Category: Real Estate Virtual Staging

  • Why Virtual Staging Saves Time and Money [Infographic]

    Why Virtual Staging Saves Time and Money [Infographic]

    Virtual staging can help you save time and money when selling your house. If you’re ready to put that ‘For Sale’ sign up, here are some of the key benefits of virtual staging.

    Why virtual staging saves time and money infographic

    Benefits of Staging

    Staging is a great way to optimize the chances of selling real estate rapidly. Staging advantages include:

    • Sell your home faster: A recent NAR (National Association of Realtors) study showed that staged homes sell up to 30 times faster than non-staged properties.
    • Encourage buyers to engage: Effective staging targets ideal buyers, encouraging them to connect and engage with the property.
    • Enhance images: NAR data suggests over 99% of millennials start their new home search online. Beautiful, staged images help listings to stand out and prompt potential buyers to arrange viewings.
    • Maximize space: Staging helps to maximize usable space and improve aesthetics and functionality. 
    • Visualization: Staging can help prospective buyers to visualize spaces and think about how they would use different rooms and areas.
    • Creativity: Some buyers find it easy to conjure up design ideas and make mental plans, but this is not always the case. Staging can inspire buyers and set the design process rolling.

    Traditional vs. Virtual Staging 

    Cost: Virtual staging is over 90% less expensive than traditional staging. 

    Turnaround time: Virtual staging offers a much shorter turnaround time than conventional staging. Choose the style you like and stage your home in just a few clicks. Traditional staging can take days or even weeks, depending on the availability of designers and staging experts. 

    ROI: Statistics show that 75% of sellers secure an ROI (return on investment) of 5%-15% of the asking price when their homes are staged. As virtual staging is over 90% cheaper than traditional staging, the return is likely to be much higher. 

    Creativity: Virtual staging gives you the freedom to stage your home as you please. There are no limitations on how creative you can be. With traditional staging, an interior designer or staging expert will decide on the final look. 

    Phixer Virtual Staging Service

    Phixer delivers high-quality virtual staging with a 24-hour turnaround time. World-class designers style each space, transforming any room into an eye-catching, attractive space in seconds. Designed to entice buyers and optimize the quality and reach of real estate listings, Phixer virtual staging services take buyers on a journey, enabling them to see all of the potential benefits of purchasing the property. For sellers, tried and tested virtual staging services save time, money and effort while providing access to effective, tailored, creative staging. 

    Before:

    virtual staging before

    After:

    virtual staging after

    Most Staged Spaces

    Examples of the most staged spaces include:

    • Kitchens
    • Master bedrooms and suites
    • Bathrooms
    • Dining and entertaining areas
    • Terraces and patios
    • Backyards
    • Living areas
    • Children’s bedrooms
    • Home offices

     

    Sources:

    https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/styled-staged-sold/why-staging-matters-even-in-a-sellers-market

    https://www.lcpmedia.com/blog/virtual-staging-statistics

    https://www.phixer.net/services/virtual-staging/

    https://www.architecturaldigest.com/reviews/moving/home-staging-statistics

  • Does Virtual Staging Help Sell a House? Unveiling the Impact on Real Estate Sales

    Does Virtual Staging Help Sell a House? Unveiling the Impact on Real Estate Sales

    In today’s competitive real estate market, sellers are continually looking for effective ways to present their homes in the best possible light to potential buyers.

    Virtual staging has emerged as a powerful tool in this regard, allowing you to digitally furnish and decorate your property to enhance its appeal.

    Unlike traditional home staging, which requires physical furniture and decor, virtual staging employs software to create inviting and realistic images of an interior, potentially saving time and money.

    A modern living room with virtual furniture and decor, displayed on a computer screen. A real estate agent and potential buyers discuss the virtual staging

    The effectiveness of virtual staging lies in its ability to help buyers visualize themselves living in the space, making it easier for them to connect emotionally to the property.

    It can be particularly useful for selling empty or cluttered homes where physical staging might be impractical or too expensive.

    By showcasing a home’s potential through professionally designed virtual interiors, you may increase the likelihood of attracting more offers and selling your home faster.

    Key Takeaways

    • Virtual staging is a digital alternative to traditional home staging, offering a cost-effective way to enhance a property’s appeal.
    • By creating realistic images of furnished interiors, virtual staging can help potential buyers visualize a home’s potential.
    • Employing virtual staging can assist in selling a property quicker and often leads to a more emotional connection from buyers.

    Understanding Virtual Staging

    A virtual staging scene: A bright and modern living room with virtual furniture and decor, showcasing the potential of the space to potential buyers

    When you’re considering selling your property, staging can be a pivotal factor in attracting potential buyers.

    Virtual staging presents a cost-effective and flexible alternative to traditional staging, utilizing technology to enhance the appearance of your home digitally.

    Virtual Staging vs. Traditional Staging

    Virtual staging allows you to furnish an empty space or reconfigure an existing room with digital furniture and decor, offering a glimpse into the potential of a home without the hefty price tag of traditional staging.

    Traditional staging requires renting physical furniture and accessories, which involves more effort and expense.

    The Technology Behind Virtual Staging

    Advanced software is the cornerstone of virtual staging, enabling designers to create realistic, furnished interiors from photographs of empty rooms.

    This technology makes use of 3D modeling and photo-editing tools to meticulously place digital furniture into the images, creating a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing environment.

    Types of Virtual Staging Services

    Numerous virtual staging services cater to varied needs, from residential to commercial spaces.

    Some services specialize in modern designs, while others might offer a range of styles from contemporary to traditional.

    Providers commonly deliver several design options for a room, giving you flexibility in presenting your space to prospective buyers.

    Selecting the right style and provider can significantly impact your property’s marketability.

    The Benefits of Virtual Staging

    A computer screen displaying a beautifully staged living room in a vacant house, with virtual furniture and decor creating an inviting atmosphere

    Virtual staging offers you a range of advantages to effectively showcase your home in the best light without the heavy investment traditionally associated with physical staging.

    From financial savings to aesthetic flexibility, let’s explore the specific benefits it can provide.

     

    Why Would You Virtually Stage a Property?

    Virtual staging is the process of digitally enhancing images of a property to make it more appealing to potential buyers. There are several reasons why virtual staging can be a valuable tool when trying to sell a home. One of the main pros of virtual staging is the cost – it is typically much more affordable than physically staging a home. In addition, virtual staging allows for more flexibility and creativity in showcasing the potential of a space, especially if a home for sale is vacant. On the other hand, some cons of virtual staging include the fact that it doesn’t have the same impact as real staging and can sometimes be perceived as misleading. However, when done properly, virtual staging can still significantly improve the presentation of a property in real estate photography.

