PS: I just received my first royalty cheque for my latest book Start & Run a Home Staging Business and I am totally grateful to everyone who bought a copy! It is available in book stores or you may order it on line through my website just click the link above. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

PPS: I am just in the process of getting ready for my FALL 2011 launch of the NEW PRES Home Staging Home Study Program. This will be a 7 part teleseminar and webinar series targeted for the entrepreneur who wants to take my PRES course in the comfort of their home!

As a solopreneur business owner I know that sometimes there just does not seem like enough time in the day to get everything done. And since we should be spending about 60 – 80% on marketing and selling, how can we get it all done?

Well over the years I have developed a simple 3 step follow-up system that doesn't take a lot of time. It has helped me grow my business and more importantly, lead to new clients who I have really enjoyed working with. Setting up any system takes time and with practice this system will become second nature to you. To really make it work you need to schedule it in as part of your marketing and sales strategy. Whether you chose a day of the week or after each event to implement the follow-up system doesn't matter. What matters is that you make it a habit and become consistent with it.

Try my simple 3 STEP 'Fortune is in the Follow-Up System' approach to attracting new clients while building meaningful and lasting client relationships

Whether you are networking at an event, trade show or private gathering the best way to connect with someone is to engage them in a conversation first. Ask them about what kind of business they have and/or referrals they are looking for. Truth be told, networking is all about the other person first, and then about you.

That may seem a strange thing to say, but if you are focused on what you are going to say about yourself, you are doing the other person a disservice by not being fully present and listening to what they have to say.

When it is your turn you can introduce yourself either following the format the event is using, or your own outstanding infomercial that focuses on the results your clients receive. Then you exchange business cards not before.

This is the follow-up system that I use:

• 1. Create Your Database/List
• If you do not have an ezine/enewsletter sign up then at the very least put the contact information into your Outlook program and set up a Distribution List
• The Distribution List should contain the name and date of the event/function because that will help you remember when and where you met someone
• If you have an 'opt in' ezine/enewsletter system then you need to enter all the names into your system and they will 'opt in' if they want to receive information from you
• If your ezine/enewsletter system does not require an 'opt in' because you have permission to enter their information and to send them information those people who really are not your ideal client, will simply unsubscribe.
• 2. Send out a Nice To Meet You email
• If you have a small number of people to follow up with you can personalize each email using their first name
• If you have a large number of people to follow up with then do a less personal email and make sure you BC (blind copy your list otherwise you are violating the privacy laws)
• In this friendly email, let them know you enjoyed meeting with them and ask them if they would like to meet for coffee. This is the REASON you are following up. You want to get to know them better, and for them to get to know you better.
• If you have some kind of 'free' offer to give you can put this in your follow up email but do that as one of the last things – people often look at your P.S.
• 3. Getting Together With Someone New
• I recommend that you phone someone that you really want to follow up with even after you send out your blanket email. We are such a 'high tech – low touch' business world right now a phone call goes much further than another email!
• If someone emails you back and wants to get together then do them the courtesy of finding out more information about them. Go check them out through their website and learn something about them before you meet. This shows real interest and lets them know you are not wasting their time, but in fact, our genuinely interested in how you can help them.
• Even if you think or know someone is not your 'ideal client' it's still a very good idea to meet with them because they may just become a great network referral for you!
• When you do meet one-on-one let them know you value their time and find out more about them. Once they have shared information about themselves, then it is time for you to share what you are looking for with them.

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW YOU, LIKE YOU AND TRUST YOU

P.S. Social media is playing a bigger and bigger role in small business growth. If you have the time, or a virtual assistant, look each person up on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other social media site you think they might be on and ask to connect with them. Start following them and commenting on their site if you want to know more about them before you meet.

P.P.S. It may take several times before you really connect with someone. Be persistent and patient and continue to follow up with them. If they have signed up for your ezine/enewsletter they will start to get to know you in time and they may be phoning you for a meeting.

RAVING FAN STAGING TRAINING HOME CLIENT TESTIMONIAL!
A busy stay-at-home mom with 2 active children, a husband, a dog
and a cat really needed help in staging their home…read on…

