GREAT IDEAL.  ONE OF THE BEST I HAVE HEARD. I JUST MIGHT TRY THIS MYSELF.  THANKS FOR THE IDEAL

What a great idea!  I hope you get many clients from your movie night!    Mary Aguilar   www.maryaguilarhomes.com

Hi Sue,

Great idea, I've know a couple of Realtors in my area who have also done it. But I liked your idea of the drawing and calling to follow up. Great work.

Hi Brian- Don't be afraid to try it. You will be a hero, especially at a time when many people can not afford to take their entire family to the movies. You will also have a BLAST! Thanks for commenting!

Hi Mary- Thanks for your comment. It is one of those kinds of marketing that keeps on going. Some of the teens who went with their families back in 2003 are now 1st time buyer ages. Thanks for commenting!

Sue, I don't know what kind of an agent you are.  But you have a heckuva marketing career ahead of you!

Hi Lynda- I do not know of anyone else who has done this. It was so much fun. A bit of work too but well worth the effort I put into it. And yes, the ticket idea worked out super. It was really cool being able to talk to people a few days after. Everyone was very thankful and eager to talk to me. Thanks for the comment!

HI Patrick! What a nice comment. I do specialize in marketing in my business. My husband and I both LOVE it!  Just for the fun of it, we actually try to come up with all kinds of ways to market various products. We do this for hours on end. Isn't that silly?  Thanks for the great comment!

I wonder....have you done this since and were you able to track your current and future business back to this event?

Wow Sue, that is a great marketing stratagy. Not only did it get you some clients, it set you apart from the masses. I curious if you remember what day of the week you rented the theater? Was it a week night or weekend?

Bravo Sue.  I really admire the initiative and creativity.  Keep thinking outside the box.

Nice idea, Sue! Combining your marketing with such a positive, fun event is a great way to really gain mindshare as their local neighborhood real estate professional.

I learned of this idea (which I love by the way) a couple years back with a twist on it. The lady had people bring a can of food or mittens for admission and donated to her local food shelf. Beautiful idea that I'd love to do one day.

That is great!  there is a realtor out here who does the movie night twice a year for his clients. 

What a great idea Sue, did you get any business from it?

wow,,, i never heard of that one but it sounds good

This was for sure a heck of a marketing idea.

What a great idea! You could have spend $1,000 advertising in local publications with no response or recognition at all. Money well spend and great idea!

Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!

WOW, what a great idea, Now I just need to get over hating to talk to a group of people

Thanks for the idea,

Amy Jeffrey, Currant Designs and Home Staging

We were just talking about this idea, but no one had tried it out. Do you think it helped you get any business?  The thought was that with a movie you really don't have time to interact with the guests.  What are your thoughts?

This is a great idea and really works!

Great idea, I love it!!

An ingenious idea! There is not question that you will reap the rewards over time. Had you spent the $1,000 on some advertising, no doubt you would have been disappointed. Everyone that attended will never forget you. I would follow it up by delivering some fridge magnet calenders. You stick your card to them so it never gets lost. Who does not have magnets stuck on their fridge? Good luck in your real estate career!

What a great idea!!! Sue do you host the event every year?

-Ritu

www.eNOVAHomes.com

Sue,

One of the best marketing ideas I have heard of in a very long time....Way to go!!! 

Hi Sue, this is definetly a great idea, I heard of another Realtor doing it but how many clients did you get from this, I am sure it made you kind of famous!

Great work!

Sue...Absolutely great idea.  I'll have to think about it.  The closest movie theater to me is 26 miles away.  If I had one close I would definitely do it.

Good luck and I hope you continue to get business from this for years to come.

Kathleen

Sue, great idea, i would be interested in kknowing what kind of return and if you was able to track it...  I love the creativity of it.

Bonnie

TheHomeInspectorsWife

Congratulation Sue !  I have heard of this done once before. I never heard the results of it. I'm glad to hear it worked for you. Keep up posted on the potential sales you get from this. May be worth doing every QTR ??