    Staging has become an essential way to sell a property in today’s competitive market. While real staging involves physically decorating and arranging a staged home to showcase its potential, virtual staging is the process of digitally adding furniture and decor to a staged room in real estate photography. When considering the pros and cons of virtual staging, it is important to weigh the benefits of cost and flexibility against the potential drawbacks of authenticity and impact. Ultimately, whether virtual staging is worth it depends on the specific property and the target market.

    Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Considerations

    Virtual staging is a cost-effective solution for selling your home.

    Traditional staging has its costs, from renting furniture to employing a decorator.

    In contrast, virtual staging can save you thousands, with services ranging from $39 to $199 per room.

    This affordability allows you to allocate more of your budget to other aspects of selling your home.

    Appeal to Potential Buyers

    One significant advantage is the enhanced appeal virtual staging brings to your online listings.

    By presenting a furnished and styled property, potential buyers can better visualize themselves in the space, making your listing stand out.

    High-quality, virtually-staged photos can result in your home spending less time on the market, tapping into the buyers’ aspirations with impressive, yet realistic imagery.

    Convenience and Time Savings

    Virtual staging is not only affordable but also fast and convenient.

    Unlike physical staging, which requires transport, setup, and dismantling, the virtual process is done digitally, drastically reducing the turnaround time.

    This means you can have your home staged and listed in a matter of hours or days, which is ideal if you’re looking to sell quickly.

    Flexibility and Range of Design Choices

    With virtual staging, the design possibilities are nearly endless, offering you incredible flexibility.

    Customize each room according to the most recent trends or tailor it to a specific buyer demographic, all without physically altering your space.

    Virtual staging allows for numerous revisions and an array of design styles, helping prospective buyers envisage their own furniture and decor in the home.

    Preparing a Property for Virtual Staging

    A vacant room with neutral walls and hardwood floors. Furniture and decor are strategically placed to showcase the space's potential

    When you’re ready to employ virtual staging for selling your house, there are essential steps you must undertake to ensure that your property is depicted in the best light possible online.

    Photography Requirements for Virtual Staging

    High-resolution photos are the foundation of virtual staging.

    To create the most engaging and realistic staged images, you need to provide professional-quality photographs that capture the true essence of each room.

    It’s important to use a camera capable of producing high-resolution images and consider lighting conditions to avoid glares or shadows that could detract from the space’s potential.

    An empty space serves as a clean canvas for virtual staging experts to work their magic, so ensure the property is vacant before taking photos.

    Decluttering and Optimizing Space

    Decluttering is a critical step before photographing your property.

    A tidy and optimized space makes a significant difference in virtual staging.

    You should remove personal items, unnecessary furniture, and any clutter that disrupts the flow of the space.

    The aim is to present a harmonious, decluttered environment that allows potential buyers to visualize themselves in the home. This step helps virtual staging companies to effectively incorporate desirable furnishings and decor into your listing photos.

    Selecting the Right Virtual Staging Company

    Choosing a reputable virtual staging company is key to a successful digital presentation of your property.

    Look for companies that showcase an extensive portfolio of their work and provide clear pricing structures. Quality and turnaround time are also important factors to consider.

    You want a company that promises realistic staging results—ones that accentuate your home’s strengths and appeal to potential buyers’ taste and lifestyle preferences.

    Ensure that they can deliver images that blend well with the original photography, preserving angles and lighting for a seamless finish.

    Virtual Staging in the Selling Process

    A modern living room with virtual staging, showcasing stylish furniture and decor. A "For Sale" sign outside the window

    Virtual staging has revolutionized the way you can present homes in the real estate market, making it an integral component of the selling process. This approach allows for an efficient and versatile way to showcase a property’s potential.

    Integrating Virtual Staging with Real Estate Listings

    When integrating virtual staging into your real estate listings, you provide potential buyers with a clearer vision of an otherwise empty space.

    The process involves inserting furniture, decor, and fixtures into listing photos of an empty room.

    This digital enhancement is not just about filling space—it’s about creating a lifestyle that buyers can envision themselves living in.

    Real estate agents readily adopt this tactic as it can significantly sell faster, offering a visually appealing online presence without the higher costs associated with traditional staging.

    Enhancing Online Presence

    In today’s digital age, your online listing is often the first, and possibly the only, opportunity to catch a buyer’s eye.

    High-quality, virtually staged photos stand out in online searches, leading to more clicks and inquiries.

    They complement the property description, giving life to the listing and enabling potential buyers to imagine their future home.

    For you, the realtor, this means a more marketable listing that can attract a broader audience.

    The Impact of Virtual Staging on Sales

    The effectiveness of virtual staging in the sales process is measurable.

    Properties that are virtually staged not only tend to sell faster but often command a higher asking price.

    By leveraging the power of professionally styled listing photos, you are likely to garner more interest, leading to a quicker sale.

    The initial investment in virtual staging can be easily offset by the returns of a successful sale, making it a strategic choice in today’s competitive market.

    Ethical Considerations and Best Practices

    A virtual staging software being used to digitally furnish and decorate an empty room in a house for sale

    When delving into virtual staging to sell a house, your integrity and the trust of potential homebuyers are paramount.

    Ethical considerations and best practices focus on transparency, setting realistic expectations, and adhering to legal standards.

    These principles ensure that while you are showcasing the property’s potential, you are also upholding your responsibility to provide a truthful representation of the home.

    Transparency with Virtually Staged Photos

    Be Transparent: Always disclose that photos have been virtually staged. This allows buyers to differentiate between the actual condition of the property and enhancements made for marketing purposes.

    Visual Labels: Consider using subtle but clear labels or disclaimers on virtually staged photos to maintain transparency.

    Setting Realistic Expectations for Buyers

    Accurate Representation: Ensure that any virtual modifications, such as furniture and decor, are within reason. This prevents misleading your audience about the space’s actual size and potential.

    Virtual vs. Physical: Contrast staged images with current photos of the home. This gives buyers a clear understanding of its present state versus the potential after purchase.

    Navigating Legal and Ethical Boundaries

    MLS Compliance: Familiarize yourself with and follow all Multiple Listing Service (MLS) rules related to virtual staging to avoid any legal repercussions.

    Ethical Marketing: Engage in ethical marketing by keeping the alterations minimal. This holds especially true for the property’s inherent characteristics like layout and views.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    A computer displaying virtual staging software with a before and after image of a living room, surrounded by real estate brochures and a "For Sale" sign

    Virtual staging is increasingly popular in the real estate industry due to its convenience and cost-effectiveness. Consider these specifics to gain a better understanding of its role in home sales.

    What are the advantages of virtual staging over traditional staging?

    Virtual staging offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional staging. Services such as quick and affordable solutions. It removes the need for physical furniture and can be completed quickly, without the need for physical access to the property.

