there are better ones. We don't watn to be the blah blah...we want to be THE chosen...original.
Janice, yes, I have to have a few scripts to get me over the nerves, but am trying to find alternative workds and phrases so that like in real estate, people don't know what we do that is different because we all say the same things,,,same problem here.
Sharon and therein lies the problem, they think THAT's staging...point made. Thanks for commenting.
Michael, agreed, sometimes old habits die hard. But now that we know better, we'll do better, right?
Debra, VERY good point, my clutter is your treasure...so watch your language, missy. (I can just hear my 82 year old mom saying that to me)...
Ginger, stuff. Right, sounds demeaning. SO what is your elevator speech, would love to hear it?
Emma, that's really all I was saying, just reminding myself too really. Thanks for taking it in the context I intended. Thanks for commenting.
Connie, good to see you here, like the new photo. Agree, and like newbies...we were all there once, and it's important to mentor, don't you think? Someone helped us, so we need to "pay it forward"...
Melissa, agreed, but don't pull out the locks, they are too good on you...and the floor, NAHHHH...
Karen, thanks for the feature...newbie...I love that group,
Maureen, I feel a blog post coming on. Let's have it. I agree, making a conscious effort to come up with new phrasing and descriptions more fitting of the result.
Excellent advice Terrylynn. Inspiring us to all be more creative in our descriptions of our work and the way we market our business.
Terrylynn, good advice! I try lots of different phrasing with my clients and when I get one that really gets them fired up, that's the one I stick with!
Hi Terrylynn, Oh you don't mean the D words! D-clutter and D-personalize, overused? I'll say! Some people think that is all they have to do!
Cindy Lin wrote a blog about the D words. I've never forgotten it. She says that realtors and sales managers tell their people that's all they to do to make more money is to D-cluttter and D-personalize!
There is a lot of education needed out there.....................still!
Thank you for this important reminder.
Definitely guilty of the D words myself... (ugh!)
This statement is true, but what about "home staging is cheaper than your 1st price reduction", we need to come up with another one.
Michele, I just heard it again and was frustrated when I wrote this, wishing and hoping that we can come up with better reasons to stage and value of our services as Realtors and real estate stagers...You deserve to be elevated. Sometimes following the pack doesn't do that, it just helps the pack to feel safe...
Annie, of course you do, I was just hoping to encourage deliberate thought about it...And congrats on your award!!! You deserve it.
Robyn, yes the D words...thanks for the reminder that education is needed, even though we think we've said it 1000 times... yes we do. Thanks for commenting.
Cindy, "home staging costs less than your first price reduction"...I was in the class where the woman in the audience said that. It really resonated...and was picked up and made a slogan. But now it's so overused.
Susan, me too, just trying to be more original...and add more depth to the message these days. They've heard all the slogans before you get there, so you have to have something with some meat.
Hi Terrylynn, couldn't agree more. I explain that I market homes for sale. I don't design and I don't decorate. I don't even say declutter. I explain it as the process to get ready to move and not waste money paying movers to move things to the new home that aren't needed any longer. Wouldn't you rather have that money to buy a few new things for the new home? Benefit, benefit, benefit.
Terrylynn, you are right and a very good point. Can I just say I need to "declutter" my office! lol
What I tell home owners a lot is that we need to "visually enhance" the space by removing some items and open up the space. That way, it sounds like they will not be able to accomplish it on their own and may need assistance.
Terrylynn ~ I totally agree with this. Not only does it sound stale to the person we are speaking with, but it's harder for us to feel enthusiastic and convincing when we're tired of using the same old explanations and jargon. Thanks for the good reminder and the encouragement to use our creative talent in our communication as well as our staging.
Michelle, you are my hero. I just love your outlook on just about everything!!! It was SOO much fun spending time with you at the CSP convention. I enjoyed meeting your hubby and your stories of success!!! You go girl!!!
Marey, Marey, Marey, all I can say is that you haven't seen our office...we'll need about a year's notice. lol
Todd, of course, you are right on. You've looked at your business from the start as a business and found ways to articulate your value. Thanks for commenting, always enjoy your viewpoint.
Oh, I have seen pictures! Told Chris I would come help! So no notice needed! lol
So many "truisms" in that bunch and the comments! Though this has no relation to staging, when we heard our 5 yr. old grandchild using "I was like..." we cracked up!
Terrylynn, what a great post, it is so hard to remove these truisms from your language, almost as hard as the perennial (in my personal speech pattern unfortunately) "you know"... Many of us had some of these drilled into our head when we started in this business and sometimes I hear them in my head when I'm trying to be more thoughtful and original and real...
Busted....going through in my mind, I have used theses words at one time or another.
Bettina
Yeah baby! You hit the nail on the head. Why would I want to sound like someone else anyway. That is just what differentiates us from the next stager, and the next. Be unique, truthful, honest and let them remember you for YOU!
The words I use will depend on who I am speaking to: If someone knows nothing about staging at all, I will use the simplified age-old language. For someone more well-versed, I appreciate the reminder to be more creative.
Terrylynn, so true; and yes, I have been guilty of saying/using some of the aforementioned phrases. When I was designing my website, I viewed hundreds of websites of other Stagers, and two things struck me: 1- I saw the same phrases over and over again eg. " The cost of staging is less than your first price reduction"; " You only have a few seconds to make a good first impression" and 2- the pictures/furniture/accessories began to look alike.
I know I'm guilty of it and will make more of an effort to be more creative.
Thank you Terrilynn. As a new stager those are the exact phrases I was taught to use. I'm glad to know now before I start doing all my marketing that those phrases are meaningless. Great blog. First time visiting and I learned something new!