Hosting an Open House: Tips for Inviting Neighbors

[ehall]

Hello! I've got another newbie question. I decided to get out into my neigborhood and invite my neighbors to an open house in a few weeks. I went from house to house introducing myself, giving them a small loaf of quick bread, and an invitation to my open house. While I haven't gotten throught the whole neigborhood, i can't help feeling like no one willl show. I will go back out tomorrow and pick up where I left off, but was wondering if there are any suggestions for what I should be saying? I made the open house into a mystery host show and placed information about how that works on the invitation. Is there anything else I should add or say?

Thanks,

Evonne

 

[heat123]

Pc For College Kids?I am trying to figure out what to get my college kid cousin for her apartment. What would any of you recommend-suggest? I was thinking maybe the large micro cooker (multipurpose cooker), quick stir pitcher for drinks, twixit clips for goodie bags of sorts. What else?

any ideas out there?

thanks!

 

[MSmith]

The lemonade lady has one idea where you go around a neighborhood and say that there's a Pampered Chef show in their neighborhood and would they be interested in attending? When they say yes, have them write down their name and phone#. After you get like 15 yes's, the next house you go to, you say: I've got 15 people in your neighborhood that want to attend a Pampered Chef Kitchen Show, would you be interested in being the host and earning free products?

It sounds like a great concept, and something that you could probably do since you are already going to each neighbor.

What are the responses you've been receiving thus far? Are you getting their digits so that you can follow up?

 

[janel kelly]

I would tell people that it is a kitchen show instead of saying its an open house. For some reason people are more likely to come if its called a regular kitchen show. Tell them to bring a friend and they will get a free prize. If they can bring a friend who they know they may feel more comfortable about coming. If anyone seems really interested take down their phone # so you can give them a courtesy call a couple days before your show. In my own neighborhood a lady had a "get to know your neighbor" show. Maybe if you can put it in terms like that people will be more interested. Good luck!

 

[Brandie]

My ExperienceWhen I moved to my neighborhood this past March, I did the same thing: I blanketed the neighborhood with invitations, free recipes, and a smile. I talked to a TON of people, gave out over 100 invitations and recipes, and I only had a few show up (like seven). Most of the people who showed up were people I had met and become friends with before I started the invitations. I don't want to discourage you, but I think it's hard for people to bring themselves to show up somewhere where they don't know the homeowner, and they may not know many, if any of the people there.

I think the idea of asking people to bring a friend for a free gift is a great one, because that allows for the safety-in-numbers concept. I didn't do that, but I think it might have made a difference...

Good luck!

 

[emiley]

Do you have a website yet?I would suggest, if don't have a website yet, to get one and then let people know if they can't make it to check it out. Tell them if they'll contact you through your site, you'll email them a free recipe or quick tips. This way you have their info and can get back to them at a more convenient time. Since many people love to shop online these days, you'll probably get some orders.

 

[pchefinski]

Ideas for College/Apartment

I am trying to figure out what to get my college kid cousin for her apartment. What would any of you recommend-suggest? I was thinking maybe the large micro cooker (multipurpose cooker), quick stir pitcher for drinks, twixit clips for goodie bags of sorts. What else?

any ideas out there?

thanks!

Here are some other ideas:

Deep dish baker - pizza, casseroles, chx brsts, desserts, etc.
Mini-Serving Spatula
Batter Bowl
Classic Scraper or a Bamboo utensil set
Stainless Whisk
Recipe book, Seasons Best or recipe cards
Tool turn-about
Kitchen Shears
Barboard/Quikut Knife Combo (small board; and knife has a 5 YR warranty!)
Food Chopper
Adj Measuring Spoons
Measure-all cup
*and everything, except for the stoneware, can be tossed right into the dishwasher!
*I put the deep dish baker instead of a bar pan because I know with my husband and I, I have made more meals/desserts in that baker than I ever made on my bar pan. And it has a 6 cup vol vs just the 4 cup vol of the mini baker.
*since it's an apt and she's a college student, theres probably limited space where she is and she'll probably move someday. Good to have multi-purpose, small utensils in the kitchen.

Are you going to put this all in a basket or something? You could put all the tools in the turnabout too.. That'd be really pretty! Let us know what you go with and how you do it! Good luck!