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Doing some in-depth research before getting started in home staging in Los Angeles is step one for any newbie. But how do you get your big toe in the door and avoid having your enquiries be perceived like future competition? Building rapport with graciousness, sincerity and gratitude are the keys to getting started and forging on-going professional relationships.
Follow these simple rapport building tips and you're on your way to creating a vital support group as you embark on this new adventure of Home Staging!
- Be upfront and honest, first and foremost, by simply and sincerely explaining that you're just getting started in your area and are interested in learning more about the business of Home Staging. By doing this you'll be received with enthusiasm and generosity. In fact, even though I had always set my limit of taking only 20-30 minutes of their time for enquiries, I found it almost impossibe to stop them and end the conversation. These passionate home stagers seemed to lose all track of time and one hour later they were still going strong with pointers and suggestions. I could only assume that extra time for sharing ideas with "newbies" was built into their schedule!
- Do your homework and be prepared before you call. Find out about them before you call. Visit their website, note what impressed you about it and prepare some questions about their past projects. Show your genuine enthusiasm for their success and insights and they will be delighted to tell you more. Everyone I spoke to was more than willing to answer my questions and encouraged me to hang in there, reminding me that they were once beginners, too.
- Think out of the box when it comes to researching other aspects of the business. Ask about the professional associations, creative marketing ideas, the daily grind of running a business, the anatomy of a staging project and tales from the trenches.
- And most importantly, be gracious and grateful. Follow up all your enquiries with an email thanking them for taking the time to share their thougths. Start building your social network from day one and let others know about them, too.
Many thanks to Lori Kim Polk, Beth Lester, Ricardo Bueno, Karen Thornton, Linda Turner, Connie Tebyani, each of whom has supported and inspired me with generosity and friendliness.