    Do homebuyers generally appreciate virtual staging when viewing properties?

    Yes, many homebuyers find virtual staging helpful as it can enhance the visual appeal of a property by showing its potential. Virtual staging allows buyers to imagine themselves in the space more easily.

    What are the potential downsides to using virtual staging for selling a home?

    The major downside is the possibility of misleading potential buyers if the virtual staging does not accurately represent the space. It may lead to disappointment upon seeing the property in person. Additionally, lack of disclosure that images have been virtually staged can result in trust issues.

    Can virtual staging significantly impact the sale price of a house?

    While virtual staging itself may not directly increase a home’s sale price, it can attract more buyers by showcasing a property’s potential. This leads to quicker sales which can indirectly positively influence the sale price due to higher demand.

    How can someone identify if a property has been virtually staged?

    Listings should indicate when photos have been virtually staged. You might notice that the digitally added furniture and decor look a bit too perfect or don’t cast shadows realistically, indicating a virtual modification.

    What are the best practices for implementing virtual staging effectively?

    To use virtual staging effectively, ensure that the staged images reflect a realistic interpretation of the space.

    Choose designs that align with the property’s layout and appeal to a broad audience without being overly specific.

    Transparently indicate the use of virtual staging in your listings.

    What Are the Pitfalls to Avoid in Virtual Staging?

    Virtual staging has become a popular alternative to real staging in the real estate industry. While virtual home staging can save time and money, there are pitfalls to avoid. One major drawback is the virtual staging cost, as digital staging software and services can be expensive. Another issue is that virtual staging may not accurately reflect the staging process and the actual look and feel of the property in real life. In some cases, virtual staging doesn’t showcase the potential of a home as well as real staging would. This is especially true for vacant homes and living in the home scenarios. It’s important to consider the profile of home staging when deciding if virtual staging is worth it for selling the home.

    Virtual staging also has its limitations when it comes to creating a home office or showcasing the majority of real estate photos online. While virtual staging can enhance the appearance of a home, it may not provide a complete picture of what the home could look like to potential buyers. Additionally, the costs of virtual staging can add up quickly, especially if multiple rooms need to be staged. When comparing the pros and cons of virtual staging vs real staging, it’s important to weigh the benefits of each and determine which option is best for your specific needs.

  • How to Stage a Dining Room for Real Estate Photography

    How to Stage a Dining Room for Real Estate Photography

    A house’s dining room can help spark a homebuyer’s interest in the property. As outlined in a previous post, dining rooms are also crucial in real estate photography, as they create an element of homeliness. In fact, 29% of homebuyers pay more than the asking price when they perceive a property as more than an asset but a home. Presenting and highlighting your dining room through real estate photography is crucial, as 97% of homebuyers look for properties online, making photos their first point of contact.

    Investing time and resources into staging your dining room for real estate photography can help frame your home’s aesthetic. This ranges from adjusting furniture pieces and lighting fixtures to playing around with decor and accessories. In this post, we’ll be sharing some tips for staging your dining room for real estate photography:

    Varying dining room seating

    Depending on the decor and the rest of the house, it may be wise to rethink your dining room seating plan. A conventional dining room setup may look cluttered in pictures if the rest of the room is busy with decor and other furniture. Instead, you can click here to see how a dining table with a bench setup can provide a new, refreshing aesthetic. For one, a single bench can look less cluttered than the usual number of chairs pushed up to the table. Functionally, a dining bench also provides flexibility as people won’t be restricted by the amount of chairs available.

    Additionally, dining sets with benches still use conventional chairs as part of the setup but help open up the furniture arrangement, making the whole dining room look more open in pictures. You can also experiment with dining chair designs and table sizes to go with the bench, such as the Mariko extendable dining with bench sets, which can work as six- and eight-seaters and use high or low backrests for the regular chairs.

    Paying attention to lighting

    While lighting is certainly essential for elevating various forms of photography, lighting can also help transform your dining room and make it more inviting and homely. Depending on the design of your house and how rooms are laid out, you can read this article to examine how strategically placed windows can create well-lit spaces for cooking, dining, and spending quality time with loved ones. Light-filled spaces for food are also flexible as they work across different finishes, from marble, concrete, and wood to glass.

    For example, if your dining room and kitchen are joined or share the same space, you can opt for skylights or ceiling glass windows to maximize lighting and warmth. Of course, there are other ways to light up your dining rooms, including artificial light fixtures like a hanging light over the table. If your kitchen and dining room are separated, you can also consider sliding glass doors so the two spaces can share light.

    Accessorizing the dining room

    Finally, aside from changing furnishing and lighting, it’s also important to take the time to accessorize the dining space. Even the most minimalist dining rooms can be elevated with a few decor pieces and accessories. Most of the finishing touches detailed here can liven up the dining space and work similarly with decor for other rooms, including indoor plants, light fixtures, wall decor, and a good old rug.

    A well-placed potted indoor plant can make for eye-catching photography as it can add a splash of color, especially if your dining room focuses on minimalist design. You can also accessorize your dining room’s walls with framed pictures, art prints, and mirrors to create the illusion of space. It’s also vital that you arrange any furniture on the floor — whether potted plants, a rug, or a floor lamp — so that people can still easily move around the dining space.

    Editing for Perfect Presentation

    Once you’ve snapped those stellar shots of your staged dining room, it’s time to jazz them up with a little digital magic through real estate photo editing. Even the best-styled spaces can benefit from a tweak or two to really make them shine online. Here are some tips to spruce up your photos:

    1. Tweak the Lighting and Exposure: Get those photos out of the shadows by fine-tuning the lighting and exposure. Brighten up the dim areas and balance out the exposure to make your dining room look like the inviting haven it is.
    2. Boost the Colors: Make those colors pop by adjusting the saturation and contrast. This’ll help draw attention to the standout features of your dining room, like those funky decor pieces or that sleek furniture.
    3. Banish Distractions: Whip out your editing tools to remove any pesky distractions from your photos. Say goodbye to unwanted objects, pesky reflections, or any other imperfections that might steal the spotlight from your dining room’s charm.
    4. Straighten and Crop: Get those photos perfectly aligned and cropped for maximum impact. Straighten out any wonky lines and crop out any unnecessary background clutter to keep the focus squarely on your dining room’s fabulousness.
    5. Add Depth and Dimension: Give your photos a bit of oomph by playing around with shadows and highlights. This’ll make your dining room feel more lifelike and immersive, like you could just step right into the picture and pull up a chair.

    By giving your photos a little digital TLC, you’ll ensure that your staged dining room looks its absolute best online, enticing potential buyers and leaving them itching to schedule a viewing.

