When you open a new location, an open-house will help you connect with your community, associates, vendors, customers—and potential business!
Ingredients
- Invitations (physical and digital)
- Website
- Social media networks
- Business organizations’ e-newsletters
- Event calendars
- Media alerts
- Food, drinks and dessert
- Entertainment
- Photographer
- Press release
- Tie to charity (optional)
Directions
- Select the time and date of your open house. Then create similarly branded physical and digital invitations. Send these to local businesses, employees, customers, vendors, partners, as well as local government officials and the media.
- Drizzle your website and social media networks with your open house promotions.
- Send your open house information to business organizations and networks such as your chamber of commerce. Ask them to include your announcement in their newsletters, emails and social media networks. Let it marinate.
- Stir in your event information on online event calendars (most media entities have one).
- Gently fold in a media alert to your local media and niche bloggers.
- Estimate the number of attendees and plan your food and drink menu accordingly. Typically, hor d’oevres, dessert and a small selection of beverages will suffice.
- Sweeten your guests with some form of entertainment (silent auction, giveaways, raffle, ribbon cutting, etc.) The more it relates to your business or a charity you support, the better.
- Tie your open house to a charity to provide a great news angle for the media (plus it’s a nice thing to do!).
- Take pictures during the open house and post them online during and after the event.
- Serve the media a press release recapping the open house and your company’s future plans. Garnish the release with the photos you took during your open house.
For help planning and executing your open house, contact GREENCREST.