Here are a few quick tips to ensure your open house is an epic event that will keep your employees and clients talking for months and months:
- Set a date, and stick to it. This seems easy enough, but you need a hard deadline to really motivate you and keep you on course. ...
- Set a budget. Open house expenses add up QUICKLY. ...
- Decide what you want to show off. In our case, we wanted to feature products from each of our agencies. ...
- Hire help . ...
- Spread the word! ...
Full Answer
What should I do before an open house?
The Best (and Worst) Things You Can Do Before an Open House
- Declutter. Your goal: Make 20 to 40 percent of your stuff disappear. ...
- Repaint. You adore your burgundy and green walls, but potential homebuyers can be seriously put off by a paint color they dislike.
- Go Beyond Basic White. ...
- Make a Good First Impression. ...
- Send the Pets on Vacation. ...
How to prepare your house for an open house?
- Depersonalize the house so it doesn’t display too much of your personal touch.
- Use neutral colors for your wall paint. ...
- Showcase the house as a place to call home using candles and air fresheners, colored pillows, a few family pictures, etc.
- Accentuate the positives in your house (we mentioned this already).
What to expect at the open house?
“When students come to campus for an open house, they hear about admissions (school highlights, application, etc.) They meet and hear from the dean of the college they are interested in to learn more about the college, and they also see a video specific to their college to help them visualize the program.
How to plan an open house for a new business?
- Set a date, and stick to it. This seems easy enough, but you need a hard deadline to really motivate you and keep you on course. ...
- Set a budget. Open house expenses add up QUICKLY. ...
- Decide what you want to show off. In our case, we wanted to feature products from each of our agencies. ...
- Hire help . ...
- Spread the word! ...
Make Use of Event Equipment
If you’re a savvy venue that has already invested in an inventory of tables and chairs, now is the time to set them up. Bring out those cross back chairs, Chiavari chairs and resin folding chairs.
Partner with Your Preferred Vendors
Your customers are your preferred vendors so they’ll likely participate. Besides helping to make your venue look great, they can each have a booth to highlight their services.
Leverage Social Media
Leading up to the event and during, have your participating vendors post about the open house on their Facebook/Instagram feeds. Partner with your participating vendors to create a photo opportunity for guests where they can share their experience with a hashtag.
Encourage Early Booking
With this type of open house, customers are sure to fall in love with your event venue. Encourage prospective customers to book your venue early with an incentive for attending.
Virtual open house
If we learned anything in 2021, it’s how to run a virtual event. It’s safe to say that by now, many schools have become virtual event pros, learning how to navigate online platforms and careful planning to deliver experiences that engage prospective families from afar.
In-person open houses
Depending on your state's restrictions, it may be possible for your school to host an in-person open house event. To abide by the current guidelines and regulations, you’ll need to ensure that your in-person event follows and implements safe practices. Some things that you’ll need to implement include:
Hybrid event
Hybrid events use both virtual and in-person aspects to satisfy and engage your audience. It gives attendees the option to choose between participating virtually or in person, which is helpful if your venue has capacity limits, attendees feel uncomfortable attending the event or they aren’t able to travel to your school.
Pre-event communication
Your pre-event communication should be direct and provide all of the relevant event information such as start time, event date, and how to register. If it’s a virtual event specify this and include which platform you will be hosting the event on so attendees are aware of this prior to registering.
Post-event communication
To continue to nudge your prospective attendees down the admissions pipeline you need strong post-event communication. If you used a registration and check-in system through a CRM, such as Digistorm Funnel, you can use this lead information to send a personalized follow-up.
How to promote an open house?
Although your real estate agent will do a lot of the heavy lifting, you can give your open house a boost by posting it on social media. Although advertising online is key, remember old-fashioned methods too, like an ad in a community newspaper or newsletter or even postings on a popular store or coffee shop bulletin board.
Why do people open houses?
About half of all homebuyers use open houses to help them find a home. 1 If your property is presentable— that is, spotless from top to bottom—priced correctly, and located in a high-traffic area, you're well on your way to a successful showing. Attention to detail in preparation and execution will increase the odds of a good offer as a result of your open house. You might even receive an offer on the spot.
