The Social Stager

Heather Cook
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Marketing

The Social Stager Podcast helps home stagers and design professionals simplify their marketing, strengthen their brand, and show up online with confidence. Hosted by Heather Cook, this podcast blends real-world experience from over a decade in the staging industry with clear, practical marketing insight. You’ll learn how to prioritize your marketing, create content that positions you as an expert, and build a brand that supports long-term business growth. This podcast is for stagers who want marketing that feels intentional, sustainable, and aligned with the business they are building.

  1. 1d ago

    You Know How to Stage. But Do You Know How to Sell?

    You learned how to stage a home. But did anyone ever teach you how to sell your staging services? For many home stagers, sales feels uncomfortable. They worry about sounding pushy, struggle to communicate their value, freeze when a client objects to the price, or send a proposal and hope their portfolio sells for them. But selling doesn’t have to feel like selling. In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I’m sharing how I approached sales in my own home staging business and why I believe the best sales process is built around helping, listening, and creating trust at every stage of the client experience. We’re talking about: Why being a talented home stager doesn’t automatically make you good at selling your servicesWhy your portfolio isn’t enough to communicate your valueHow your client experience starts selling your services long before you send the proposalWhat great salespeople do differently during client consultationsHow to handle objections without getting defensive or becoming pushyWhy listening to the client matters more than having the perfect sales pitchHow giving clients choices increases buy-in and helps reduce overwhelmWhy an objection is information, not necessarily rejectionHow to build a sales process that creates trust from inquiry through bookingThe three areas I’d focus on first if you want to become more confident at selling your staging servicesIf sales is the part of running your staging business that makes you uncomfortable, this episode will help you look at it differently. Because your job isn’t to convince everyone to hire you. Your job is to understand what your client needs, communicate how you help, give them the information they need to make a decision, and confidently ask for the sale. Links & ResourcesHere's where to connect with me and find out more about my programs Profitable Stager Blueprint: https://socialsavvystagers.com/profitable-stager-blueprintSix-Figure Stager Mentorship: https://socialsavvystagers.com/the-six-figure-stagerPrivate Coaching Program: https://socialsavvystagers.com/home-staging-business-coachingThe Social Stager website: https://socialsavvystagers.com/Instagram: @socialsavvystager or @sixfigurestager

  2. Sep 22

    From Staging for Free to Staging for HGTV with Red Barrinuevo

    Red Barrinuevo didn't build the business he has today by continuing to do what every other home stager was doing. In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, Red joins me to look back at how Redesign4More grew from a staging business he was running around a full-time office job into one of Canada's most recognizable home staging brands. We talk about the early decisions that helped build his reputation, including investing in professional photography before he could comfortably afford it, hiring a PR agency when few home stagers were thinking about PR, and becoming the face of his brand even when being visible didn't always feel comfortable. But Red's story isn't only about becoming more visible. As the business grew, he also became much clearer about the work he wanted to do, the clients he wanted to serve and what he wanted the company to become. That eventually led him away from parts of the traditional staging model and toward model suites, residential design and a much more defined market position. Your original intro frames this evolution in essentially the same way. In this episode, we discuss: How Red got his start in home staging while still working a full-time office jobWhy he invested in professional photography from the beginningWhat led him to invest in PR and how visibility helped build his authorityWhy doing great work and creating a great client experience opened unexpected doorsWhy being the face of your brand matters, even when visibility feels uncomfortableHow Red identified model suite staging as an opportunity and deliberately repositioned his business around itWhy raising his prices helped him attract better-fit clientsHow he markets directly to builders and developers instead of waiting for them to find himWhy Red doesn't rely on social media alone to generate businessHow becoming known for something specific made his marketing clearer and more focusedHow his core values, mission and vision now guide the clients, opportunities and partnerships he says yes toWhat Red believes home stagers misunderstand about building a brand and reputationWhy building the right business sometimes means moving away from services you no longer want to provideWhat he would do differently if he were starting his staging business again today Connect with Red BarrinuevoWebsite: https://redbarrinuevo.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram/com/redbarrinuevoConnect with HeatherWebsite: https://socialsavvystagers.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialsavvystager

  3. Sep 8

    5 Signs Your Staging Business Isn't Designed for Growth

    More staging projects. More inventory. More revenue. More team members. Maybe a bigger warehouse. We tend to talk about growth as though more automatically means you’re building a more successful staging business. But what happens when your business isn’t actually designed to support that growth? In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I’m sharing five signs that the business you’ve built might not be prepared for where you’re trying to take it. I’m also sharing the stories of two staging business owners at very different stages of growth. One had successfully created demand for her premium vacant staging services but ended up approximately $75,000 in debt trying to keep up with it. The other had built a seven-figure staging company with a large team and 10,000-square-foot warehouse, but the costs of running the business had grown faster than her pricing. Because more revenue doesn’t automatically mean a healthier business. As your staging company grows, your pricing, services, inventory, capacity, systems, team and business model need to grow and change with it. And sometimes the smartest decision isn’t to add more. It’s to get much more intentional about what actually belongs in the business you’re trying to build. In this episode, we discuss:• Why more demand doesn’t always create a more profitable staging business • How growth creates new demands on your cash, capacity, inventory, team and systems • Why adding another service or revenue stream is often a much bigger decision than it appears • How offering too many disconnected services can dilute your resources and focus • Why revenue alone doesn’t tell you whether you’ve built a financially healthy business • What changes as your staging company grows from $100K to $300K, $500K and beyond • Why demand alone isn’t enough reason to pursue a new opportunity • The questions to ask before adding another service, market, team member, warehouse or revenue stream • Why sometimes growing your staging business means doing less, better At the end of the episode, I’ll also give you one question to help you identify where the biggest gap might be between the business you’ve built today and the one you’re trying to become. Work With HeatherIf this episode has you looking differently at the business you’ve built and where you want to take it, this is exactly the kind of work we do inside my coaching programs. The Six-Figure Stager: For home stagers building toward consistent multiple six figures who want to strengthen their positioning, services, pricing, profitability, marketing, systems and capacity as they grow. https://socialsavvystagers.com/the-six-figure-stager The Million Dollar Stager: For established staging business owners who are ready to optimize what they’ve built for greater profitability, capacity and sustainable growth while stepping further into leadership. https://socialsavvystagers.com/million-dollar-stager Connect with Heather• Website: https://socialsavvystagers.com/ • Instagram: @socialsavvystager and @sixfigurestager

  4. Aug 25

    How to Make Your Pinterest Ads Pay for Themselves with Annie Russell

    Getting someone to click on your Pinterest ad is only the beginning. If you’re paying to drive traffic to your website, you need a strategy for turning that traffic into leads and, ultimately, paying clients. In Part 2 of my conversation with Pinterest marketing expert Annie Russell, we’re breaking down what happens after someone clicks your ad and how all the pieces of your marketing funnel work together to help your Pinterest ads actually generate a return. We talk about landing pages, lead magnets, email sequences, ad budgets, tracking, and why getting more traffic doesn’t necessarily mean getting more business. Annie also shares what business owners need to understand about the numbers behind their campaigns and how to think about Pinterest ads as part of a larger lead generation strategy rather than simply paying for clicks. In this episode, we discuss:• What happens after someone clicks your Pinterest ad • Why your landing page and lead magnet matter to your results • How email marketing helps turn Pinterest leads into clients • What to consider when setting your Pinterest advertising budget • The numbers you need to track to understand whether your ads are working • Why more website traffic doesn’t necessarily mean more leads or sales • How the different pieces of your marketing funnel work together • What it takes to build a Pinterest ad strategy that starts paying for itself If you missed Part 1, start there. Annie and I talk about what needs to be in place before you spend money on Pinterest ads and the biggest mistake home stagers make when they jump into paid advertising before their marketing foundation is ready. Listen to Part 1The Biggest Mistake Home Stagers Make Before Running Pinterest Ads with Annie Russell Listen to the episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biggest-mistake-home-stagers-make-before-running/id1862300289?i=1000784098886 Connect with Annie RussellIf you’re ready to take the next step with Pinterest advertising, Annie’s Leads on Repeat program teaches business owners how to create, launch, and manage their own Pinterest ad campaigns. You can learn more about Annie and the different ways to work with her here: • Leads on Repeat: https://www.annierussellmedia.com/leads-on-repeat • Free Guide: 200+ Pinterest Keywords for Home Stagers: https://annierussellmedia.myflodesk.com/home-stager-pinterest • Website: https://www.annierussellmedia.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annierussellmedia/ Connect with Heather• Website: https://socialsavvystagers.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialsavvystager/

  5. Aug 18

    The Biggest Mistake Home Stagers Make Before Running Pinterest Ads with Annie Russell

    What actually needs to be in place before you start paying for Pinterest ads? It’s easy to think that paid advertising is the answer to getting more traffic, leads, and clients for your home staging business. But ads won’t fix a weak marketing strategy. They amplify the one you already have. In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I’m joined once again by Pinterest marketing expert Annie Russell for the first of a two-part conversation about Pinterest advertising. We’re talking about what needs to happen before you invest in ads, from setting up your Pinterest account and tracking properly to creating valuable content, building your email list, and developing a lead magnet people actually want. Annie also breaks down some of the biggest misconceptions about paid advertising, including why boosting a post isn’t the same as running a strategic ad campaign and why sending more traffic to your website won’t accomplish much if you don’t have the right marketing foundation behind it. In this episode, we discuss:• The biggest misconceptions about Pinterest advertising • Why boosting a post isn’t the same as running an ad campaign • What you need in place before investing in Pinterest ads • Why organic Pinterest and paid advertising work better together • The role your website and content play in your advertising strategy • Why growing your email list matters • What makes a lead magnet worth giving your email address for • Why your expertise needs to be part of the content you create This is Part One of my conversation with Annie. In Part Two, we’ll dive into what happens after someone clicks your ad, including landing pages, email sequences, campaign budgets, tracking, and how to build a Pinterest funnel that turns traffic into qualified leads and paying clients. Connect with Annie RussellIf you’d like to connect with Annie or learn more about how she helps businesses use Pinterest to generate leads, you can find her here: • Annie Russell Media (website) • Leads on Repeat: Learn how to run paid ads the right way • Free Guide: 200+ Pinterest Keywords for Home Stagers • Listen to our first conversation about Pinterest marketing for home stagers Connect with Heather• Website: The Social Stager • Instagram: Social Savvy Stager and Six-Figure Stager

