If you’re a real estate agent, then you know that open houses are a great way to generate leads and sell homes. But how do you make sure that your open house is successful?
In case you don’t already know what an open house is, it’s a duration where you (the real estate agent) open up a house for sale to the general public (potential buyers). The success of your open house depends on the number of people who attend and how well you’re presenting the property.
But before that, you must ensure you’re getting the proper traction. After all, what’s the point of having an open house if no one knows about it? Here are the best cost-effective open house strategies we have selectively picked out for all you hard-working real estate agents.
Spread the word and let everyone know
First things first — you need to get the word out there. The best way is to put up open house flyers around the neighborhood, especially in high-traffic areas. Your flyers should be eye-grabbing, so make sure you use bright colors and big fonts. If you want to get creative, you can even include QR codes that lead directly to your listing online. PosterMyWall is an online graphic design tool that can help you craft a buzz-worthy poster in a few clicks!
Another great way to call people in is by using open house signs. Place them at major intersections near your listing. You can also put up directional signs a few blocks away from your listing to help people find their way. Make sure your signs are big and easy to read from a distance.
Make your open house inviting
Now that you’ve got people’s attention, it’s time to make sure they actually come to your open house. The best way to do this is by making your open house inviting. Here are a few things you can do:
- Put up warm-welcoming real estate flyers on your website, classified sites, social media channels, and most importantly, the entrance of the house.
- Put out some refreshments like coffee, water, and light snacks. This will make people feel welcome and comfortable.
- Make sure the house is clean and clutter-free. No one wants to walk into a messy house.
- Light some scented candles or diffusers to make the house smell nice.
- Put on some soft background music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
And of course, the purpose of an open house is to make a sale, so make sure the house is spot-free and in impeccable condition. Conduct a thorough survey of the house. Check the floor for any cracks, the cabinets for any chips, and the walls for any holes. Fix anything that needs to be fixed before potential buyers come in.
Do a walkthrough of the house
Once you’ve got people through the door, it’s time to give them a tour of the house. Start by giving them an overview of the property – square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, etc. Then, do a walkthrough of the house, pointing out any features that you think would be appealing to potential buyers.
Make sure to highlight the good points of the house while downplaying the bad points. For example, if there’s a small crack in the wall, you can say, “this can easily be fixed with a little spackle and paint.”
If you’re doing an open house for a luxury property, you might consider hiring a professional photographer to take pictures of the house. This will help potential buyers visualize themselves living in the house.
Harness the power of the internet
The best way to garner attention is by listing your open house on classified real estate sites. This will help you reach a wider audience and increase the chances of getting people to come to your open house. Make sure you include all the relevant information in your listing, such as the address, date and time of the open house, a brief description of the property, and photos.
You can also list your open house on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This is a great way to reach potential buyers who might not be actively looking for a new house but are open to the idea of moving. Just make sure you use relevant hashtags so that your posts show up in people’s feeds.
If you want quick results, you can always run a paid social media campaign on Facebook or Instagram. A paid campaign displays your ad(s) to a very specific audience, namely people who are currently searching for a house to buy or rent. Also, make sure to target your ads to people who live in the same area as your listing.
Don’t forget about email marketing
Email marketing is a great way to reach potential buyers who are already interested in buying a house. You can use email to keep them updated on new listings, open houses, price reductions, and other relevant information. Just make sure you have their permission before adding them to your email list.
You can also use email to send out digital flyers for your open house. This is a great way to get people to come to your open house, especially if you’re targeting people who live far away from the property. Whatever the case, make sure you segment your email list because you don’t want to send the same email to everyone.
A follow-up call never hurts
An effective open house promotional strategy also involves making follow-up phone calls. After someone has visited your open house, give them a call a few days later and ask them how they liked it. If they’re interested in purchasing the property, you can provide them with more information about the house. If they’re not interested, you can ask if there’s someone they know who might be interested.
Even if you don’t get any leads from a follow-up call, the gesture in and of itself is enough to leave a lasting impression on the client. So, you can rest assure that if they need help finding a house in the future, you’ll be their first point of contact.
A final piece of advice
No real estate firm is the same. Each has its own target audience(s) and unique selling points. Therefore, there’s no one-size-fits-all open house promotional strategy that will work for everyone. You’ll need to experiment with different strategies and see what works best for you and your firm.
But, if there’s one piece of advice we can give you, it’s this: don’t forget the power of word-of-mouth marketing. In the end, nothing beats good old-fashioned word-of-mouth marketing when it comes to promoting your open house. So, make sure you give your clients something to talk about.