  • What is Virtual Staging in Real Estate – A Useful In Depth Guide

    What is Virtual Staging in Real Estate – A Useful In Depth Guide

    Staging is a method of curating and orchestrating visuals used in different industries to suit specific purposes. Real estate editors have developed virtual staging to digitally improve and customize a space into art that potential homebuyers would love. As the industry evolves and embraces more innovative marketing approaches, virtual staging has become a powerhouse that most real estate practitioners have practiced over the past years.

    We’ll cover the following topics in this blog post:

    • What is virtual staging?
    • Why do you need virtual staging?
    • Virtual staging pros and cons
    • Why is virtual staging a real estate marketing must-have?
    • Rules for virtual staging
    • Dressing up the emptiness with virtual staging
    • How to prepare for virtual staging
    • Virtual staging apps and software for real estate agents
    • How to start your own virtual staging business
    • How Phixer compares to other virtual staging companies
    • Bottomline

    What is Virtual Staging?

    The visual appeal brings in real estate buyers, so staging has been customary for companies looking to promote their properties in development through home staging or creating staged real estate rooms, homes, and properties.

    Let’s talk about the definition of virtual staging and how it differs from other real estate staging methods available in the market.

    what is virtual staging

    Virtual staging is a digital alteration or renovation of a room, home, or property to improve its appearance. It’s the digital equivalent of a showroom or home staging minus the expensive budget since you can get one for as low as $10. You can do virtual staging through an app or hire real estate photography post-production professionals like Phixer.

    Virtual staging is currently one of the most used real estate photography post-production techniques due to its realistic approach to design. Read more about it in our virtual staging introductory post.

    Aside from the definition, part of understanding virtual staging is knowing the relevant operational words in the industry. You need to understand their jargon, terms, and language before you hire a virtual staging company for effective communication.

    These are some of the words you need to familiarize while dealing with virtual staging in the real estate industry:

    • Computer-Aided Design (CAD) – creating and rendering designs using graphic software through a computer.
    • Furniture replacement or virtual furniture – digitally altering, removing, or replacing the furniture pieces in the image.
    • Furniture set – the theme or motif of furniture designs for specific areas.
    • High-definition (HD) or high-resolution (hi-res) – the quality of images wherein the graphics are more detailed, starting from 720p or 1280×720. The higher the resolution, the better the quality.
    • Rendering – translating computer-generated vectors and figures into a final image.
    • Revisions – changes or corrections.
    • Staging artist – an individual proficient in using 2D or 3D software to stage photos.
    • Staging catalog – a collection of decors, furniture, or appliances for virtual staging.
    • Three-dimensional (3D) – creating graphics with width, length, depth, and volume to seem realistic.
    • Turnaround time – the timeframe for the overall project process from start to finish.
    • Two-dimensional (2D) – images or illustrations that are flat with only length and width like a floor plan.
    • Uploading or importing – sending raw photos to the virtual staging company for post-production.
    • Virtual home staging or digital staging – altering graphics for rooms and homes to suit specific demographic.
    • Virtual staging app – a program accessible through a device that offers virtual staging services.
    • Virtual staging company – a firm that offers virtual staging services.

    You can explore the common terminologies used in virtual staging.

    Now that you know what virtual staging means and have familiarized yourself with the terminologies, it’s time to explore its significance, especially in the real estate industry. Market demand is a business owner’s first consideration, and with the many virtual staging companies available, you can establish that there’s rising demand.

    There are several reasons you should do virtual staging for your real estate, as outlined in the next section.

    Why Do You Need Virtual Staging?

    Staging for real estate marketing primarily aims to attract potential buyers to your home or property. Outside of sales, there are different reasons why you should take advantage of the latest virtual staging techniques and technologies available online.

    dining virtual staging

    Here are six significant reasons why you need to virtually stage your home before selling:

    • High selling rate. Virtual staging saves you time by selling your home faster. According to the National Association of Realtors, staged properties spend 31% less time on the market, and selling fast translates to saved advertising and marketing costs.
    • Refurbished look. Virtual home staging also acts as a pre-renovation image or style guide. Some home sellers want to improve their home or property price, so they do actual refurbishing before selling.
    • Attractiveness. Digital staging entices buyers from out of town by showing an alternative picture to the ones they’re used to.
    • Customization. Virtual staging can appeal to multiple demographics by customizing how rooms look and adding rooms specific to their needs. Doing this style the traditional way would be expensive.
    • Better impression. Virtual home staging improves the appearance of the house if the current state is in disarray. Most of the photos you put on the internet stay there, so it’s better to have staged pictures than ones unsuitable for selling.
    • Privacy. You can tell a lot about some through his dwelling. Most homes have history, and the decorations have sentimental meaning and value. Altering or removing those personal items through virtual staging makes the listing more impersonal and suited for the next home buyer.

    Home sellers love virtual staging because it allows them to choose the perfect look that matches their property. A general would not overdo the edits because the listing would look dubious and suspicious. This post talks about virtual staging to sell a home in more detail.

    Even real estate photography professionals approve of using virtual staging as a post-production method. Their considerations involve saving time, money, and effort using innovative and creative technology.

    These are the common reasons why accomplished real estate photographers choose virtual staging:

    • Customizable. Shooting homes often come with unexpected circumstances like bad weather or unsuitable lighting conditions. Instead of reshooting, retaking, or returning another day, a photographer can take the photos and hand them to virtual staging companies for post-production magic.
    • Lesser costs. Efficient time and effort utilization is money saved. Some real estate projects operate on specific timeframes, so making mistakes could be costly. Fortunately, virtual staging can fix those mistakes at a lower cost than reshooting.
    • Modifications and upgrades. Photographers use virtual staging to upgrade the look and feel of the room and elevate its online presence.
    • Better scaling and dimensions. There may be lens or camera issues while shooting, causing some corners to look warped or strange. Virtual staging can modify the dimensions and scale to suit your needs.

    Real estate photographers understand the impact of visual appeal on how well the properties perform in a listing, so they rely on cutting-edge and realistic virtual staging technology to help them with their job. You can read the more detailed post on why professional real estate photographers prefer virtual staging.

    Photographers are not the only ones who appreciate the value of virtual staging since realtors and homebuyers enjoy the effects of excellent digital home staging or virtual renovations. Similar to virtual staging’s intended function, virtual refurbishing shows a space’s potential.

    These are some of the reasons why realtors and homebuyers love digital renovations:

    Everyone in the real estate industry can benefit from the visual appeal brought about by virtual staging, whether it’s a seller, buyer, photographer, or agent. Learn more about how homebuyers and realtors benefit from virtual staging.

