FAQ's &
Insider TipsABOUT House Fluffing®
1. What do I need to have in order to do House Fluffing®?
You need someone with creative decorating talent. You need a few hand tools. You need a customer. You need to learn and practice the 16 steps of the House Fluffing® methodology.
2. Is House Fluffing® hard to do?
No. You are arranging furniture and furnishings using your decorating talent or design training and sound design principles. You can attend the Learn by Doing training seminar for House Fluffing® Certification.
3. Do I need a license, a design degree, or other credentials?
No. However, you or your partner need to understand design principles. You can also use "A Decorator's Crash Course" to boost your skills. It is $45 and includes workshop scripts.
We train women from all walks of life: nurses, teachers, real estate agents, office workers, stay-at-home moms, and about anything else you can imagine.
4. Can I incorporate my other talents into this business?
Sure. Many women do faux painting, flower arranging, stenciling, sewing, and so forth, and this is a good way to expand your business beyond House Fluffing®.
4. Do I have to know how to use CAD software?
CAD is definitely not required, or even used in House Fluffing®.
ABOUT GETTING TRAINED
1. Do you cover the material in the training manual during the training seminar?
About 80% of the training seminar is new material, including working in a client's home and the Drawing Board segments. The other 20% or so is material from the training manual which we elaborate on or express in different ways. For more, click on this Learn by Doing training seminar link.
2. Is the House Fluffing® Kit (including the training manual) enough to get started?
Certainly. Most people start out this way.
3. By the way, how long have you been teaching the House Fluffing® method?
We are in our 3rd year teaching the House Fluffing® method. We are in our 5th year in our local House Fluffing® business.
ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS
1. Is this like a franchise or network marketing?
Absolutely not. You are an independent business owner. We simply make it easier for you to get started, support you along the way, and encourage you to be successful doing what you do best. We do not get any of your income. You are are in charge of your own business and make all the decisions.
2. I'm too right-brained to run my own business. How can I fill in the gaps?
You will be surprised at how easy it is to follow our model. We have given you lots of specific guidance in this area in Chapters 1 and 4. You may want to try it on your own by following our steps before getting someone else involved. Or... you can take on a left-brained partner who likes the organization and operational aspects. This has worked very well for us. Or... you can hire an hourly person to handle the bookkeeping. This works better for others. preview Part One Introduction. You can also attend the Learn by Doing training seminar.
3. How will I find a good partner for me?
We devote the first chapter to this important issue, and other related topics. We help you see the pros and cons to having a business partner. If you decide to take on a partner, we give you guidance on where to find potential partners and how to decide if they are right for you.
4. How will I get customers?
This is so important. You can't have a business without customers. Rest assured that our training manual (specifically Chapter 3) takes you through each marketing tool and activity to get - and keep - customers. With the House Fluffing® Kit you also receive the Quick Start diskette with 20 marketing and business tools for you to use right away.
5. I don't know the first thing about sales and marketing. What should I do?
Chapter 3 is a practical, easy-to-follow road map to marketing a House Fluffing® business. When you have the House Fluffing® Kit, you can use the marketing tools and business forms provided in the training manual and on the QuickStart diskette. The marketing materials and tools were developed specifically for a House Fluffing® business, by a marketing professional.
6. How many hours a week do I have to work?
As many or as few as you want.
What about this question . . . How much money do I want to make?
We give you two worksheets to help you figure this out, taking into account how much you charge for your services, how many different services you wind up offering, and other criteria.
You can do House Fluffing® part-time while you're in school, working another job, or taking care of the kids and family. Or you can build your business into a full time venture. It's completely up to you and how much income you want.
7. Do I need to use a computer to run the business?
No. However, you can probably save time and money on both operations and marketing if you do. The training manual is written for those who use a computer and those who don't. If you are proficient using a computer, it may make life easier. If you aren’t, don’t worry about it.
8. How much money do I need to get started?
You can get started with $245 for the House Fluffing® Kit. If you attend the Learn By Doing training seminar, it is $995 and includes the complete House Fluffing® Kit. You may also need between $1000 and $5000 over the next few months, depending primarily on how many ads you run and how much they cost. You will probably find that advertising is your biggest, yet most productive expense. You will decide what you can afford.
