Respecting your clients

Guest blog post by Joan Inglis, ASPM®, ASP®, IAHSP®, REALTOR® of Carolina Spaces, LLC I consider one of the most important aspects of my Home Staging training through StagedHomes.com® is that I was taught to be sensitive to my clients.  I hold this philosophy near and dear and use it foremost in my Staging business.  Not only has it helped me provide great customer service, but I am regularly complemented by Realtors® on how gently I handle their tough clients. Too many sellers expect us to come into a project full of critical insults about their housekeeping, color and décor preferences, and their beloved personal collections.  Though HGTV has some great programming, the real estate teams who criticize the homes of sellers have left a negative impression on what to expect from a Home Stager.  Thankfully we are Accredited Staging Professionals® and Accredited Staging Professional Masters® and we have been trained to respect our clients and our clients’ belongings! I never walk into a messy home and judge the homeowner.  I don’t roll my eyes and sigh.  I haven’t walked a mile in his or her shoes; I don’t know the emotional or physical condition of the homeowner.  I am there to assess the property and make recommendations to help it sell. Likewise I don’t tell a homeowner what I might really think about his or her décor.  I have been ASP®-trained to respect my clients.  First I find something about the décor to complement.  Then I explain why it might be distracting or offensive to potential buyers.  I’ve found that taking a minute or two to explain why you are asking the homeowner to make a change is greatly appreciated. Remember your training, review your ASP® course materials, and always treat your clients, their possessions, and your client’s home with respect.  Thank you, Barb Schwarz, The Creator of Home Staging® and the ASP® course, for making us the cream of the crop in the Home Staging Industry that you created!