I Need Open House Help!!

Here are some active ways to make your next open house successful ...

1. Contact a title/escrow company and ask for phone numbers of about 200 or so homes around your open house. Be sure they are filtered for the Do Not Call list for the area. Spend a day or two calling people to invite them to the open house and ask them if they know of anyone who wants to buy or sell real estate in the next 30 days.
2. Go to a office supply store and get some Ink Jet post cards then create a small post card invitation. Knock on 200 doors in the neighborhood before the open house. Leave the postcard for each door unanswered. Hand the post card to anyone who answers the door as an invitation to the open house ask them if they know of anyone who wants to buy or sell real estate in the next 30 days.
3. While at the open house, bring your Sphere of Influence phone list and call them to invite them to your open house and ask them if they know of anyone who wants to buy or sell real estate in the next 30 days.
4. Mail any left over post cards to you Sphere of Influence. They need to know you are active in real estate.
5. If you have flyers made, get an PDF copy of the flyer with your picture and contact info to email to your Sphere of Influence contacts the Friday before open house.
   
6. Repeat for every open house you hold. 

That should get more people to show up as well as get you started on active prospecting to making best use of your time.

Paul Caloca 

Alex, if you are new to this community and to open houses run a "search - blogs" and you will find numerous past posts with a wealth of information.  The blogs that help you the most, you may want to bookmark for later use.

Save money.  Print 700 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 cards and send them out DDU Bulk mail on the local mail route to "Postal Patron."

"OPEN HOUSE"  ETC...

12.7 cents per card to mail, pays for the volume of the mail route.  Too late to do it for this weekend.  Sorry.

Low traffic issues?  Take note cards and pound out a hundred or so while you are cooling your heels.

Future Open Houses:

Look through your office inventory for three things:

vacant and attractive houses on or near

Busy streets, listed by

 seasoned agents with empathy.

Ask if they think the owner would allow an open house.

Usually it isn't a problem, and you are proactively selecting the property you will work.

Being visible and accessible makes it more likely the interested client or the drive-by traffic will find you.

But...don't forget the note cards.

Good luck this weekend!

Alex:  Don't forget to align yourself with a lending partner if you haven't already.  I make it a point to show up at open houses each weekend (usually one day).  You can read my recent post "How to Make Your Next Open House a Winner."

This has not ony helped me build my business it's help Realtors build theirs as well.  Make sure your lending partner has a bunch of your cards so they can market you too.  You'll see in my post that I follow up Monday with a hand written note card to prospective clients I met over the weekend and include the Realtors card as well as mine.  It works great and generally open housers' are more at ease giving their information to a lender.

I'm sure there's a lender here on AR in your area who would be more than willing to help you out this weekend or provide you with a payment sheet specific to your property.  If not give me a shout and I'll get one to you.

Also try going out tomorrow and introducing yourself to the neighbors, tell them you'll be hosting the open house next door and ask if there's anything specific you should know about the neighborhood.  Learn everything you can about the neighborhood and you'll look like the neighborhood expert in the eyes of the open housers.

Alex,

Everyone has given you some awesome advice.  I am going to give you some advice for free.  To implement this program it will cost you NOTHING!  You said your marketing budget was close to $0 correct.  Are you ready???

Change your Attitude!  I'm not saying you've got the wrong attitude.  This time, when you are preparing for that open house, you make sure every thought is positive.  If someone's sending negative vibes about open houses; get away!  You have your mind prepared to either sell that house, or generate some leads. 

Let your personality enhance your ability!  Stay positive.

Door knocking is a good idea, especially in a gated condo complex.  You never know when you are going to run into a renter that is thinking about buying!  Buy some blank door hangers for next time in case someone doesn't answer their door.  You are looking to spend about $30 for 900 + an ink cartridge.  Just make a little note:  Sorry I missed you!  or You are cordially invited to our open house.  Who knows, be creative and they will come.  You can't just do open houses without spending money.  Just like a website you need to drive traffic to it.  Post an ad on craigslist day of also.  Nice free form of advertising!

Run with Ray and Renee, and you have it made!

BTW, I got blank door hangers cheap on EBay.