After my post yesterday, How do you view Open Houses?, I saw a lot of varying opinions on the usefulness of what I consider a staple in our industry, Open Houses. With each market being different from the next, it's clear that the measurable benefits of an OH vary. However, for an agent, the benefits are far more than just the possibility of selling THAT house. It's rare, in my experience, that the perfect buyer for that home will walk in off the street, but the opportunity to reach other buyers (who may also have a home to list) is outstanding if the OH is done correctly. So what are the must-haves for a successful OH?

• Most importantly, you MUST have a solid plan to draw the public to your OH. In my market, newspaper advertising and directional signs do work, but to really draw a steady flow of people, you have to do something to stand out. Obviously the location of the OH plays a huge part in your signs' effectiveness but try tying some bright-colored balloons to your signs to catch the eye of passersby or use unique sign riders on those OH signs to stand out.

• OK, now I'm going to get on my soapbox for a minute. There are several mistakes I see MOST agents make in regards to OH signage. I can only speak of my own market, but I consider these cardinal sins:

• The BIG ONE is leaving those OH signs up when the OH is over. Pure laziness is the only reason anyone would do this but when buyers drive around looking for OH signs and they drive up to two or three houses and there's nobody there, they get frustrated and eventually give up. That's great advertising, considering that your name is in the front yard as they're walking walking away shaking their heads in disgust. When you have agents all over the city doing this, it WILL diminish the effectiveness of those signs and the general public begins to ignore them! Put the signs in position a day or two before the OH with the day & time of the OH clearly stated on the sign but MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THEM DOWN before you go home!

• Add to that, if your sign says the OH begins at 2pm, please be professional and be ready at 2pm, not 2:05 or 2:30! What does it really say about us as professionals when the majority of us are never on time (again, I'm speaking for my market here)? To correctly prepare for an OH, you need at least 20 minutes to get ready BEFORE your start time. You may need to sweep up a little, change a light bulb or two, or get rid of a funky odor. Do you really want to look unprepared when those visitors walk through the door?

• Third, if you really plan to have a good turnout for your OH, you need several signs directing people not just into the neighborhood but directly to YOUR OH. So often, I see a sign pointed into a neighborhood and once you turn into the neighborhood, you have 3 different directions you could go... No sign, chances are, AGAIN, the buyers will get frustrated and just go on to the next one. Or worse, they spot the other OH in that neighborhood instead of yours because you didn't direct them to yours. OK, sorry for the rant. Now back to the other must-haves:

• When those buyers (you know, the ones you worked so hard to get to your OH) walk in the door, they need to be blown away! We want to appeal to all the human senses (sight, sound, smell, touch & taste). Granted, not all listings are premier properties that will knock their socks off. We can't change the house itself, but we can change the presentation of it. The MOST important part of this is C-L-E-A-N-L-I-N-E-S-S. I can't possibly stress this enough. The house you're using as your model-home-for-a-day needs to be Flawless, Immaculate, Perfect (sight)! People see a bug or dirt on the floor, they subconsciously assume "this house hasn't been taken care of... it's filthy." Make sure all floors, walls, windows, shelfs, ledges, sinks, toilets, mirrors, etc are clean. (I know, you're thinking 'I'm not a maid' and you're right but the overall impression your visitors have will directly impact YOUR INCOME). Make sure all burnt out light bulbs are replaced, all trash is taken out, all porches are swept, all the toilet seats are down, etc. Open up the windows to let in the natural light. At this point, you're a pseudo-stager. You want this house to be in the condition you would have your own home if a client was coming to visit. I know it sounds petty, but our job is to remove every objection that we possibly can from the visitors' minds.

• Now for sound. Bring along a small CD player or radio for background music. It helps to calm people and make them feel at home. It also helps extinguish those awkward silent moments and lets the visitors feel like they can talk to each other without echoing through the entire house.

• So, let's talk about smell. The only thing that might turn off a buyer quicker than filth is a bad odor. Light a great-smelling candle or two. Simple, right? Another option (even better) is baking cookies and having that homemade baking smell hit them like a truck when they walk through the door. Don't great smells bring back great memories?

• That brings up taste. Have some refreshments on hand. Not a four-course meal, just something simple like cookies & lemonade. Not every visitor will partake but the kids will never turn them down and it makes an impression on the parents that you're willing to go that extra mile.

• Finally, touch. This is where your experience comes in. Don't be a greeter ("Hi, come on in and look around"), be a host. They're in your model-home-for-a-day to find out more. Greet them professionally, introducing yourself and making a little small-talk. If you make them comfortable, they'll follow you through the house as you show them the features and explain the benefits, upgrades, etc. This is your chance to get them involved (see if you can get them to touch the pretty granite or the new carpet). Get them involved and excited about the home and you've just increased your chances of selling them your listing.

• Here's another important point; Know the area. Know it like it's your own neighborhood. Know where the nearest post office, pharmacy, school and park is. Know where the nearest golf course, veterinarian and Italian restaurant is. Be a source of information... you could have an out-of-town buyer in front of you. Now, not everyone will let you do this. You can usually tell right away if you're dealing with a visitor that just wants to be left alone and look around at their leisure. That's fine, no problem. But the ones that allow it, give them a grand tour of the home, without seeming like a pushy salesman. Be a professional and an expert in the surroundings. In my opinion, RE is all about relationships, not about salesmanship. Just make them feel at ease and build rapport. They may love this house or they may not. If they don't and you've begun building a relationship, you may have a chance at that next step. They may want you to send them more listings or they may just want your card so they can reach you later.

In response to yesterday's post, I read a few comments that Open Houses are for selling that house, not for picking up buyers. Yes, ultimately, we'd all love to sell that house to the first person who walks in the door but, as I said before, in my experience, that rarely happens. Does that mean that we shouldn't still try to help those visitors in whatever way possible? I am ALWAYS trying to find a way to help them to the next step, whatever that may be for them. That may mean sending them more listings that would better suit their parameters. It may mean simply giving them information on another neighborhood nearby or it may mean just giving them your business card. Whatever the situation, if you help them feel comfortable and show them you're knowledgeable, you've got a good shot at picking up your next client. I NEVER use visitor logs or sign-in sheets. People know what you're trying to do when you use those and it's a turn-off. They're thinking "Oh, here it comes, we're going to get calls wanting us to make an offer." The easiest way to get someone's contact information is to ask if you can email them some more detailed information or other listings that may better fit their needs. That's a great way for you to stay in touch with them without making them feel pressured. I think most people want more information, they just don't want to be hounded by a "salesperson."

Now, who should do open houses? Well, that's up to each individual's preferences. It seems like a lot of agents think they're only for new agents or agents who are struggling but I think it's a mindset that we choose. We can choose to hate them or get excited about the possibility of growing our business! I personally enjoy doing open houses. I enjoy seeing new faces and getting the opportunity to help people face-to-face. I know I have a much better chance of turning them into clients face-to-face than I do on the phone or by email. It's also a great chance to get caught up on a few things if things are slow. Take your laptop or some paperwork with you. I know many agents don't like them because they're on Sundays. I wish they were during the week also and there's nothing saying you can't try it, but it is only a few hours of your weekend. Take the time back off later in the week if you choose. Jeff Dowler made a great suggestion yesterday, also:

Debbie - Nope, they don't have to be on the weekend (although most are). While most are, try being creative - have an evening OH during the week to capture folks on the way home from work. Can work well especially in some locations. I know people who have had more success then...and less competition. Just one example...

Either way, they're still a great way for all of us to get in front of the consumers and for newer agents to get lots of practice dealing with strangers... it helps them be more prepared when they actually have a client to impress.