    Virtual Staging Pros and Cons

    You’ve already learned about the definition and terminologies and the different reasons sellers, buyers, realtors, and photographers like virtual staging. It’s essential to explore the reasonings from both sides to get a clear picture of its advantages and disadvantages.

    the pros and cons of virtual staging

    Like most technological advancements, virtual staging has its corresponding pros and cons, and it is an innovation that shows promise and potential for greatness. However, some buyers may be disappointed by overly realistic virtual staging images on rundown properties. After discussing why it is such a thing nowadays, let’s examine its marketing benefits.

    These are the pros of virtual staging in the real estate marketing industry:

    • Home and property preview. Your rooms and property will look ready for occupancy even if you still have your items and objects in the home.
    • Cost-effective staging method. You don’t need to renovate the space to accommodate your desired design.
    • Saves cleanup time. You don’t have to clean extensively before a real estate photo shoot.
    • Quick turnaround. Most virtual stage companies offer turnaround times as low as 8 hours.
    • Extensive style selection. Virtual stagers often have a comprehensive catalog of furniture and objects that aren’t readily accessible.

    You can learn more in this post that discusses the real estate marketing benefits of doing virtual staging. Aside from the real estate marketing industry, virtual staging has its corresponding advantages and disadvantages compared to home staging.

    These are some of the home staging pros and cons:

    Pros:

    • In-person setup. An open house could also double as a networking event, which you can’t achieve in digital photos or videos.
    • Actual live items. Clients can see and touch objects for real, so they can walk and explore without seeing images first.

    Cons:

    • Offers a low value for money tradeoff. A model home costs substantially more than the few dollars needed for a virtual staging photo.
    • Time-consuming. Physically staging a room or home takes much time to complete, and virtual staging is considerably faster.

    Now, let’s look at the other side of the coin. How is virtual staging beneficial or detrimental in comparison to home staging? Is virtual staging a suitable alternative to home staging? What differences in approach and style could affect how a potential buyer could view the property for sale?

    These are the virtual staging pros and cons compared to home staging:

    Pros:

    • Cost-effective. The first and most apparent benefit is the low virtual staging cost. You won’t need to prepare funds or locations in advance outside of the intended photo shoot.
    • Marketplace advantage. Virtually staged images will have better traction than a physically-made staging effort.
    • Attractive and detailed images. You can enhance and improve photos to your liking.
    • Catalogs. Most virtual staging companies have a wide range of interior design items like furniture or accessories.
    • Quicker turnaround time. An excellent graphics team can whip up an entire listing worth of staged images in lesser time than it takes to redecorate a single room.

    Cons:

    • Needs graphic expertise. The downside to virtual staging is that you can’t easily do it yourself without proper tools or guidance. Relying on amateurs could make the image look fake, so technically, home staging is easier for newbies.
    • Multiple revisions. Sometimes, you don’t get what you want the first time and consume more time with modifications. This is a common issue with all graphic-related work, not just virtual staging.

    Read more about the pros and cons of virtual staging compared to home staging to determine if you should opt for digital modifications or redecorate your home before the photo shoot.

    Why is Virtual Staging a Real Estate Marketing Must-have?

    Virtual staging has been a real estate photography staple for years, and it’s one of the many technologies that make home and property photos look more beautiful. However, there are critical marketing advantages for home sellers and realtors alike that make virtual staging valuable even after several years.

    These are the reasons why virtual staging is a necessary real estate marketing tool:

    • Your home and property listings will sell faster.
    • Your clients will know the best features before an on-site visit.
    • Attractively staged homes are trustworthy for clients.
    • Improved photos can compete with similar property listings.
    • Staged pictures fetch more than the asking price.
    • Improved conversion rate.
    • Higher return on investment.

    You can read more about the facts and figures in this post about virtual staging’s real estate marketing effectiveness.

    Rules for Virtual Staging

    Virtual staging is an art, but you shouldn’t just make your edits without a solid plan beforehand. You should follow guidelines to make it an effective real estate marketing tool and stand out in a listing with thousands of beautiful home and property photos competing for buyer attention.

    These are the virtual staging rules you should observe:

    • Understand your client or potential client’s preferences. The first step is planning the buyer’s needs or wants from a listing so that you can take the design direction in the right place. You wouldn’t want to waste virtual staging effort on an image that’s not custom-fitted to the potential buyer’s expectations.
    • Choose designs that are realistic and reasonable. Virtual staging is treading the thin line between realism and creativity. Most people may have trust issues if the photo looks too computer-generated. Remember that you’re enhancing the existing image with staging, not competing.
    • Have a house theme and match the furnishings or decor. Motifs will improve the creative direction and ensure that each photo looks like a part of a whole rather than a random photo taken from a website.
    • Don’t overdo the interior renovation. Virtual staging should not be excessive since it’s supposed to help the real estate photograph and not work against it. If your listing image is too beautiful compared to the actual property, your client will have a harsh expectation vs. reality experience, which could work against your trustworthiness.
    • Minimize the personal touches. The important part of virtual staging is creating photos of a house where most people can imagine themselves. Therefore, adding personal touches could make a client feel like he’s intruding in someone’s personal space.

    The five virtual staging rules post will discuss these rules in better detail and allow you to create listing photos with high sales conversion.

    How to Dress Up Emptiness with Virtual Staging

    Sometimes, virtual staging is not about renovating or remodeling an area but more about adding accessories and features to the room. Dressing up the emptiness refers to making open spaces more alive and welcoming for new homeowners or potential buyers.

    Here are some of the ways you can improve the empty spaces with virtual staging:

    • Add unique furniture and decorations.
    • Have a focal point or centerpiece.
    • Use a neutral background that would go well with anything.
    • Create a balance of colors and textures.

    You can read more about the many ways virtual staging can dress up the emptiness in this blog post and gain virtual staging creative interior design ideas.

    How to Prepare for Virtual Staging

    Maybe you’ve decided you’re ready for virtual staging. This part will discuss preparing your real estate photo shoot for the virtual stage post-production treatment. Virtual staging is an excellent way to hide imperfections, but you can save time and effort if you get the necessary preparation done pre-shoot.

    virtual staging preparation

    Here are some ways to get ready for virtual staging real estate photography shot:

    • Note your home, property, and neighborhood’s sellable features beforehand.
    • Draft a buyer profile based on the area’s unique selling points.
    • Look for possible inspirations online.
    • Get the right photography equipment or hire a competent photographer.
    • Find a virtual staging app or hire a company to do it for you.

    Aside from preparing for the shoot, you need to check the state of the rooms you’re planning to redecorate digitally. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has suggested rooms you need to stage for listings according to their data on buyer statistics:

    • Receiving area or living room
    • Master or main bedroom
    • Pantry or kitchen
    • Dining room
    • Yard or garden
    • Comfort room, washrooms or bathrooms

    You don’t have to stage all the rooms, just the crucial ones needing more value or improvement. The buyer market’s needs and expectations will continuously evolve, and digital staging allows your home to show buyers why they should consider yours.

