Open House Tip

[ellebeew]

The biggest suggestion I have for open houses is make large sturdy signs (like the size when houses are for sale and the realtor puts up an open house sign or larger) and put them at all key intersections with arrows directing them to your location.

I did an open house at my house for the first time in October (split it up Friday night 6-8pm and Saturday 9:30-11:30 am) and had sent out an invite to about 50 people plus talked it up to the parents in 3 early childhood classes. I had a few signs up right in my immediate neighborhood and of the 12 people total that stopped in 10 were because of the signs!!

Then today I did a 4 hour open house at a friend's (there were actually 7 different consultants from Mary Kay, Tupperware, Tastefully Simple etc) and brought my same signs that say "Pampered Chef Open House" on them and placed them again directing people to the house. There were at least 10 people that came in just on the signs alone. (And mind you all of us had sent out emails to our contacts so that's 7 consultants x alot of emails and that didn't do much of anything!)

I had 7 orders today for $208.75 (not great but still better than I thought considering all the other "competition" from the other vendors) plus several people who took my catalog and left their names with me to follow up with them once they had time to browse and see what they want. So that's 7 new customers that stopped in in addition to the 7 consultants that now have my info for the future.

One funny anecdote is the Tastefully Simple woman came up to me and gave me a hug and said "Thanks so much for putting up the signs...I just had an order from a woman who came in intending to buy from Pampered Chef but saw my table and bought from me." That purchaser did not buy from me however! So my signs did something for everyone I guess.

I'm going to try and do an open house every 3 months at my house and now that I know the power of signs I'll get a ton more put up to pull people from much farther away. I liked doing the one at my own house because I didn't have to tote all my stuff anywhere. Ahhh.

Lisa White #412746
Your Independent Kitchen Consultant
for the Pampered Chef ®
952-886-9236
www.pamperedchef.biz/LisasHotDish
Secure, convenient, personal shopping 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

 

[its_me_susan]

The biggest suggestion I have for open houses is make large sturdy signs (like the size when houses are for sale and the realtor puts up an open house sign or larger) and put them at all key intersections with arrows directing them to your location.

I did an open house at my house for the first time in October (split it up Friday night 6-8pm and Saturday 9:30-11:30 am) and had sent out an invite to about 50 people plus talked it up to the parents in 3 early childhood classes. I had a few signs up right in my immediate neighborhood and of the 12 people total that stopped in 10 were because of the signs!!

Then today I did a 4 hour open house at a friend's (there were actually 7 different consultants from Mary Kay, Tupperware, Tastefully Simple etc) and brought my same signs that say "Pampered Chef Open House" on them and placed them again directing people to the house. There were at least 10 people that came in just on the signs alone. (And mind you all of us had sent out emails to our contacts so that's 7 consultants x alot of emails and that didn't do much of anything!)

I had 7 orders today for $208.75 (not great but still better than I thought considering all the other "competition" from the other vendors) plus several people who took my catalog and left their names with me to follow up with them once they had time to browse and see what they want. So that's 7 new customers that stopped in in addition to the 7 consultants that now have my info for the future.

One funny anecdote is the Tastefully Simple woman came up to me and gave me a hug and said "Thanks so much for putting up the signs...I just had an order from a woman who came in intending to buy from Pampered Chef but saw my table and bought from me." That purchaser did not buy from me however! So my signs did something for everyone I guess.

I'm going to try and do an open house every 3 months at my house and now that I know the power of signs I'll get a ton more put up to pull people from much farther away. I liked doing the one at my own house because I didn't have to tote all my stuff anywhere. Ahhh.

Lisa White #412746
Your Independent Kitchen Consultant
for the Pampered Chef ®
952-886-9236
www.pamperedchef.biz/LisasHotDish
Secure, convenient, personal shopping 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

Did you make the signs? where did you get them? Did you need permission from town to do them?

 

[PCAbby]

I sent out 60 invite to my open house "myster host" this coming sunday which stated "please RSVP so I can plan for enought food" Ofcourse I have had 3 people RSVP that they can't come and thats it. Since I am really feeling lousy, I am not going to go to the effort of calling and asking everyone, but for heaven's sake! Hopefully I will get enough orders for it to count as a show, so I can get Host Special. i'll clean my house, and make a few things that my husband and I like and see if anyone shows. Maybe I will send e-reminders out too....we'll see.
Its so frustrating because I feel like I advertised it right..mystery host entries for placing an order, additional entries for bringing a friend, ordering online, ordering over $50 booking a show, etc- plus I advertised drawings held every hour for items valued between ($1-20$)

 

[Muppetgal]

Our Male only party has turned out to be more of an open house as my hubby can't get anyone from his work to commit to come for more than a drop in.

I'm not going to bother with food....in case no one shows!

I'm going to have a few display tables in the living room where people can see Christmas Gift Ideas and if enough people show up I'll do a potato demo or something. We'll also have a draw, for a cookbook or something!

I have a table top show the very next night at a community center, so even if NO one shows then I can at least use the practice setting up for that!

 

[its_me_susan]

Our Male only party has turned out to be more of an open house as my hubby can't get anyone from his work to commit to come for more than a drop in.

I'm not going to bother with food....in case no one shows!

I'm going to have a few display tables in the living room where people can see Christmas Gift Ideas and if enough people show up I'll do a potato demo or something. We'll also have a draw, for a cookbook or something!

I have a table top show the very next night at a community center, so even if NO one shows then I can at least use the practice setting up for that!

Why not prepare a recipe your family enjoys just in case, and if no one shows, then at least your family will be treated just in case? Or will you have candy out?

 

[PCAbby]

i made the taco dip, which my DH and I enjoyed alone. No one showed. OH well-thats what I getfor not doing any follow up calls/emails.

 

[Muppetgal]

Why not prepare a recipe your family enjoys just in case, and if no one shows, then at least your family will be treated just in case? Or will you have candy out?

actually it is a perfect opportunity to try out a new recipe isn't it!