Just what will Barb Schwarz reveal in her business book? Well, I do not know… but I will SURELY read it and share my thoughts about it here in a future book review.However, a quote taken from the inside front cover (quote taken from Amazon) shares this insight of what the book is to offer the home staging industry: "Whether you are thinking about starting a Home Staging business or want to improve upon an existing one, this timely guide can help you master the essential elements of a successful Home Staging business." So, considering and understanding what start up business owners in the home staging industry are hungering for... the promise sounds mighty good.
But I have to admit, Barb's book puts her and the company she started, StagedHomes.com, in an odd quandary.
If her book should reveal too much it could jeopardize future students from enrolling and buying into her expensive classes in home staging… for they might think they now only need to "buy the book".
On the other side, if Barb's book reveals too little it can STILL jeopardize her home staging training seminars. For if people who are interested in a career in home staging buy her book, believing in its promises to provide "various strategies and techniques needed to achieve unparalleled success in this field" (inside cover quote) but end up thinking it is "useless fluf and hype," then the book might backfire with potential students… thinking that her training seminars too might also be “fluffy” and not worth it.
Further complicating the issue is the fact that if Barb reveals too much in the book she might end up alienating past graduates who already paid thousands of dollars to be trained as ASP’s in her home staging training seminars. Buying a book for a mere $16.47 (today's price on Amazon) might be seen by past graduates as now selling off the ASP secrets. PLUS, if the book is good, then other non-ASP stagers will surely benefit from the ASP leader's wisdom, but this may be seen as directly helping the “competition". Barb’s “sharing” could back fire and leave those who for years have helped her build up and are committed to StagedHomes.com and the ASP network feeling betrayed.
(OY! I gotta admit as I write this I see what a pickled predicament this one book puts Barb in!)
So that leaves me with just one more scenario to examine. How will not revealing enough, in a book so desperately needed by her graduates and other home stagers, be looked upon? Well, as for graduates of her ASP seminars, Barb has built up a following amongst them and they tend to be her biggest fans. I would not be surprised if they are content and cheer the new book along as they did with her previous one.
On the other hand, those stagers outside StagedHomes.com, who make up the fastest growing segment of the home staging industry, if after they buy and read Barb’s book think it is just a "puffed up fluffy infomercial," they will then rip it to shreds. She will be seen as shrewd, but as an opportunist. (This has happened before so don’t be surprised to see it again.)
Just in writing this article I now have come to a conclusion as to just how much good information on how to run a truly successful home staging business I think Barb Schwartz will reveal (or not) in this book. I look forward to reading it, and when done I will surely let you know in my review if it hit or misses the target. In the mean time, if you do read it let me know what YOU think.
Stage It Forward...
Me
5/23/07 Post Script: The release of this book must have been delayed. Amazon HAD been pre-selling and stated it would be available on May 18. Amazon now says its availability is anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks out. It is Amazons policy to tag books that ARE in-stock as "In Stock".
THANKS! ABC 2 Atlanta for picking up this Post on Barb's Schwarz'z book on running a Home Staging businness.
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