Since home staging as a career has
gained additional exposure over the last several years, there are now more
options than ever for home staging training. With so many options available, it
can be difficult to choose which one is the “best” one to take. The answer to
this question will depend greatly on what your goals and expectations are. There
are several factors to consider in selecting the course that is right for you:
- How long do you hope to work in this new
career for?
§
If
you plan to be in and out of the business in a short time-frame, will they help
you with the exit-strategy?
§
If
you plan to make this your career for the next couple of decades, will they
keep you up-to-date and current as trends and techniques change and evolve?
- Are you interested in expanding your
services beyond home staging (i.e. home organizing, colour consultations,
redesign services, and more)?
o
If
yes, you’ll want to review what additional training they will provide you to
ensure that you are properly equipped to provide these to your clients. Many
courses offer advanced options in the areas of design, through continuing
education, and others incorporate it into the home stager training course.
- Do you have any experience running a
business?
o
If
not, what sort of training will they provide you for managing the business,
including registration, day-to-day operations, outlining your services and
pricing, marketing, expansion, and more?
o
Are
they teamed up with resources that will help you to build and grow your
business? Any reputable home staging program will have affiliates that they
work with to provide you with valuable information, supplies, and discounts.
- How much time will the course take?
o
The
answer you’re looking for for this question might not be what you think! The
longer that the course takes to complete, the more comprehensive it likely is.
Whether it’s an in-class or online training program, you’ll want to identify
the time commitment before registering, to ensure that you are ready to make
the commitment that it needs.
- What does the course content cover?
o
What
value will you get for your investment into your training? Review the type of
information that you will learn, from home staging techniques, to design
theory, to creating your systems and processes, and running the day-to-day
business.
o
Will
they offer you templates and cheat sheets for starting your business, or will you be creating these yourself from scratch?
- What direction do you wish to take the
business?
o
Do
you plan to own your own home staging inventory, or rent it? Do they teach you
the differences, and help you to decide which is best for you?
o
Is
there a particular niche that you hope to specialize in? If so, what training
do they provide in that area?
o
Do
you hope to add staffing to your business, or keep it a solo operation? How
will they help with whichever direction you choose?
- What certification do you receive?
o
While
this should not be a deciding factor, you will want to consider what your
“title” will be once you have completed the course.
- How do their members interact?
o
Do
members offer members support?
o
Some
courses will charge you a membership fee in order to keep your designation
title, whereas others will charge you a fee to maintain your access to your
training material. Be sure to clearly understand these fees upfront before
investing, and ensure that you are prepared to pay them over the coming years.
o
Are
they currently operating a home staging business, or have they operated one in
the past?
o If they are not currently operating a
home staging business, when was the last time that they worked hands-on with
clients?
You’ll notice that price was not
mentioned as a factor here, but in truth it should be mentioned. The reason
that it was not outlined as a deciding factor is that most reputable training programs will be comparable in price, and therefore this shouldn’t be a
deciding factor. If a program is listed significantly lower than the others
that you have researched, the chances are that the training provided will be
sub-par (you’ve heard the saying that “you get what you pay for”, right?).
At the end of the day, choose the one
that best fits your needs and your expectations. If you have questions, don’t be
afraid to reach out to them and contact them directly to ask your questions. Heading
down any new career path is a big decision, and one that you want to make carefully
and purposefully.
Happy staging!