I love that idea!  I wonder what my local theatre would charge?  Hmm, maybe a special show at the local dollar theatre...

Sue

Not that long ago I posted a similar story of my same experience, it does go over well. Now I run a family night at the community club house the last Friday night of the month and I rent a movie and we play it on the community DVD and big screen TV. I also supply the goodies. It is a great night for all!

The best marketing is original and fun. You seem to have a great idea.  Now all you need to do is sell a few homes or list a few homes for those who attended.  I am sure if you count up the time you spent it would be more than the dollars you spent however I am sure you will get a return on your investment.  With great ideas like that and your desire to put time into them I am sure you will do well one of these days when people are in the home buying mood again.

What a cute idea this is!  I wonder what the cost is these days

Sue - Great idea.  I have also done something similar here in Mount Vernon Ohio for my clients.  My first movie I did was "CARS" which was a huge hit, then I followed up with Charlotte's Web right before Christmas which was a double sell out because everyone brought their visiting family members and I did Shrek The Third which was another huge hit.  I do something a little differnt in that I set it up for the first Saturday during the opening weekend and our theatre opens at noon...so I book a 10 a.m. show before they normally open so it feels private and exclusive.  This is huge because the movie theatre allows me to run the ticket booth, I meet and greet all my clients and customers AND their children so there is a warm and friendly feeling.  The key is that everyone who attends has bought a home from me and so it creates a big buzz with everyone sitting and talking before the movie starts. 

Anyone who is considering doing this type of event feel free to contact me by e-mail and I would be happy to send you a postcard template we created that you can use for your Movie Event announcements (they are 8 1/2 x 11 with printed in the 4up format).  One of the best ideas my team came up with was requiring all attendees to call in advance to get their movie ticket confirmation.  If their name was Joe Roberts and they were bringing a total of 4 people we would tell them to write on their postcard their confirmation number which was "RobertsJ4".  This served us very well because it committed them to the event once they said they were coming, when they met me at the ticket booth they would hand me their ticket and I could mark them off the list.  A huge side benefit of this was once I had their ticket I instantly had their name from the postcard because just every now and then I remember my client as 123 North Main Street instead of Joe Roberts (big smile). 

Great Idea, very original!! Thanks for sharing

Hello Sue, Your Free Movie Night was Brilliant! A true stroke of genius.

Great idea...but more than that, your preparation, execution and follow up after is what legends are made of!  WELL DONE TO YOU!

Cheers-

Mike

Very creative Sue and an excellent use of $1,000. I'm sure this will generate a massive return on your investment. As an added bunus it sounds like fun!!!! Great job!!

Hi Sue, Oops, that was me, I was not logged in. A Great Idea and one I am sure you will be getting lots more of attention from. Well done . A genuine stoke of genius.

Dear "great idea"- I did this in the summer. I think on a Friday night. Which worked out nicely with the "Freeky Friday" movie. I got wonderful feedback. I would like to do it again sometime. Thanks for commenting.

This is a great idea to invite your past clients, current clients and friends to.

Sue, excellent idea, lots of leg work but it worked for ya. Kudos to you.

Hi Libby- The film was released Aug 6 in the US. I did it the Friday before that because the Vice President of the theater let me do it as a premiere (before it was released to the general public). That was the cool part too because everyone was so anxious to see it. If I were to do it again I would want to ask about doing it with a premiere film again if possible. I think the key is to find a good clean family friendly type of movie. You would not want your name associated with something negative or trashy.

Thanks for the response!

Hey Chris- Thanks for your comment. I do like to think outside the box. And why not :-) Boxes keep things in outside the box is more fun!!!

Hey Chris- Thanks for your comment. I do like to think outside the box. And why not :-) Boxes keep things in outside the box is more fun!!!

Great idea. I love ideas for money well spent. Thank you.