    Read more about how you can stage your rooms for the best virtual staging results.

    Virtual Staging Apps and Software for Real Estate Agents

    Real estate agents may want to try their hand at virtual staging, and an app is a great way to practice or do the graphics themselves. They would only need a compatible device and the imagination to envision the home or property’s potential.

    These are eight innovative apps that agents can use for virtual staging:

    • Phixer (available for iOS) – the app of a leading real estate photography post-production agency offering more than virtual staging services with a turnaround time of 8 to 24 hours.
    • Homestyler (available for Android and iOS) – the app is a joint investment and establishment product of Easyhome New Retail Group and Alibaba Group.
    • Housecraft (available for iOS) – the app uses the power of Augmented Reality (AR) to customize your home.
    • iStaging (available for Android and iOS) – an app where you can capture virtual reality (VR) videos, edit them, and share them with friends.
    • RoOomy (available for iOS) – an app where you can do 3D VR and AR images.
    • Room Planner (available for Android and iOS) – an app that lets you create 2D or 3D visuals with subscription plans.
    • Planner 5D (available for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac) – an app that allows you to layout, create, furnish, edit, render and share designs.
    • MagicPlan (available for Android and iOS) – the easy beginner-friendly app enables you to render floor plans, estimates, and field reports.

    Some apps may not be manageable for those without prior experience, so real estate agents may need other options. If the applications are too difficult to handle, they can opt to avail of virtual staging services from companies or firms.

    If they aren’t satisfied with their graphics expertise, they can have experts do their virtual staging through these software, companies, and websites:

    • PadStyler – software that conducts virtual staging services with a massive 3D library of interior design items.
    • Spotless Agency – a company that offers a wide range of real estate photography, post-production, and graphic services.
    • Sweet Home 3D – an old-school and retro open source 2D and 3D software initially released in 2006.
    • Real Tour Vision (RTV) – a company that designs 2D and 3D virtual tours and other real estate photo and video services.
    • BoxBrownie – a company that offers various real estate photography post-production services with a 24-hour turnaround time.
    • Armstrong Flooring Design Visualizer – an AR application that allows users to check out different flooring colors and textures to match their current interior design or hypothetical ones.
    • IKEA Home Planner Tools – an AR application that lets customers see how IKEA products look in their houses.
    • Tantify – the company offers beautiful virtual staging designs.
    • Virtual Staging Solutions – a company that digitally builds, furnishes, renovates, and remodels homes.

    Real estate agents have limitless options and possibilities for virtual staging. The apps, websites, and companies listed above will help them find practical help for their needs without breaking the bank. Find out more in this comprehensive article on the 15 Best Virtual Staging Apps and Software for Real Estate Agents in 2022 and this list of Virtual Staging Companies for Real Estate Sales.

    How to Start Your Own Virtual Staging Business

    Buyers in the real estate industry will always want high-quality photographs, so making a virtual staging business is a great way to fulfill that demand. However, it won’t be an easy journey without the necessary help on how to start. Follow this guide if you’re planning on making one yourself soon.

    start virtual staging business

    These are the steps to starting a virtual staging business:

    • Product validation – the first step in creating a business is testing the demand. You should verify if people need your company, product, or service in the first place.
    • Business plan – after testing your product validation, you need to develop a business plan that includes a summary, company profile, business objectives, product/service details, sales and marketing plan, and financial projections with an appendix containing necessary illustrations, research and statistics.
    • Build a team – your team will make or break your business journey. It would help if you recruited the right talent to help your company start and then expand. Find reliable and determined people with the right background and experience.
    • Use apps or software – automation is a great way to cut costs on recurring daily operational activities. You have to be strategic about automating processes that optimize your existing resources.
    • Develop partnerships – finding like-minded partners is a great way to make your business stable enough for scalability. Partners may come from individuals or companies that can benefit from each other’s products and services.
    • Make a sales funnel – the sales funnel is the buyer’s journey from attention to purchase following the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, and action) principle. Create a sales funnel that generates leads or potential customers, develops an attraction to your product, service, or company, develops a purchase need, and encourages purchase or conversion.
    • Review current offers – study your offers with your monthly goals to see if it’s according to the financial figures in your business plan. The pricing and target customer sales should be attainable, sustainable, and realistic.
    • Add-ons – create complementary products and services so you won’t rely on virtual staging alone.
    • Marketing investments – you should prepare to shell out funds for marketing activities. The rule of thumb is that 2 to 5% of your expected revenue should go into marketing efforts.
    • Maintain great networks – your personal and professional network will help your business thrive since they can be your potential clients and partners or recommend you to people who might be interested.

    This post can tell you more about how to start a real estate virtual staging business in better detail.

    How Phixer Virtual Staging Compares to the Rest

    Real estate virtual staging companies often have their unique way of doing things, and most of these businesses offer more than one service. Read more about how Phixer fares against its virtual staging competitors in the real estate industry.

    These are the comparisons between Phixer and BoxBrownie:

    • Locations – Phixer is an American company, while BoxBrownie is an Australian company.
    • Value for money and pricing – both companies have their respective pricing and discounts.
    • Industry experience – Phixer has over 13 years of experience with over 800 global staff members, processing 50,000 real estate videos and images daily. BoxBrownie has around seven years of experience, offering its extensive services to approximately 102 countries worldwide.
    • Turnaround time – both businesses offer 24-hour turnaround times.
    • Customer service – both companies offer 24/7 customer service.
    • Technology – Phixer’s website is simple, while BoxBrownie’s has everything outlined. However, Phixer has a mobile app, where you can edit photos yourself.

    You can check out this Phixer vs BoxBrownie review for more details about both companies.

    Bottomline

    Virtual staging is a modern take on an old showroom concept, and it’s one of the many innovations professionals use in the cutthroat real estate marketing industry. Most experts consider virtual staging a must-have for a successful real estate listing, and some apps or software achieve realistic staging effects.

    As more companies present better 2D and 3D virtual staging designs, you can choose from various services to dress up the emptiness and promote real estate listings. You will always need professional virtual staging services, whether you’re a beginner listing your first property or a tenured real estate agent hoping to up your game.

  • How Effective is Virtual Staging Photos for Real Estate Marketing?

    How Effective is Virtual Staging Photos for Real Estate Marketing?

    Most people shop online, even those looking to buy houses or properties for themselves and their families, and it’s challenging to get real estate exposure with the intense competition online. Virtual staging is one of the most effective ways to improve your home and property appearance in preparation for real estate marketing efforts. It’s a great tool to enhance and show an area’s untapped potential.

    Read more to know about real estate marketing and how effective virtual staging acts as a tool between the audience and seller.

