Exploring Open Houses: Ideas & Tips

[krzymomof4]

I am kind of kicking around some ideas and wanted to see what the others of you do. How often do you do open houses? Do you only do them at certain times of the year. My house is way too small, but I have a friend who is willing to open her house for me.

 

[Jennie4PC]

I have only done 2 open houses and they were both in Nov last yr and this yr I am kind of thinking about doing one when the new products come out since I hit level 2 in the sell a thone

 

[DebbieJ]

I did a show at my one year anniversary. It was a mystery host/customer appreciation kind of thing. I did NOT do it as an open house and I think it went really well. It so happened to be in August, so it was a great "out with the old, in with the new" kind of thing too. I made all the food in advance and made some of the new fall recipes. I didn't do a demo but instead went around the room and asked everyone to answer 3 questions: 1. What is your favorite PC product? (there could be no duplicates) 2. Is it easy to use and clean? 3. Would you recommend it to your friends?

That show had about 17 buying guests and was $900.

The weekend of Thanksgiving I hosted an open house at my house and invited my other direct sales friends. We had me, Southern Living, Mary Kay, Lia Sophia, and Traveling Vineyard. Between that day and the web orders I got (I ran an email/online sale that same weekend), I ended up with a $500 show.

 

[chefkristin]

I haven't done an open house yet. I live in a condo and don't really have enough room to fit everyone.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I do one a year - when the Fall products come out.....I only invite past hosts and preferred customers, and I do it up BIG! It has become a great event and everyone looks forward to it - I always have good sales and even better bookings for my Fall/Winter season! (this year - $700 in sales, 7 bookings, and 1 recruit!)

 

[pampermeplease]

open house at facilities?I just signed on with PC and I live out in the country with an insurpassable road in the wintertime (I'm just finding this out). Has anyone done an open house at a facility? And how did you do? I just recently attended another lady's DS open house at Ryan's steakhouse where everyone who attended was required to purchase the buffet to get in to the show . It was nice but a little pricey and I heard other guests grumbling about the 'suprise' dinner price that wasn't put in the invites. I'm thinking a civic center in town maybe...any thoughts?

 

[Tara1021]

I did one last weekend with Southern Living and Arbonne. It was kind of a dud. Tomorrow I'm doing one with Premier Jewelry, Taste of Home Entertaining, and a Party Supply girl. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I haven't done an open house yet. I live in a condo and don't really have enough room to fit everyone.

Do you have a clubhouse where you can do it?

 

[sillylittlechef]

I am doing my first open house tomorrow. I emailed past hosts and custmers and passed out flyers to about 40 neighborhood houses. I am doing drawings for free stuff---even a ec saute pan! And I have had no RSVP---they got an extra entry if they rsvp....and NO ONE has. I am still hopeful that it will turn out well though! Good luck to anyone else doing holiday open houses.

 

[Tara1021]

Just got home from one. $320...not too bad.

 

[Skye]

I haven't done an open house yet. I live in a condo and don't really have enough room to fit everyone.

Do you have a clubhouse? My mom cares for the grounds at her townhome and said that there was a Pampered Chef open house, combined with some other products (cookie lee, Mary Kay etc.) at the clubhouse and there were at least 50 people there. They just put up flyers around the complex and invited everyone they knew.

 

[its_me_susan]

I am kind of kicking around some ideas and wanted to see what the others of you do. How often do you do open houses? Do you only do them at certain times of the year. My house is way too small, but I have a friend who is willing to open her house for me.

Just wanted to suggest you don't call it an "open house". Use other words, have an RSVP (with a drawing ticket for everyone who rsvp's by a certain date), and set hours. People seem to think that since an "open house" is open to so many that it's ok not to show up at the last min. IMO

 

[its_me_susan]

I haven't done an open house yet. I live in a condo and don't really have enough room to fit everyone.

You still could do small scale ones? For time put 11-1pm on 5-6 people's invites, 12:30 - 2:30pm on another group of friends, 2pm-4 on a third group's. I put the oiverlap in because people tend to arrive 30 min late and this way no one arrives to an empty room. You could just have things and food set up, serve drinks & have drawing slips for an end of the day drawing? Or... have an open house at a friend or relative's house?

 

[its_me_susan]

I do one a year - when the Fall products come out.....I only invite past hosts and preferred customers, and I do it up BIG! It has become a great event and everyone looks forward to it - I always have good sales and even better bookings for my Fall/Winter season! (this year - $700 in sales, 7 bookings, and 1 recruit!)

What do you do to do it up big? Do you later invite your top customers? You could do a second day for them..

 

[dannyzmom]

I have never had one - I talk about it a lot - LOL but have yet to do one.

 

[its_me_susan]

I am doing my first open house tomorrow. I emailed past hosts and custmers and passed out flyers to about 40 neighborhood houses. I am doing drawings for free stuff---even a ec saute pan! And I have had no RSVP---they got an extra entry if they rsvp....and NO ONE has. I am still hopeful that it will turn out well though! Good luck to anyone else doing holiday open houses.

GOOD luck!!!!! I'm thinking close to the holiday date are a little too busy for people, unless they LOVE PC and and don't mind waiting for product arrival. The downside of no stock (I'm so glad we don't carry it though).

 

[chefsara]

I did am Open House my first year. Sent out 100 invites..only 10 people showed up but the show was pretty good. It was over $400. No bookings. Had the food done ahead of time. Gave small doorprizes. Would like to do one with other Home Demonstrators, maybe at our local Senior Center. Probably wait until new products come out. Do something like a "Spring Fling".

 

[ChefJoeCool]

I finished my third open house at the beginning of December. I always do it around the holidays. I have found that doing it near payday (the first of the month) people tend to spend more. I also do the mystery host thing, and tickets for brining people/RSVPing/booking shows, etc.

This year I also did an incentive that whoever brought the most in outside orders over $300 would get the 5-Piece Professional Set for free...and someone took me up on that! I ended up splitting the hostess benenfits between 7 people (4-$100 in free stuff and 3-1/2 price people)...I used the extra stuff (like $155 so I could pay for the cookware).

I call it my Customer Appreciation/Holiday Open House...but you better believe I get on that phone and call people. I put a lot of work into it and want to get a lot out of it! 5 bookings and my best show yet!