I Need Holiday Open House Ideas!

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Discussion Overview

The thread centers around participants sharing their experiences and ideas for hosting holiday open houses, particularly in the context of Pampered Chef products and events. Various strategies for inviting guests, organizing the event, and encouraging sales are discussed.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, plans to combine a Holiday Treats show with customer appreciation and an open house, seeking additional ideas for the event.
  • Another participant shares their experience of hosting successful open houses, emphasizing the importance of creating a fun atmosphere and inviting a wide range of guests.
  • One participant expresses concern about whether guests will purchase products or just attend for socializing, seeking advice on encouraging sales.
  • Several users mention the idea of incorporating product demonstrations during the open house to engage guests and stimulate interest in purchasing.
  • One participant discusses the effectiveness of offering incentives, such as drawings for prizes, to encourage orders during the event.
  • Another participant notes the potential for follow-up events, such as a men's open house, to facilitate gift purchasing for spouses.
  • One participant reflects on their previous open house experience, highlighting the importance of managing food preparation to avoid excess leftovers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the best approach to hosting open houses, with some participants advocating for product demonstrations and others focusing on social aspects. No clear consensus emerges on the most effective strategies for driving sales during these events.

Contextual Notes

Participants share a range of experiences, from those who are new to hosting open houses to those who have held multiple events. The discussions reflect varying levels of comfort and familiarity with the Pampered Chef business model.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants looking for ideas and personal experiences related to hosting holiday open houses may find this discussion beneficial.

J
jennytodd
Messages
28
I am planning on having a Holiday Treats show w/ maybe customer appreciation and Open house all in one....I will do the mystery host thing and i plan on doing door prizes and some holiday treats w/ decorating ideas....I have tried to collect some ideas from here already but i would love some more ideas for this season. Any ideas? suggestions? advice? thanks!
 
Planto do a Holiday Table, depending on when your holding your open house, if you do it in October, do 1/2 Thanksgiving and 1/2 Christmas Holiday trimmings.....
I LOVE your idea on decorating tips....

I have been doing open houses now, 3 times and by the 3rd it was very successful....because they know it's a get together and a nice fun time....I don't do a kitchen show.....just set up my table, put out new recipes each time and we have wine.....

I'm looking forward to doing my November for the holidays.

I send out invites to EVERYONE on my street and a couple streets in the immediate area. It is GREAT as neighbors now have new friends.

Typical invites are around 70 now that I send out. And each time new neighbors have come......

I invite everyone from work, prior hosts and guests in the area, family....EVERYONE I can think of....LOL....

Although my 1st one had only 5 people my second had 10 and my last one had 13 folks in and out....

I hope that helps.....I wish you MUCH success......
 
plymouthhi kelley - i just wanted to say hi - i am from wareham and everytime i see your posts i think of home. i live in la now - but still summer on the cape! i always enjoy reading what you say and wish you the best! sorry this doesn't help answer the original post ;) just wanted to say hi to a 'local'!!
jen
 
I too am planning a holiday open house and because I am brand new at PC I would love some ideas. I have never done any type of open house before. My mom has a beautiful home and goes crazy decorating at Christmas time, so I plan on having it at her house. Sort of a PC open house/come see Nicole's Christmas Decorations sort of thing. We live in a small town so everyone knows my mom and I thought I could invite all my past hosts and guests, which won't be a huge list because I've only had 3 kitchen shows and 2 catty shows so far. But i also plan on inviting all of my friends, my moms friends, and all of our family. No cooking demonstration...just have products set up and ideas for gift sets. I'll have food already made and do door prize drawings. That's all I have so far, but I love really creative ideas. My one big questions for those of you who have done this type of things is...do you usually sell a lot of products at these?? I'm afraid people will come to see the house and have snacks and mingle and not order anything? How can I draw them in to actually order, not just browse?
 
I'm thinking of having an actual demo this time--really easy-maybe something for the holidays. I tried an open house last year & had hardly anyone show up. I think that if I try it as a show with a set beginning & end (not too long) & at night, it may do better. I was going to do a short demo--maybe 15-20 minutes & let guests mingle, look at/try out products & order. I would do door prizes & give a little gift to everyone that comes (citrus peeler, seasoning sample, cake tester, etc.). Has anyone done an open house type thing as kind of a show with a little demo? I was going to do it as mystery host & invite past hosts, preferred customers, friends, family, old co-workers & give everyone extra chances at the host drawing for bringing a friend. Any ideas to make a show like this successful?
 
Bexs50 said:
My one big questions for those of you who have done this type of things is...do you usually sell a lot of products at these?? I'm afraid people will come to see the house and have snacks and mingle and not order anything? How can I draw them in to actually order, not just browse?
Click to expand...

I'd focus more on getting bookings from this rather than actual sales. Make sure that you have the host specials "posters" for the next few months and if possible show things like "how to get all the forged knives for under $100.