When our realtor suggested getting in a home stager we both thought it was a good idea even though we weren’t really sure what it was. We have a very active household with 2 young daughters, a dog, a cat and us so our home looks lived in! When Dina Hingston, our realtor, told us about the PRES staging training program that gives students first-hand experience by actually staging real client’s homes - we were in! And better yet, PRES only asks that we make a donation to a charity on their behalf! Well Dana the PRES instructor came and did a consultation with us and suggested that I do some shopping for a few small accessories that she felt would make the home show better. Well I did my shopping and the day of the staging training the only request was from my husband that the television be ready to go at the end of the day because there was a hockey game on! Dana said, fine we can do that. All day I was excited but nervous because honestly I wasn’t sure what they could do with our things. I didn’t think we had a lot that would show well since we were saving our money to buy new furniture when we moved. I didn’t know how she could make a worn out sofa, some old cushions and tons of toys look good. Well to our utter amazement and surprise I walked in and just could not believe what a transformation had taken place AND our beat up sofa and everything in the living room looked fantastic. We got the WOW look! The master bedroom looked so spacious and had a great ‘hotel look’ while the girls’ bedrooms were clutter free, with just enough toys and they really looked attractive. Chelan, Beau and the Girls- Heritage Mountain Pt. Coquitlam BC




The next time you have an opportunity to meet new people implement the simple '3 Step Fortune is in the Follow-Up' system. People don't like to be sold to but, they do like to buy. When you take the time to get to know other people you are starting 'relationship selling' and there is no 'hard sell' going on. If you don't let people know who you are by following up they may just take their business elsewhere.

Set your intention before you go to an event and decide on what you can give and what you want to receive? Would some new clients be a good thing?



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Want to use this article in your next ezine or on your website? Please do! Here's what you need to include:

Dana Smithers is founder and creative director of the PRES Staging Resource Centre, a company devoted to teaching entrepreneurial women how to start and run their home staging business. Through her workshops, courses, mentoring programs, and products, Dana shows her students how to live their dream of becoming a home stager whether part time or full time.





PRES HOME STAGING HOME STUDY KIT
COMING FALL 2011!

If you prefer to take the PRES Home Staging Training Program in the comfort of your home…stay tuned!

At the PRES Staging Resource Centre we realize that not everyone can take our hands-on course instructed by Staging Guru Dana J. Smithers. Since we are getting so many requests from people throughout North America and Australia, we have started writing our new Home Staging Home Study 1.0 Blueprint!

This program will be give you all the information you need to start your own home staging business from branding, determining your ideal client, creating marketing strategies to attract your clients, relationship selling and defining your home staging services and pricing them right! You’ll learn the 10 Step PRES Formula for creating beautifully staged homes and how to turn your home staging clients into home decorating clients.

The PRES Home Staging Home Study program will be full of high content high value materials in the form of a 7 teleseminar series, plus webinars and a BONUS Q & A call!

Stay tuned for more details coming your way soon….

HOW TO START & RUN A HOME STAGING BUSINESS BOOK IS HERE!

Dana J. Smithers' NEW book How To Start & Run a Home Staging Business has finally hit the bookstores. This book is jam packed with home staging business tips and proven strategies to propel your business forward. Whether you are an existing home stager or a newbie or a want-to-be this book will guide you to success...
Click here to order




BONUS OFFER $100 REFERRAL FEE!!!

At the PRES Staging Resource Centre we are happy to pay anyone a $100 Referral Fee for sending someone to our 5 Day Professional Home Staging & Redesign Course. Just let us know the name of the person by emailing us at info@PresStaging.com. This past year we paid over $1000 in referral fees!

PRES 2011 COURSE SCHEDULE – NEW DATE ADDED IN JULY!

Our PRES Staging & Redesign Training Program offers accelerated learning techniques so that when you leave the course you can confidently start your home staging business. You will be given templates, no-fail staging formulas, a step-by-step business start up process and learn insider secrets shared by industry leader Dana J. Smithers. If you are serious about wanting to become a home stager this hands-on training course is for you. For more information about the PRES 5 Day Professional PRES Staging & Redesign course click here.

NEXT COURSE DATE: June 20 – 24^th and is almost FULL!
Register Here

Check out PRES Staging Training to see our SPECIAL OFFERS

COURSE DATE: July 11 - 15^th






Dana Smithers is founder and creative director of the PRES Staging Resource Centre, a company devoted to teaching entrepreneurial women how to start and run their home staging business. Through her workshops, courses, mentoring programs, and products, Dana shows her students how to live their dream of becoming a home stager whether part time or full time.

Dana has launched her new website Empowered Women In Business. She has been mentoring women entrepreneurs for years and has now taken on a new client base in addition to the home stagers she has worked with. She says it's thrilling to see women move forward so quickly getting the results they are looking for whether it is setting up a marketing strategy, defining ideal clients or having a negative mindset shift into positive action. To get your 'Free' CD on her 7 Destinations Road Map to Success just go to the site and make sure you sign up for her Empowered Women In Business ezine.

Believe it. Pigs DO Fly!!!





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The PRES® Entrepreneurs Newsletter is written by Dana J. Smithers of www.PresStaging.com. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to info@PresStaging.com.