You don't need inventory, special transportation, rented office space, employees, special equipment, and other high-cost items associated with starting and running other types of businesses. This business requires a very low investment.
9. How will I know if I'm doing the right things?
Just follow our road map. It works. And if you hit a snag, give us a whistle. We provide email and telephone support for free.
10. Why can't I use the phrase "House Fluffing®" (or similar phrases) in my business?
House Fluffing® is our registered service mark (a type of trademark) and it is our very unique identification in North America. Plus, we paid buckets of money to own it. There are lots of other clever names you can use for your services, and we often help students come up with one during the training seminar.
ABOUT THE RISKS
1. What happens if I break something valuable or irreplaceable at a customer's home?
You pay for it, replace it, or pay to have it fixed. If you have insurance, it may cover some or most of it. Here’s another question worth thinking about . . .
How can I lower the risk of breaking something valuable or irreplaceable?
You carry items with slow, deliberate steps, focusing on the task at hand. Never try to move something that is too awkward or heavy for you. Never try to carry too many things at one time. Don't try to have a conversation while moving or carrying. Use common sense. Ask for help. Have the client carry their precious or irreplaceable items.
2. I know I have decorating talent but I'm afraid to go into the first customer’s house.
You could take someone with you on the first few appointments, even if you don't expect them to stay involved with your business. Introduce them as your associate.
3. I have heard that many small businesses fail shortly after they get started. Is this true?
Yes, it is. About 1/3 fail within six months. Success in business depends on more than just having a particular skill or talent, or even having passion. It requires a proven game plan and commitment to working the plan. That's why we wrote this training manual, put up a web site, and developed training seminars – to provide the step-by-step road map so talented people like you can achieve their dream by earning a living using their creative abilities. You can attend the Learn by Doing training seminar. We want you to succeed. It’s good for you and for us when you do.
4. Do you offer telephone and/or e-mail support?
Yes, both. Support is free when you get the House Fluffing® Kit or complete the Learn by Doing training seminar.
ABOUT THE REWARDS
1. Can I really make money doing House Fluffing®?
Of course. It's a proven methodology with a ready and willing market. Customers love it. It's a hot commodity right now all over the US and Canada. It's affordable and "customer-friendly" for the affluent middle class, whereas traditional interior design services are often perceived as too expensive, threatening, or complicated.
2. What are the benefits in having a House Fluffing® business?
- You can work part-time or full time.
- You can work out of your home, a studio, or through an existing design firm.
- You don't need expensive inventory, tools or overhead.
- Start up costs are low.
- It's fun for you and the client.
- You get to make money using your creative decorating talents.
- You can graduate from a Learn by Doing seminar and have the credential of Certified House Fluffing® Specialist.
3. Sounds too good to be true. What's the catch?
There is no catch. People who are serious about owning their own business know that it is not always easy street. You will invest your hard-earned time and money and in return you are given the opportunity to do what you love and make a profit doing so.
"Last night I received my Kit. I didn't get much sleep. I kept reading and reading. I think it's great: good, simple, direct information about starting and operating a business. Love your research, tips, marketing materials." Jackie D., MA
INSIDER TIPS
Design tip:
Problem: Some clients simply don't have many accessories or enough wall art to work with. What can I use when they don't want to purchase new items?
Answer: Begin looking at items as something other than what they were originally intended to be.
For example, use a pretty teapot or decorative bowl in a bookcase composition. Or try hanging up some children's artwork. (We think original art of any kind is interesting.) Or what about using antique toys (or any other collection the client has) as accessories. We once created a fun end table by placing an antique carom board on top of another old, beat up end table. The client loved it! And no one could see the damage on the old table.
Marketing tip
Problem: I need a new no-cost way to get my name out there more.
Answer: One great no-cost promotion idea is to speak at women's groups and club meetings. Practically every club has monthly meetings - book clubs, garden clubs, investment clubs, women's professional groups, society clubs, support groups - you name it. Some even have $35 or more in the budget to pay you.
They are always looking for speakers to do a lively 20-30 minute talk or demonstration on something of interest, whether or not it relates directly to their club or group. And almost every woman is interested in home decorating.
You can get creative and demonstrate how to decorate a lamp shade or faux finish (keep demonstrations simple), or another talent you have. Of course, you will want to softly plug your business, too.
And everyone who attends the presentation can further spread the word about you the next day at work!
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