5 Things I Learned From Being an HGTV Designer

It was nine p.m. on a Friday, and I was examining my finish-of-the-day email messages. I noticed one from an HGTV producer on a new show known as “a hundred Working day Dream Dwelling.” The e mail study: “Karen, I’m hoping to achieve you about an chance to household embellish and stage an future show.”

I quickly known as the producer to study much more. He stated there was a new show becoming filmed in my local sector of Tampa, Fla., and the plan necessary a structure expert for the huge reveal—in considerably less than a 7 days.

Although I was psyched to be contacted, I also puzzled why a nationwide household enhancement show would be in these kinds of a jam days before a huge deadline. The producer stated: It can be show biz and stuff takes place. This was my initially discovering moment.

one. Be prepared!

Whether or not a true estate expert, inside designer, or household stager, often be ready to rapidly leap on a fantastic promoting chance. This indicates owning your company profile visible on-line. That is exactly where this story started. The producer uncovered about my staging enterprise, Dwelling Frosting, by executing a Google search.

Make guaranteed your qualifications and proof of results are very clear during your world-wide-web presence, these kinds of as by recommendations of your fantastic operate. Timing is every little thing. When anybody is in a problem with a deadline, they are reaching out to several assets, not just you. The one who responds suitable way—with the finest, most reputable info—will win the gig.

I jumped at the chance to existing my finest portfolio of operate. I made available to satisfy the local producer the really future day. Outside of earning the producer feel self-assured that my workforce was suitable for the work, I experienced my expertise expenses and terms prepared, too. Certain, HGTV delivers nationwide publicity publicity. But I have paid out my dues, and my enterprise was bringing benefit to the job. I negotiated a good compensation bundle for one episode with a mindset that this initially job would have discovering factors and could lead to included prospects.

In twelve several hours, we landed the work with HGTV! The job: Deliver a thoroughly embellished four,000 square foot home—that involves each and every room and two outdoor areas—in just four days.

2. You are often on stage.

Salespeople are often becoming judged. Be camera-prepared. That Friday evening when I phoned again the producer, I was becoming interviewed. Every little thing I said mattered and was weighing into that producer’s conclusion on irrespective of whether to give me the job as opposed to yet another inside designer.

The concise text you select, how you appear, and your professionalism count. This rule applied at the genuine filming set, too. Cameras have been often functioning. I instructed my workforce: Look your finest, be well-groomed, and exactly where your Dwelling Frosting shirts in unity.

three. Honor confidentiality.

When you are operating on a nationwide Tv show exactly where advertising investments are enormous, acquire confidentiality very seriously. Do not share pictures on social media or communicate about the information prior to the episode functioning. (Exact same detail generally applies as you negotiate contracts in your true estate company.) “Loose lips sink ships” is a intelligent way to offer with all promoting launches.

four. Avoid frequent faux pas when showing up on online video.

The method of broadcast — irrespective of whether it is for a Tv show or a online video for advertising needs — transforms frequent factors into visible troubles. Additional exclusively, in our situation, those visible troubles turned mirrors. Mirrors typically are a stager’s finest pals for the reason that they open up up a place and can make it feel larger sized. Nonetheless, in a film or online video generation, mirrors can indicate issues. They can expose the behind-the-scenes crew and products.

Chaotic designs also are poor information, irrespective of whether it really is wallpaper or a jacket another person is carrying. Styles can create a vibration or “snow result” on the screen.

And lastly, black screens want to go. Sure, they show exactly where you can watch your television or gadget, but they finish up seeking like a dark black gap and they really don’t positively incorporate to the finish final result. As an alternative, we favored well-curated artwork, these kinds of as in the illustration beneath.

If you might be likely to look on online video, make guaranteed you contemplate the factors of your presentation—from what you select to have on and the track record in your shot.

5. Capture and leverage the experience.

Becoming invited to do inside structure and household decorating operate on a nationally televised show like HGTV is an honor and chance. Although my company was paid out to provide household decorating services for four houses, the greatest benefit from this experience was brand association and visibility. That will never materialize on its possess with any chance. It can be what you make of it.

From the get-go, we consciously captured powerful articles from each and every feasible angle. We engaged a expert photographer to chronicle our household structure and decorating operate while operating on the show. My workforce also shot pictures and online video of our activities to later share on social media, in our web site, and in our promoting products.

Considering that we have been a paid out contributor, we knew there was no guarantee we’d have much or even any airtime that showed our faces, besides featuring our concluded rooms. The crew filmed a large amount of footage of Dwelling Frosting and recorded me talking about numerous of the scenes. But what takes place in the editing period is often unpredictable.

We created a multi-pronged PR program to leverage the activities following the segments aired. This bundled including the HGTV symbol mark to our website, social media channels, and all of our profiles. Following, we labored on our new and prolonged-time assets from the job. This meant sharing articles, cross endorsing, and deepening the relationships.

HGTV prospects like this really don’t tumble out of the sky by themselves. As company entrepreneurs, inside designers, household stagers, and true estate experts, each and every day we want to acquire the suitable actions to set ourselves up to acquire prospects that come our way and that could have great electricity to gas our results.