Hey folks!

So I have had my flip cam forever and I have just been recording random family stuff and traveling stuff for my own amusement. I finally put it to good use for my business last night for recording a 90-sec video pitch for one of my business partner Edith Yeung's new pet project: bigsuccess.tv

Using flip is super easy, but I must say recording is hard. After an hour of bumbbling and mumbling, I finally had a decent sounding video to show the world. It was very difficult for me, because I was not happy with the way the lighting worked in my house or how I looked on screen. After 30 minutes fiddling around, I decided to screw it and take a less formal approach by sitting down and propping the camera in my face. Because the more formal sounding I am, I think the more boring I sound.

I was 20 secs over, so I had to edit everything done and cut out the unnecessary sentences. I was clueless since it was very first video recording E-VER! But luckily the amazing Mike Mueller came to rescue via twitter. (@mikemueller or http://areweconnected.com/) 3 hours later fiddling around Window Movie Maker, I was able to upload it to Youtube (first time too!!!)

Please take a look and give me feedbacks: http://apps.facebook.com/bigsuccess/watch?contestant=35

I think it's a little boring, but it's my first video (ever!) editing and filming, so I welcome any suggestions to spice it up.

Also feel free to vote for me: http://apps.facebook.com/bigsuccess/watch?contestant=35
and connect with me on facebook: http://tinyurl.com/3jryvf

My first video was not too bad of a disaster, but it was actually pretty fasinating and fun. Now I know how to put my flip video to use better, I will definitely record many more. No longer a video virgin....

Cheers,
Cindy

I was very honored to be invited and got invited to speak. The most incredible thing is of course visiting seeing friends in the staging industry and meet new ones.

If you are coming to see me speak, PLEASE DOWNLOAD THIS WORKSHEET:handout-los-angeles-stagers-appreciation-event

Brook Furniture is generously hosting a day of networking, learning and lunch for all Los Angeles Home Stagers. And the best part? Its FREE!

Who? All professional home stagers are invited

Where? Brook Furniture Distribution Center

18960 E. San Jose Ave.

City of Industry, CA 91748

When? Monday February 9, 2009, 10:00AM

The Agenda:

10:00 - 11:00 AM Networking and socializing

11:00 AM-12:00 Noon Presentation about SEO (search engine optimization) by Professional Stager Cindy Lin of Staged4more

12:00 - 1:00PM Lunch and presentation about adding custom window treatments to your offerings for additional income, presented by Ashley Whittenberger from The Interiority Complex. Lunch is generously provided by Brook Furniture.

1:00 - 2:00 PM Tour of the Brook Furniture Distribution Center. A behind the scenes look at their warehouse facility.

2:00 - 3:00 PM Presentation about Feng Shui and how it applies to home staging by Feng Shui Expert Sharon Ball

3:00 - 4:00 PM Additional networking and socializing

This event is free, but please RSVP so we can get an accurate head count. Here is a link to the Evite:

If you have any questions, you can email Michelle Minch at Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com or contact Connie Tebyani (805)553-9952 or Connie@PlatinumHomeStaging.com .

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Hello ladies & gents

I am in the process of finishing up my book on real estate marketing that is set for publishing this spring and want to incorporate a few more case studies.

Please email me cindy@staged4more.com if you are interested. I am looking for case studies of agents who:
*transformed their businesses after incorporating home staging as selling strategy
*have successes of selling homes after the properties are staged:
if this is the case, please share the details of the listing: listing price, sold price, days on market, sellers' comments, etc.

These interviews will be done via podcasts or blog formats and will be incorporate into the book as well (double exposure!) I am looking to incorporate success stories nationwide.

Cheers,
Cindy

cindy@staged4more.com

Hello Staged4more community!

Thanks again for your amazing support in the past few years. I know I have been quiet on the blog lately, but with good reasons. Staged4more had received great press opportunities in 2008, such as staging for HGTV and awards (2008 Make Mine A Million competition winner in Micro category and Sam Walton Emerging Entrepreneur Award). All these are very exciting. What is even more exciting is what I have in store for you in 2009!

*2 real estate marketing books will be published this year
*an eco-friendly real estate product line
*a home accessories product line
*new website (yes, we are growing out of this one!) that will have online shopping capabilities and more free useful content for you
*trainings in areas like green training, color designs, redesigns, etc.

As a token of appreciation for all your wonderful support since I founded Staged4more, here is a 2009-staged4more-real-estate-goals-calendar. You can print on any letter size paper of your choosing. All you need to do once you printed is cut them up and put them in a CD case for your desktop. (see photos below) I have also letterpressed these calendars and gave them out as gifts to clients, vendors and some of our Facebook fans. If you would like a letterpress copy, please email me directly at cindy (at) staged4more (dot) com. We have very few copies left.

Here are some photos:

HAPPY NEW YEAR! enjoy the calendars!

Whew!

I know, I know, I haven’t written blogs for awhile (you will see why in 2009! I have books and courses for training companies being written & published right now, so all the writing juice went that way… You will definitely be the first to know when the first book hit the market in mid-spring next year)

I have always wanted to do podcasts for awhile, so here was my first try today! I interviewed TerryLynn Fisher, who not only gave me lots of words of wisdom when I was a newbie stager, who is also a wealth of sources for both real estate industry and staging industry. She has been incredibly active in real estate circles with her green initiatives, she also co-founded Stager’s List, which is a community dedicated for stagers to buy, sell their inventory.

The topics were very broad. I have decided for the podcasts, we are not going to do any formal Q&A, but more of a chatting format. I personally think it is also easier to listen to. Our topics included are:

*Top producers’ secrets even in down economy
*Staging industry
*Stager’s trainings
*Realtors who stage properties themselves vs. Realtors who work with stagers as a team together -> what are the differences and how that has changed Realtor’s business (TerryLynn has done both)
*Green initiatives in our industry
*Economic benefits of staging
*Being realtor/stager is a small business
*Profitable & sustainable business models
*Return on investment of staging & stats
*First LEED-H house in Northern California (Margarido House)

To listen, go to TalkShoe to either join stagingbabe’s community or just to listen.