  6. Aug 11

    How a Top Realtor Creates Marketing that Builds Trust and Gets Clients with Lance Nielsen

    What makes someone trust your business enough to hire you? For many business owners, marketing is all about visibility. More content. More followers. More platforms. But what if the real purpose of marketing isn't simply to get noticed? In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I'm joined by realtor and entrepreneur Lance Nielsen to talk about how successful businesses use marketing to build trust, strengthen relationships, and stay top of mind long before someone is ready to buy. From creating educational content and embracing AI to using video and staying curious in an ever-changing industry, this conversation is packed with practical insights that home stagers, Realtors, and service-based business owners can apply to their own businesses. In this episode, we discuss:• Why trust is the foundation of effective marketing • How educational content helps build credibility • Why video creates stronger relationships with your audience • The opportunities and challenges AI presents for business owners • How curiosity fuels innovation and business growth • Why consistency matters more than chasing trends • Practical ways to market your business with authenticity Connect with Lance NielsenIf you'd like to connect with Lance or learn more about his work, you can find him here: • Visit his Website • Follow him on Instagram Learn More About My Coaching ProgramsIf you're ready to build a stronger, more profitable home staging business, I'd love to help. Whether you're looking to clarify your positioning, strengthen your marketing, or design a business that's built for long-term success, my coaching programs are designed to help you grow with confidence. Learn more about my coaching programs here.

  7. Aug 4

    What it Takes to Build a Successful Staging Business with Michelle Minch

    Building a successful staging business isn't about one great marketing strategy or getting lucky with the right client. It's about making hundreds of decisions that strengthen your business over time. In this episode, I'm joined by veteran home stager and industry educator Michelle Minch. Michelle shares the story of how she built one of the most respected staging businesses in Southern California, from taking on her very first staging project to growing a thriving business and becoming a mentor to home stagers across North America. Along the way, we talk about marketing, pricing, referrals, differentiation, community, and why building a successful business requires far more than knowing how to stage a beautiful home. In this episode, we discuss:• How Michelle accidentally discovered home staging and turned it into a thriving business • The power of referrals and relationship marketing • Why marketing is about educating and building trust, not just promoting your services • How to communicate your value so clients understand why you're worth more • The role pricing plays in positioning your business • Why competing on price is a race you'll never win • The importance of finding your own lane instead of trying to compete with every other stager • Why building relationships with other home stagers can become one of your greatest business assets Connect with Michelle MinchMichelle is passionate about helping home stagers build stronger businesses through coaching, education, and community. You can connect with Michelle here: • Facebook: Staging Success Center Million Dollar Stager • Email: michelle@movingmountainsdesign.com Ready to build a stronger staging business?If you're ready to stop guessing and start intentionally building a staging business that's profitable, sustainable, and known for something specific, I'd love to invite you to learn more about the Six-Figure Stager Mastermind. Inside the Mastermind, we focus on the business behind the staging, including positioning, branding, marketing, pricing, systems, leadership, and the strategies that help you build a business designed for long-term success. Learn more here.

  8. Jul 28

    The Systems Every Stager Needs for Sustainable Growth with Lori Fischer

    What happens when your staging business starts growing... but you feel like you're holding everything together with sticky notes, memory, and late nights? In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I'm joined by Lori Fischer to talk about one of the least glamorous, yet most important parts of building a successful staging business: systems. If you've ever felt like you're constantly answering the same questions, reinventing your process with every client, or struggling to step away from your business without everything falling apart, this conversation is for you. We talk about why systems aren't just about organization. They're about creating consistency, protecting the client experience, and building a business that supports your long-term goals. In this episode, we discuss:• Why so many home stagers wait too long to build systems • The biggest misconceptions about SOPs and documentation • How strong systems improve the client experience • What happens when your business depends on you for every decision • Simple places to start if your business feels disorganized • Why operational excellence becomes a competitive advantage as your business grows Whether you're a solo stager or preparing to hire your first team member, this episode will help you think differently about the role systems play in building a business that's sustainable, scalable, and easier to run. Resources Mentioned• Learn more about Harlowe • Learn more about the Six-Figure Stager Mastermind • Join The Stager's Circle free community • Subscribe to The Social Stager Podcast so you never miss an episode

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Social Stager Podcast helps home stagers and design professionals simplify their marketing, strengthen their brand, and show up online with confidence. Hosted by Heather Cook, this podcast blends real-world experience from over a decade in the staging industry with clear, practical marketing insight. You’ll learn how to prioritize your marketing, create content that positions you as an expert, and build a brand that supports long-term business growth. This podcast is for stagers who want marketing that feels intentional, sustainable, and aligned with the business they are building.

Information

  • Creator
    Heather Cook
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Heather Cook
  • Show Website
    The Social Stager

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