Growing a home staging business is equal parts creativity, strategy, and relationship-building.
You can have the most beautiful design style in town, but if the right people haven’t heard of you – or can’t find you online — your calendar will stay empty.
The good news? Home staging is one of the few industries where even small marketing efforts can create big results, especially when you show up consistently and position yourself as the go-to expert for realtors and homeowners.
The key is to combine a few high-impact strategies and keep them rolling year-round.
You don’t need a huge budget, a warehouse full of furniture, or years of experience. You just need a clear plan and the willingness to show your work, connect with people, and treat your business like a business.
Below are ten proven ways to grow your home staging business – even in competitive or slow markets – using practical strategies you can start today.
1. Ask for Referrals (The Fastest Way to Grow Any Staging Business)
Referrals build trust faster than any ad ever could. When a realtor or past client recommends you, that new homeowner walks in with confidence already established. The secret is not to wait passively – but gently prompt referrals and make the process simple.
Instead of handing your client a business card and hoping, try something like:
“If you know anyone getting ready to sell, I’d love an introduction. I’ll make the process super easy for them.”
You can even offer a thank-you gift, but it doesn’t need to be financial. A handwritten card or a small $20 local café voucher feels thoughtful and goes a long way.
2. Build a Great Website That Proves You’re Professional
Your home staging website is the first impression for 95% of your future clients. It should feel clean, modern, spacious, and reflective of your design style.
Most importantly, it should clearly answer a seller’s biggest questions: Can I trust you? What does your work look like? What does it cost?
Here’s a quick comparison to help guide your setup:
| Platform | Best For |
|---|---|
| Wix | If you want long-term flexibility, WordPress is perfect – but it also requires ongoing maintenance and some technical know-how. |
| Squarespace | Squarespace is perfect for clean, modern design lovers. They provide templates with great typography & image layouts. |
| WordPress | WordPress is the best choice for custom, scalable websites. If you want long-term flexibility WordPress is perfect – but it also requires ongoing maintenance and some technical know-how. |
A strong staging website should focus on only a few things: stunning photos, a simple explanation of your services, your process, and a clear way to get in touch. Cut anything that adds clutter.
3. Use SEO and Blogging to Help Local Clients Find You Naturally
A beautiful website is meaningless if no one sees it. That’s where SEO (Search Engine Optimization) becomes your best friend. You don’t need to be an expert – you just need to publish helpful, location-specific content consistently.
For example, if you’re based in Austin, titles like these work wonders:
- “How Much Does Home Staging Cost in Austin?”
- “Before & After – Our Austin Living Room Transformation”
- “5 Mistakes Austin Sellers Make Before Listing Their Home”
Search engines reward helpful content that answers real questions. If you post even twice per month, you’ll gradually rise above competitors who never update their sites.
We have an entire unit in our home staging certification course dedicated to marketing. For those who have enrolled and completed the unit, you’ll know why SEO is our favorite marketing method for home stagers.
4. Create a Clear, Focused Marketing Strategy (Not Random Posts)
Instead of trying everything at once – Instagram, Facebook, workshops, postcards, events – choose a few marketing channels you can commit to steadily.
For example, you might post to Instagram twice weekly, update your Google Business Profile every Friday, and reach out to one new realtor per week. That small plan, done consistently, will outperform a burst of activity followed by silence.
Consistency beats intensity. SimplyStaged does a great job of this – see the screenshot above. Good marketing is a rhythm, not a sprint.
5. Identify Your Most Profitable Audience
Many stagers think homeowners should be their main focus, but the truth is that homeowners hire you once.
Realtors, house flippers, and investors hire you repeatedly. That’s the kind of predictable income most stagers crave.
Focusing your energy on the right audience can double your business without doubling your workload.
| Client Type | Frequency of Projects | Long-Term Value | Our Comments… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeowners | One-off | Low | Great for portfolio building, but not recurring. |
| Realtors | Multiple listings per year | High | Best referral source long-term. |
| House flippers | Frequent | Very High | Need predictable styling, quick turnaround. |
6. Price Your Services Strategically (Without Underselling Yourself)
Pricing is one of the top reasons stagers struggle – not because they’re too expensive, but because they price too low and appear inexperienced. Sellers want value, but they also want professionalism.