Hi John from NV- Man I wish I was in your area about now. I need a marketing idea that will take me to a warmer climate. We are suppose to see snow again in a few days. UGH!!

Hey Lindsey- LOVE the idea of adding the food and mitten donation. Now that I would want to add if I would do it again. In fact after writting this post I am convinced it is time for me to just put it on the calendar and go for it. But I would like to contact our local mission to see about tying this in to help with the needs in the community. You inspired me!!!

Hi Naoma- Never thought about doing this for my clients. I only thought of it for marketing purposes but what a wonderful gift idea for past and present clients. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Sue!  Congratulations on a well deserved Feature!  This is a great idea.  I was invited to an event like this about 5 years ago by Cornerstone Loans.  The place was packed!  It's a wonderful way to serve the community and advertise.

What a great marketing idea! With ticket prices getting higher and higher might need to do a matinee.  Good article. Good Luck and Best Wishes

Awesome idea!

Movie theaters have been my BEST marketing dollars to date.  Each year at the same time I rent out the 3-D IMAX theater for about $1000.  While people are waiting for the show to start, I play a slide show with some music....mostly pictures of me with clients with little peaks into my private life.

Last year I made an extra $28,000 just from the sales to my clients' guests!  Move over, wall street! 

One more thing...I was absolutely surprised by the number of people who knew each other at my movie night.  It was like a major social revival for many, seeing people they hadn't seen in years.  It really felt great to be a part of that!

Sue, great idea.  I try and come up with a creative idea but this one really makes sense and is fun also, which people remember.

Sounds like a fun event and an awesome marketing idea

I LOVE this idea!  Thanks for sharing it.  We live in a small town with a single movie theater and this idea is perfect! 

Kathy Fisher

What a great idea! I think, I need to try this myself. Thanks for the idea.

I did this too last year! I like your idea of the drawing and inviting anyone who wanted to come. Great stuff! I rented out the entire discount theatre on a Sat. morning for my past clients.

It certainly is unique.  I wish I'd known of it before Cars came out... that is so right on for my niche. 

Great idea!! Thank you for sharing it with us! It helps to hear new ideas!

I  am surprised how inexpensive your promotion was.  I may look into it!

Hi Mike- I wish I had kept better track of how much business I got from this. Quite honestly I think I got more referrals than anything. As I did the follow up calls I continued checking in with people on a regular basis ( abt. 1 x a month). I was able to gleen advocates from those phone calls.  The movie night was also a success in getting my name out there as a real estate professional in the area. I had people say "hey weren't you the one who did the movie night?" Word got around. Even with other agents. Don't know if that is good or bad but I had one realtor call me and say " My neighbor just stopped over with a yard game that he won. He said he won it from you and his family had a blast at some movie thing you sponsored." He was having fun with me but that realtor and I got to know each other a little bit through the "talk around town about this event." So fun!!

HI Dave- Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it!

This is a great idea! If I do it I'll invite both past clients and the public too.

Hey Camarillo- First of all, Love your name. How pretty. 2nd- CA? I am definately jealous. I was in SOCAL over Christmas. We were near Laguna Hills. I am longing to go back. You are blessed to be living in such a beautiful state. Thanks for your comment. It really was as fun as it sounds.

Hi Terrie- You are absolutely right! Thanks for the comment.

 HI Jody- Thanks for the comment and all the exclamation points :-)

Hi Amy!- I know talking ot a big group can be nerve racking. I just kept it light, fun and short. I figured that is what the audience wold want too. You go girl! Never let fear keep you from greatness. You will never know what you may be missing. :-)

I definitely like this idea. One of those things that people actually feel like they're getting something for becoming potential clients instead of the typical sales pitch. Good Job!

Sue,

Renting the movie theater for a Saturday morning is an excellent family promotion and one that you will be remembered for.  Will you continue to do it on an annual basis?