    Real Estate Marketing

    Marketing is a campaign to promote a unique selling proposition and establish brand trust and retention. Most practitioners deploy various strategies since marketing is a means to an end; it all boils down to closing a sales deal with a client in real estate. Having repeat customers and testimonials would be considered a bonus or proof of a widely-successful campaign.

    You may ask yourself, how important is staging a house? To answer that question, we should start with why people take photos for real estate listings in the first place. As much as putting a for sale sign in the front yard would gain attention, there’s no better lead generation than a digital platform. Getting leads will soon turn to interest, eventually landing a sale or closing the deal.

    Here are the results of staging effectiveness in real estate marketing efforts:

    1. Virtual staging solutions sell your property faster

    The real estate industry is highly competitive and fast-paced, so it’s a red flag if a specific property has been in the market for too long. Sometimes, the agent or seller may reduce the price to land a sale, so getting real estate photo editing and virtual staging saves them those price cuts.

    virtual staging sells fast

    Real estate photo editors resort to techniques like photo manipulation to embellish a property image. However, it would be hard to imagine living in a house based on someone else’s preferences, and it may even feel like trespassing when you look at listing photos of family homes and see their personal effects in full view.

    Most buyers want properties that they can customize to their liking. You’d get rid of the personal belongings currently in the house when you complete your sale anyway. Virtual home staging gives your property a head start so that future buyers can envision what their home would look like in your space.

    How effective is virtual staging in selling your property faster? According to a survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) entitled 2021 Profile of Home Staging, 82% of buyers could effortlessly imagine a staged image as their future residence, and 41% were more willing to visit a home they’ve seen online.

    2. Showcase best features before a site visit

    Every sale goes through some form or variation of a sales funnel, and transactions in the real estate industry are no different. Once a real estate property is up for sale, the sellers often contact real estate agents or companies to help them through the sales funnel.

    A sales funnel has many variations: lead generation, call, follow-up, conversion and sale or opportunity, connection, timing, obstacles, and persistence. Whichever you use, as mentioned earlier, the explicit goal is landing a deal and making a profit.

    Here are the guiding principles of the sales funnel with hypothetical scenarios to illustrate each step:

    • Awareness – someone sees the property for sale on a listing platform.
    • Interest – the prospect contacts the number on the listing and talks to the agent or seller for a site visit.
    • Decision – the viewer checks out the house and asks about specifics.
    • Action – the client makes the purchase and processes the necessary paperwork.

    Every marketing practitioner knows AIDA by heart, and it’s a great way to remember what you need to do first. You can develop awareness virtually anywhere these days, especially with so many social media platforms available, like Instagram or Tiktok.

    Virtual staging helps immensely with lead generation or creating opportunities by showcasing potential and possibilities before an actual client site visit. A well-staged home can turn awareness into interest quickly enough, leaving only two steps to chance.

    3. Clients trust real estate listings with attractive and staged homes

    Repetition is the primary goal for real estate agents or home sellers. You will know how effective virtual staging is when you get repeat customers. A successfully staged property will still look genuine, even if edited virtually, so you should still do your best to clean up the actual property.

    Clients satisfied with your service or product will recommend you to their family and friends. However, their network will still try to assess your compatibility with their needs, even if their close friend recommended you. Virtual staging solutions will add credibility to your authority as a real estate expert because it will appear that you only cater to high-quality real estate properties.

    4. Virtual staging solutions allow you to compete with other similar listings

    Real estate listings house thousands of real estate lands, homes, and properties at any given time. It’s safe to say that your images will compete with hundreds of similar properties or houses as soon as they’re posted. Without virtual staging, your house and its rooms will look worn and run down.

    The same NAR study asked real estate agents whether staging, photos, videos, and virtual tours were much less important, less important, equally important, more important, or much more important for listings. Due to the global events in 2020, 83% of them think it’s necessary to have property photos, 74% videos, and 73% virtual tours.

    This portion highlighted that 90% of respondents believed staging ranged from equally important to much more important, which could mean they think that part of staging effectiveness gives your property a competitive edge in the listing.

    5. Virtual staging improves the price

    Always remember that there are listing websites to cater to buyers who want to see everything with their own eyes. The buyer prefers something that looks good even if they know the product or item is second-hand, and the same principle applies to buying homes. Even if the appliances or furniture won’t be there upon sale, it helps improve the room’s appearance and contents before posting the photos online.

    How important is staging a house? According to NAR, home staging improves your selling price by an average of $40,000 over the asking price. Sometimes, you could end up with more profits just because you made the call to stage the bedroom or kitchen photos. Selling your house without having to cut the price or even generating more profit than expected is a huge win.

    6. Virtual staging increases the conversion chance

    A successful marketing campaign’s conversion rate is an essential key performance indicator (KPI) because it’s the percentage of buyers doing specific actions. In real estate marketing, the conversion rate may refer to how many listing viewers visit the home or how many viewing clients buy the property.

    It’s one thing to post a dozen property pictures and another to turn those viewers into homebuyers. Attracting client visits is an excellent first step to making a sale. When a potential buyer visits the property from your listing, you’ve already made the first conversion from viewer to inquiry.

    Conversion rate is the most accurate marketing success measurement, and virtual staging effectively improves the chance of getting noticed, eventually turning into a closed deal.

    7. Higher return on investment value

    Virtual staging improves returns because it costs significantly less than traditional staging methods. You only need competent editors to get things done and increase your chances of sales rather than when you post unedited and unprocessed phone photos.

    The real estate agent commission in the United States is around 4 to 6%, and the average home price is about $428,700. For the sake of computing the potential profit, let’s take $16,000 or 4% of $400,000. Most virtual staging companies charge $10 to $100 depending on the service types.

    Virtual staging solutions often only cost a fraction of what the property fetches on the market. Even a real estate agent’s commission could get digital staging done for several properties and still profit over a hundred times the service costs.

    Like most investments, having real estate editing and staging may not always look solid in the first few tries. However, with high real estate values, getting at least one buyer will already give you excellent returns.

    Bottomline

    In conclusion, how effective is virtual staging as a real estate marketing method? It’s very effective in offering a competitive edge and profitability. In the past, real estate professionals have been practicing home staging in showrooms spending hundreds to thousands of dollars to put the home in the spotlight.

    Virtual staging offers a better way to showcase properties without excessive preparation and spending. Real estate editing companies like Phixer deliver speedy turnaround times to ensure you can list your home or property quickly.

  • 10 Useful Tips on Starting a Real Estate Virtual Staging Business

    10 Useful Tips on Starting a Real Estate Virtual Staging Business

    Information technology makes everyday transactions faster and better. Several industries are steadily migrating into the digital space, and real estate is no exception, as more people are relying on the Internet to bring solutions to their problems. Recent statistics say that most buyers find their next home online.