Our simple rule is: Price based on profit, not desperation.
Look at your competitors, calculate your expenses carefully, and build your pricing so that even your busiest week is profitable – not stressful.
We have a few guides on how to charge for your home staging services, and also a pricing calculator that is free to use on the Home Staging Institute website.
7. Advertise Where Sellers and Realtors Actually Spend Time
Not all advertising is equal. Newspaper ads and general Facebook posts tend to get lost. Instead, advertise exactly where sellers and realtors already hang out:
- Your Google Business Profile
- Facebook community groups
- Local real estate Facebook groups
- Realtor newsletters
- Sponsored posts targeting homeowners in your city
Below is a screenshot of a Google search for home stagers in San Francisco. Underneath the heading “Sponsored result” you’ll see the Google Ad, then below this is where the ‘organic search’ results appear.
On the right of the results is the Google Business Profile for UpStage Design & Home Staging. In this Business Profile, you’ll see a selection of images, their geographic location, their ratings & reviews, operating hours, phone number, and a link to their website. This is a goldmine for leads – so be sure to claim your profile, fill out all the details, and start asking for reviews.
8. Attend Real Estate Networking Events (The Most Reliable Growth Strategy)
If one strategy on this list will grow your staging business the fastest, this is it.
Local real estate events are filled with realtors, investors, builders, and photographers all working on active listings. You don’t need a slick sales pitch. Just introduce yourself, show a few photos on your phone, and ask questions about their listings.
A simple opener works wonders – “Hi, I’m Sarah, I run a home staging business. I’d love to learn more about your listings this season.”
Networking doesn’t require perfection – just presence.
9. Build Strong, Long-Term Relationships With Real Estate Agents
Realtors will become your most consistent source of work if you show them reliability, professionalism, and fast communication. They value stagers who:
- Turn around quotes quickly
- Offer clear starting prices
- Deliver on schedule
- Solve problems without drama
You don’t need a giant portfolio to win them over – you just need reliability.
Here is one tip that separates new home staging businesses that grow slowly from those that grow incredibly quickly: don’t be afraid of rejection. You could be afraid of cold-calling and call one realtor every 3 months, asking if they have any staging requirements in the near future. Alternatively, you could call the 30 most active real estate agents in your first week of business. Scary, yes. But it’ll supercharge your path to getting home staging clients.
Here is a simple script to give you some ideas:
“Hi, I’m Kendall from North West Staging. I specialise in fast, high-impact home staging that helps your listings stand out online and sell faster. I know how quickly things move in real estate, so my goal is to make the staging process simple for you – quick quotes, reliable timelines, and beautiful photos that boost buyer interest from day one. If you’ve got any upcoming listings that need staging, whether it’s a full vacant install or just a walkthrough consultation, I’d love to take a look and help you get it market-ready. You can call, text, or send me the address, and I’ll handle the rest.”
Obviously, this is a lot to get out in one breath, and the conversation will naturally go back and forth between you and the realtor – but it gives you an idea of the general points you want to convey.
10. Run Staging Workshops to Position Yourself as the Local Expert
Workshops work because they build trust fast. When someone sees you teaching confidently – especially if they’re a realtor with a lot of listings – they begin seeing you as their go-to staging expert.
Workshops can be:
- Free “Lunch & Learns” for realtors
- Low-cost community center workshops
- Short Zoom sessions for homeowners preparing to sell
Even a single workshop can lead to 3–5 new clients.
Summary
Growing a home staging business doesn’t require luck – it requires consistent visibility, strong relationships, and the willingness to show your work.
Whether you’re networking with realtors, posting regular before-and-after photos, improving your website, or teaching workshops, every touchpoint increases your reputation and your opportunities.
Start small, show up consistently, and keep refining your marketing strategy.
With the right approach, your home staging business can grow steadily and attract clients who love your style, trust your expertise, and refer you again and again.