What happens if you don't receive an offer after an open house?
If you don't receive an offer at or directly after the open house, that doesn 't mean your event was unsuccessful.
Why do you need a bulletin board for a house?
Create a bulletin board of seasonal house photographs so that buyers can see what the home would look like during other times of the year. This step is especially helpful for showcasing gardens or extensive grounds during the winter.
How to make an open house more festive?
You’re trying to make your open house a fun and memorable event. To make it more festive, decorate with balloons, signs, flowers, and plants.
How long should an open house plan be?
This is your opportunity to put your best foot forward so everything should be well thought out. Your plan should be developed at least two months out with task owners and due dates clearly defined.
What is an open house for construction?
For construction dealers, open houses represent a unique marketing opportunity. No other approach competes when it comes to developing good will, meeting face-to-face with customers, and demoing a large, captive audience – all in one day. The following are seven elements to a successful open house that will make or break your next event.
How to make a donation at an open house?
Pick a local charity and donate a monetary amount for each guest that shows up. Make a big deal awarding the donation towards the end of the open house (think over-sized check). Just don’t petition guests for additional donations; they won’t appreciate the arm-twisting.
Why do you have an open house?
Your objective is to foster good will among customers, show them a good time, and educate them on your equipment and services. This is not the time to close deals. Make it a point to thank each customer for their business; they’ll leave feeling recognized and appreciated.
Why is it important to follow up with no shows?
It’s also important to follow up with no-shows to subtly shame them into coming in for a private walk through. It works. A successful open house can be a huge benefit to your branch. They very often lead to future sales spikes and can really solidify your relationship with a customer.
What is an open house hiring event?
An open house hiring event can help small businesses in three key areas. Each company must decide which way they want to approach the open house, but consider these aspects:
What is an open house?
An open house is just that – an open invitation to promote the business and hiring needs at your company. Be open to new ways to recruit to be successful. Related Topics: Employer, Hiring, Recruiting.
How to promote opportunities in HR?
You can easily promote the opportunity via social media – LinkedIn, Twitter and your company Facebook page. If you are in HR, you can personally reach out to some of those talented professionals you’ve been following or have developed relationships with. This presents another way to connect and promote the opportunities within your company.
How to make nervous attendees feel welcome?
Set up a booth and welcoming area so nervous attendees can feel welcomed and like they have a safe place to feel comfortable. Offer beverages and snacks and be sure to put out information and literature about the company.
What is an open house?
An open house is a particularly warm way to introduce your company to your potential hires. Hosting this event after work is a good idea, as is selecting some key team members to mingle with your guests. Your goal is to create a relaxed environment and get useful conversations going, so keep the agenda simple and casual.
How to promote an event 4 weeks out?
4 weeks out: Start promoting your event. Make an event page using tools like Eventbrite or Splashthat. Requiring RSVPs is helpful, especially if you need to get a headcount for food and drinks or want to build buzz by showing who’s planning to attend. Send email invitations, get your event listed on relevant event directories and promote your event on social media. The promotion phase continues until the day of your event.
Why is hosting a recruitment event important?
Hosting a recruitment event is a valuable opportunity to grow your talent pool and make a lasting impression as an employer. Meeting candidates in person also lets you see what’s not on their resume, like their curiosity, their personality or any useful similarities or differences they might be able to contribute to your team.
How far out should you reserve a venue?
5 weeks out: If you need a venue that’s not your office, reserve it as soon as possible. If your event requires content, like a video, slideshow or presentation, start working on it now. It’s also a good idea to put your event on your teammates’ calendars, especially if they will help you run the event.
What is a successful 3 week event?
3 weeks out: A successful event is all about logistics. Make or review your timeline of everything that needs to happen during the event and assign roles to your events team. Make a list of all the furniture, supplies and equipment you might need, too.
What to tell candidates about your promotional materials?
Make sure your promotional materials tell candidates that they should bring their resumes and be prepared for a formal job interview. During the event, share important details about your hiring process with candidates, including how you plan to follow up with people who advance to the next stage.