5 Key Steps to a More Effective and Successful Open House
Although holding an Open House is believed by some to be key to selling a home, it is actually just one component in an overall marketing/selling plan and system. While almost all real estate agents run these events, the value of them often differs substantially depending on how they are used and run. With that in mind, this article will attempt to briefly consider, examine, review, and discuss 5 extremely important key steps to making them as successful as they could be. Unless/until they are done effectively and efficiently, there is a risk that they will be wasted in terms of time, money, effort, energy, and potential results.
1. Marketing/ promotion: The best results come from determining the best approach/way to market and promote them. What advertising mediums might make the most sense for this particular property? Because you believe that? How will you, at best, get the most out of your money? Start by identifying the niche, if any, that this home and property best fits into, and then research the best options to attract the right and qualified potential buyers. While everyone wants a large crowd to draw to their Open House, unless they are, efficiently, actual buyers, rather than house hunters, you probably won’t achieve the most desirable goal!
2. Greeting/welcome: You only get one chance, to make a first impression. This adage holds true, both for the home/property itself, in terms of curb appeal, staging, odor/clutter removal, and other negatives. It’s also true of the agent driving you, and how he greets and meets people at the door, whether they feel welcome and appreciated, and whether he directs them forward.
3. Log in: You won’t be able to track, effectively, until you get as much information as possible about all attendees. While I prefer them to log in via a digital tablet, if nothing else, it’s very important. at least, have them do it manually. How can you keep track if you don’t have this? When you use a digital program/app, you can streamline the process by automatically transmitting follow-up emails immediately.
4. Show/Questions and Answers: How well you show the house often depends on how comfortably you receive and encourage questions with genuine empathy and the thoroughness of your responses.
5. Follow up: A real estate agent should consider an Open House, both as marketing for the house in question, and for you, as an agent. Will you stand out from the crowd, being proactive, etc.? Take the opportunity to both follow up on the sale of this property and make appointments to show other houses to those who are not so interested in this one.
Open houses require a lot of care, attention, time, effort, and expense. Doesn’t it make sense to get them, to get the most money?