I heard an interesting statistic this week which I wanted to share with you. Typically, 90% of the people who are facing a challenge or a problem don’t realize it. 7% are vaguely aware that something may be not quite right… and only 3% are aware of the problem and are actively searching for a solution.
This concept is very relevant to you as a home staging professional.
You and I know otherwise, but 90% of home sellers don’t realize that they are likely to sell their home for far too little money. They don’t know that it is going to take them longer than it has to. Home staging simply isn’t on their radar screen—despite the fact that they would benefit tremendously from these services.
7% of home sellers are aware that their house isn’t going to sell for as much as they’d like, and that it may be a longer, more difficult process than they were hoping for.
And finally, the remaining 3% are well aware of the challenge that they are facing and are actively looking for a solution.
Knowing this, how should you allocate your marketing resources?
It may be possible for you to reach a member of the 90%, persuade him or her that there is a problem, and get them to accept that your services are the solution. A member of the 7% may be easier to educate and more willing to accept your solution. But clearly, the 3% of home sellers that are well aware of their problem are going to be the “easiest sell.”
It is not that reaching a member of the 90% is impossible… the problem is that reaching the 90% requires a far greater investment of time and resources from you. A member of the 3%, on the other hand, can be thought of as the low-hanging fruit!
That is why, at CSP International™, we train staging professionals to target the 3% of sellers out there who know that they need help. And that is why we provide marketing and educational solutions that are designed to reach those 3% effectively.
Of course, one of the most difficult part of the process is identifying the 3% that are going to be the most receptive to your services. Below are some quick starting points:
Target the affluent. Typically, affluent individuals are more likely to see the value of making an investment… and that is exactly what a staging professional is.
Target those already looking for help. Whether it is advertising on an internet forum or targeting real-life networks, look for individuals who are actively searching for help in selling their home at a higher price.
Build relationships with realtors and brokers. Experienced real estate agents can quickly gauge whether or not a seller is willing to invest into the process of selling their home or not. Establish relationships with these brokers and urge them to send potential clients your way. It’s a win-win-win scenario… the seller receives more for their home, the broker gets a higher commission, and you get paid!
Don’t waste your time marketing to those who don’t even realize they have a problem. Target the 3% of sellers who know that they need your services. Please contact us for more details on this subject.