    Therefore, with the ever-increasing real estate market demand in the digital space, it’s a great time to start a virtual staging business and help home sellers attract potential buyers. This post will talk about helpful tips entrepreneurs can do to get started.

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    Real Estate Virtual Staging

    You may ask yourself, how do I start a virtual staging business? The simple answer lies in knowing what you want and finding ways to achieve them. The real estate industry has an increasing need for graphics, creatives, and marketing businesses.

    There’s no denying that the digital space has opportunities and potential clients. A 2021 study by the National Association of Realtors found that for real estate, in particular, 41% of home buyers decided to look at properties online, and 95% of home buyers used online tools to search.

    Here are some of the essential tips on establishing a real estate virtual staging company:

    1. Check for demand

    Your business will aim to supply a demand, so you need to know who will be giving your profit. Before you start a staging business, you need to survey if there’s a market for the service or products you plan to offer. You can ask people in the real estate industry and those looking to buy or sell properties in the future.

    There are many ways to look for demand. For example, you can do an informal survey asking how they edit real estate photos and give hypothetical offers of $50 virtual staging or a $75 total package. Your respondents will provide you with an idea of their needs and budget.

    2. Plan ahead

    After establishing product or service demand, the next step is to set up a business plan with objectives, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) research. Your company’s long-term and short-term goals will serve as a map that guides your entire journey as a virtual staging business.

    Here are the steps on how to write a business plan:

    • Construct an executive summary. You write this last, but this goes on the first page.
    • Create a company profile describing your establishment.
    • Write down your long-term business goals.
    • Talk about your products and services in as much detail as possible, including pricing and packaging.
    • Outline a sales and marketing plan.
    • Make a business financial estimation to generate projections.
    • Add attachments, research, and case studies in the appendix section.

    Your objectives should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timebound (SMART). For example, you want to earn a net profit of $500 in revenue within the first month of operation by offering 50 virtual staging photos at $18.

    The SWOT analysis offers insight into your advantages, disadvantages, competitors, and openings. You can strategize your services, pricing, and operational frequency on this information.

    3. Find the right talent

    You may wonder, how do I start a virtual staging business after the planning stage? The next step is finding suitable people to help with business operations, client management, and creative execution. You won’t get started or scale successfully without the right people on your team.

    You can get a recruiter or agency to help you get the right help. In the meantime, you can outsource your needs to a company that offers the same services.

    4. Use virtual staging software or apps

    If you don’t have an entire artist team or can’t afford to hire an internal team, you can start by familiarizing yourself with virtual staging apps. These applications will show you the different standards from other staging companies. Aside from that, they could help you with your actual output.

    Virtual staging applications and programs allow you to edit real estate photos quickly without the help of graphic designers. Because these are often automated or pre-made, they may not look realistic, so hiring professionals is still better for long-term success.

    5. Cultivate partnerships

    There’s a saying that no man can survive alone, which also applies to businesses. Companies can’t make all sales, marketing, and executive functions without the necessary expenses. Partnerships allow your business to operate on x-deal or service exchange instead of cash payment to prioritize your capital on other efforts.

    For example, suppose you’re starting and have a great lead generation system. In that case, you could outsource part of your business process to an external company in exchange for your expertise.

    6. Build a sales funnel

    The next step is creating a sales funnel. Don’t start a staging business without considering the clients, which means making a funnel for your potential clients. It will act as a collection to conversion method based on the Attention, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA) model that taps into the consumer’s mind.

    Here are some sales funnel tips:

    • Build a company website and social media profiles.
    • Post relevant topics to generate leads.
    • Create attractive images and offers.
    • Give discounts, freebies, and incentives for trying your products or services.
    • Have clients book a free consultation or call so you can pitch how you can help them.
    • Retain the client with excellent customer care and assistance after availing of a product or service.

    Outline the demographic profile to make the correct funnel for your virtual staging business. Creating the funnel will let you maximize every opportunity so that you don’t waste any time, effort, or money in the process.

    7. Improve current offers

    There are hundreds of agencies offering almost the same products and services. Your firm will stay competitive by updating and modifying offers from time to time. Customer satisfaction is a top priority for every successful company, so you must work on your retention and sales methods.

    8. Add in-demand complementary services and products

    Upon conception, when you ask how do I start a virtual staging business? You are only thinking about the opening steps. The next factor is upselling your current requests with other complementary services to increase profits and give you a competitive edge.

    For example, offer discounted image decluttering, lawn removal, copywriting, or virtual twilight with your virtual staging service. Finding ways to serve your clients better than competitors will ensure high profits, retention, and scaling.

    9. Invest in marketing efforts

    Solid branding will make the customers come to you, and that’s where marketing comes to play. Create an excellent identity that clients will recognize and patronize, then ramp up your lead generation and exposure with social media efforts.

    However, some businessmen don’t understand the value of marketing, so you mustn’t make the same mistake. You need to finance marketing efforts with a budget of around 1 to 5% of your expected revenue. It may be better to have a dedicated marketing team.

    Here are some marketing efforts that new small businesses can make:

    • Email marketing via newsletter campaigns
    • Organic social media efforts and advertising through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and Tiktok. Each platform caters to different demographics and markets.
    • Free ebooks and coaching
    • Google My Business and Adwords
    • Content marketing
    • Search engine optimization (SEO)
    • Use chatbots for social media platforms and your website
    • Offer free consultation services
    • Traditional media advertising if you’re a solid local business hoping to get customers in your city
    • Write articles on other websites or blogs
    • Attend mixers and functions for potential partners or clients

    Marketing can help you spend less time finding customers and letting them pursue you instead. Marketing works hand in hand with your sales funnel, so you should strategize your campaigns accordingly.

    10. Maintain good relationships with your network

    Every successful virtual staging business has excellent relationships with partners and clients. People are likelier to recommend companies that have given them terrific service on top of a fruitful collaboration, so be sure to invest in reliable customer service.

    Always ask for feedback or testimonials after every project. Reviews will help you learn how to service your clients better and improve your output standards. Aside from that, those opinions will make other people trust your services enough to try them themselves.

    Therefore, you should keep close tabs on your previous clients, networks, and connections. Send them emails or messages from time to time to maintain that rapport. Invest in automated emails as you grow your client base.

    Bottomline

    A real estate virtual staging business is a promising endeavor with high demand. As long as you set the proper foundation, you don’t need much entrepreneurial experience to start a staging business with impressive lead generation, marketing, and client care skills.

    The competitive real estate photography post-production services are cutthroat, and you don’t need to find graphic talent immediately. Once you partner with reliable service providers like Phixer or other real estate editors, you will gain confidence in your quality and client retention ability.