To get sales you might want to group stuff in "gift set" ideas. I know we have ideas for gift sets in the file section. You might offer to gift wrap their gifts. Also have them do wishlists and get permission to mail those to their spouses - maybe do a follow-up open house for the men 1-2 weeks later with the wishlists available.
 
tlennhoff said:
Also have them do wishlists and get permission to mail those to their spouses - maybe do a follow-up open house for the men 1-2 weeks later with the wishlists available.
Click to expand...

Now that is a cute idea!
 
Demo at Open House
pamperedgirl3 said:
I'm thinking of having an actual demo this time--really easy-maybe something for the holidays.
Click to expand...

Hello everyone! I am new to the site and have just finished my SS month2. I did do a demo at my Open House and it woorked out great. I had invited friends and I simply told them as they came in that I would demo a simple dessert that would be perfect to take to any occasion(profiterole puffs) When the time came everyone was drooling over the idea of dessert and I gave them an opportunity to purchase right after the demo. The catalogs didn't come out until then. It was alot of fun!
Melissa
 
Melissa-a dessert to take to occasions is a great idea! I was also thinking maybe a nice appetizer that is either easy to take or easy to make for your own get-togethers.
 
When do most of you have your open houses? Weeknights or weekend during the day? I was thinking of a Thursday or Friday evening, from 7-8:30 or something like that.

Also, what would you do if you did a men's open house the next week for husband's to buy gifts for spouses? I figure I'd probably just make food & set up gift set choices. Do you think a Thursday or Friday evening would be good? I was thinking of maybe seeing if my hubby could stay & talk to the guys about what he likes!
 
Being brand new to Pampered Chef (my kit hasn't even arrived yet!! lol) I'm not sure if this will work. But, could you maybe tell people that when they order, or when they order $10 or more, their name will go into a drawing for a special prize? (I'm thinking I may try the small round stone to get people hooked on the stoneware... I'm tempted to do the food chopper, but I think that has to wait a year, until my business is more set up.) And that they can earn an extra chance at that prize by bringing a friend who buys that amount as well? I think that might be a good incentive... You know, come to think of it, I think that the mystery host thing would be a pretty good incentive on its own - "Buy just $10 (or $15, or something), and be entered into the drawing to be this show's host! Get all the host benefits and you don't have to clean!" I don't know... Like I said, I'm new here. lol
 
Hey Kahluakiggy...I'm from Maine also (Bingham to be exact). I think you are the first Maine cheffer I have seen on this site, though I am also new to PC (Just entering my SS2). Just wanted to say Hi to a fellow Mainer! Good luck with PC...I hope you love it as much I have so far!

Becky
 
My first open house was last year and I would consider it a success. I invited well over 100 people and about 20 came. I did a very short demo (Tomato Basil Squares, I think) and gave away a lot of prizes (many were doubles I had on hand). I did a drawing for the host benefits at the end and it ended up being over $800 in sales. I attached the invitation that I used last year, and will probably do the same thing again this year. One piece of advice I have is not to make a ton of food. I made mayslef crazy and I had so many leftovers, even though I mentioned that I would have plenty of food. Hope this helps and best of luck!
 

Attachments

Hi I am from Maine too!! Stonington if any of you know where that is. It is so small alot of Mainers haven't heard of it.
 
Hi there Traci! Sounds like Bingham...the only reason most people have heard of Bingham is because of our State Champion basketball team...before that we were off the map!
 
pcjulie - what a great invitation! Thank you for sharing it!

I have an opinion question for everyone. Do you think a holiday open house would be better on a Friday night or a Sunday afternoon? I don't have kids, but I'm trying to think of what would work better for those that do.

Any thoughts?
 
Friday night is football game night. That's big in the South. Sunday would probably work best in my opinion. 1:30-4:00 p.m.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some fun themes for a holiday open house?

Consider themes like "Winter Wonderland," "Cozy Cabin," or "Gourmet Holiday Feast." Each theme can guide your decorations, food choices, and activities, creating a cohesive and festive atmosphere for your guests.

How can I incorporate Pampered Chef products into my holiday open house?

Showcase Pampered Chef products by using them in your food preparation and serving. Set up cooking demonstrations, offer samples of recipes made with the products, and create a display area where guests can browse and purchase items.

What types of food should I serve at my holiday open house?

Serve a variety of finger foods, such as appetizers, dips, and desserts that are easy to eat while mingling. Consider including seasonal favorites like stuffed mushrooms, cheese platters, and holiday cookies to delight your guests.

How can I encourage guests to book their own Pampered Chef parties?

Offer incentives for booking a party during the open house, such as discounts, free products, or entry into a raffle. Share your personal experiences and success stories to inspire guests to host their own gatherings.

What activities can I include to make my holiday open house interactive?

Incorporate activities like a cooking demo, a recipe swap, or a holiday-themed trivia game. You could also set up a photo booth with festive props for guests to take fun pictures, creating memorable experiences at your event.

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