Thank you for sharing.  I think that is a great idea for someone new or wanting to build their business

Hello Joan- I will say that what I got most out of the night was an opportunity to make a great first impression with people. I had a small table set up at the theater. Next to the table I had a  big welcome sign that also had my picture and  my company logo. I was at the table greeting people, introducing myself and giving them a free gift (it was a chip clip with my name and branding on it and attached to the clip was a coupon for free pop, a coupon for free popcorn and my business card).  It was fun to shake everyones hand and let them know I was glad they came. After the movie I went right back out to the table to say my good byes.

What I got after the movie was mostly referrals and advocates. When I called the people weeks and months after that night most everyone was on board to refer me. I really believe it helped me make a good name for myself in the community. I made sure the night was done well. I would recommend it to anyone but it really needs to be thought out well and the movie needs to be right. It is a good idea to develop a good relationship with the local theater manager. This was a big help for me as to how to do it well; from the # of tickets per actual seating to what movie and what night.

Hi Ted- Thanks for your comment. Yes it really does work if it is done well and thought out well.

Hi Jessica- Thanks for your comment. I really appreciat it.

Dear Durham Region Salesperson- funny you should say that. One of the things I did when people came in to the thater is I handed them a chip clip that had my branding on it. Attached to that was coupons for free popcorn and pop. Who doesn't need a chip clip? I am always looking for one.

Dear Durham Region Salesperson- funny you should say that. One of the things I did when people came in to the thater is I handed them a chip clip that had my branding on it. Attached to that was coupons for free popcorn and pop. Who doesn't need a chip clip? I am always looking for one.

Hi Ritu- No I do not. I should though. You know how it goes, life gets busy and if you don't take the time to plan things out you won't do it. This is one of those things that does take some planning. I have been inspired by writing this post to consider doing another one. It was by FAR the most fun I ever had spending money on marketing. It probably was the best thing I did for getting my name out there in a positive way, as I was a newbie. Thanks for the nice comment.

Hi Harold- What a nice complement. Thank you.

I love this idea!  I am going to look into it!  Thanks, its great!

Hi Lorinda- It was fun to be somewhat famous that night. Everyone seemed anxious to shake my hand and thank me. I think there were a number of families that came that could not have afforded bringing their family out for something like this. And they got free stuff besides. It made me feel good to do it too.

Hi Kathleen- 26 miles away is a bit far but if you do business anywhere near the thater I would do it. Just canvas that areas neighborhoods. Thanks for the comment!

I live in a small community with one movie theater.  This could potentially work well.  I've heard the idea before, but like the additional efforts you put into it to personalize and promote the event.

Hi Bonnie- Though I did the movie night well, what I did not do is keep a good track on how many leads and sales I got off from it. I do know that initially I did not get business from the attendees right off the bat. What I did get was 1.a good name for myself in the community, 2. poeple willing to refer me, 3. people talking about me and the event. It was about marketing me and I do feel that my goal was accomplished. I may never know the full impact of that night but I would recommend it. It just needs to be done well, from the choice of movie (this one was a fun, funny PG family friendly movie). No sex, no gore, no bad language. I am not even sure why it got a PG rating instead of G. I also picked a good night and time. Give it a try. You never know. You do need to make a good connection with the owner or manager of the theater. This will be invaluable.

Hi Roland- Thanks for your comment. Yeah I am thinking about doing one again now that I reminded myself of what fun it was and what a good thing it was for me to do for self marketing. Thanks for the comment

Hi John Dirgo- It is very wise to form a good relationship with the movie theater owner or manager. This was huge for me. I am friends with the VP of the movie theater that I did it at. It is a huge theater. They have other theaters all over Michigan. He was very helpful and pretty much told me how to do it well. He also helped me with a good movie choice.

Hi Gary- Super idea that you have. I am sure you are making a lot of friends and not to mention a great name for yourself. These kinds of events help pull people together. The busyness of life often pulls people apart so way to go!!!