The Social Stager

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.

The Social Stager is a business podcast hosted by Heather Cook, with 17 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Heather Cook hosts The Social Stager, a business show with 17 episodes published.

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  Episode #18

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

  Aug 18, 202628 minS1

  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 Russell If 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

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  Episode #17

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

  Aug 11, 202658 minS1

  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 Nielsen If 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 Programs If 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 .

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  Episode #16

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

  Aug 4, 20261h 8mS1

  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 Minch Michelle 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 .

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  Episode #15

  The Systems Every Stager Needs for Sustainable Growth with Lori Fischer

  Jul 28, 20261h 1mS1

  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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  The Social Stager

  How to Attract the Staging Clients You Actually Want

  Jul 14, 202626 min

  How to Attract the Home Staging Clients You Actually Want Have you ever noticed that every city seems to have "that" home stager? The one Realtors always call for luxury vacant staging. The one known for model homes. The one who's built a reputation around something specific. It might look like luck from the outside. But it isn't. In this episode, we're talking about how home stagers intentionally build businesses that attract the clients and projects they actually want. You'll learn why positioning comes before promotion, how your reputation is shaped long before someone contacts you, and why every decision you make is either reinforcing the business you're trying to build or pulling you further away from it. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why people are already forming opinions about your business before they ever inquire • The difference between brand perception, positioning, branding, and brand reputation • Why attracting the right clients starts long before your marketing • How to intentionally build a business that's known for something specific • Why every business decision either strengthens or weakens your positioning • The mindset shift that separates reactive business owners from intentional business leaders • Why positioning isn't something you announce. It's something you earn. Questions to reflect on After listening, take a few minutes to think about these questions: • What do you want your business to become known for? • If you asked ten Realtors in your market today, what would they say your business is known for? • Does your website, portfolio, pricing, messaging, services, and client experience all reinforce that answer? • Is every part of your business pointing in the same direction? Ready to build the business you want to be known for? If you're ready to stop reacting to your business and start intentionally building it, I'd love to invite you to join the Six-Figure Stager Mastermind. Inside the mentorship, we focus on the business behind the marketing, including your positioning, branding, offers, pricing, systems, leadership, and the decisions that help you build a sustainable, profitable staging business. Learn more here. Mentioned in this episode • The Six-Figure Stager Mastermind See all business coaching packages here. Connect with The Social Stager Find us on Instagram Visit our website

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