10stepsto a successfulopen house

This exclusive guide from Top Producer

and REALTOR.com® will give you step-

by-step instructions on how to prepare

properly for your next open house so you

can start converting your walk-in

traffic into REAL business.

Read on and get energized, because we just

gave you the tips you need to turn your next

open house into a lead generation landslide.

50%

50%of buyers used open houses as a key part of their home search.

According to The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home

Buyers and Sellers, almost 50% of buyers used open houses as a key part

of their home search. Unfortunately, many agents don’t know how to hold an

effective open house designed for conversion, so many opens turn into lost

opportunities.

When hosted properly, open houses are a very effective way

to promote your seller’s listing while generating new business

opportunities for yourself.

Step

1

Select the Right Property

You want an open house that attracts lots of traffic,

so property selection is critical.

If you select a property that’s in a higher price range, you may limit the

amount eligible buyers due to income. For effective, highly-attended opens,

we suggest using a property that’s moderately priced in a highly-trafficked

neighborhood. Doing this ensures that your property will be visible and

attractive to a large cross-section of eligible buyers, which means more open

house prospects for YOU.

Make your home stand out Step

2

You’ve selected a home to hold open, and your sellers are excited.

The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and

Sellers tells us that almost 90% of buyers use the internet as part of their

home search, so make your listing shine online. Enhance your listing on real

estate’s most viewed site,1 REALTOR.com®. Add more pictures, videos

and virtual tours, and get a connection point directly to you.

To find out how an enhanced listing will help your open house shine, visit:

www.realtorenhancedlistings.com

1comScore Media Metrix, July 2011

Create a Local BuzzStep

3

Get out in the local community.

Visit the local hangout and post flyers promoting the open house. Write a

blog post about the open house complete with virtual tours and videos, and

print up some postcards with a QR code. Leave them at your local coffee

shop and start promoting your open house locally to people in a comfortable

environment. Talk to local businesses about doing some co-marketing;

promote their local business at your open with coupons and giveaways in

exchange for promotion of your open house at their establishment.

Preview the Subdivision

While you want to get new clients from any open house, you’ve

got to remember that your primary responsibility is to the seller.

You should be able to answer any questions buyers have at your open and

explain to them why your listing stands apart from the others. Make sure

you walk the neighborhood and get a taste of its unique flavor. Preview other

homes in the area, and scout out comparables so that you know how your

listing stacks up against the competition.

Step

4

Get a Complete Set of Materials

Step

5

Get the latest data on market trends and recent sales with

Market Snapshot™.

Include information about the listing you’re holding open and attach your

business card. Make sure that you have a complete package of materials

to be used as takeaways so that even after buyers leave your open, they

remember you as the REALTOR® they need.

To learn more about Market Snapshot™, visit:

www.topproducer.com/products/market-snapshot.aspx

Invite the Neighbors for a Sneak Peek

When you get a listing, you know there are other folks in the

neighborhood who are also thinking of selling.

And they’re going to want to see how other homes in their neighborhood

compare to theirs. So invite them over for a sneak peek. Create a special

“neighbors only” event on a special day. Holding an open on Saturday?

Invite the neighbors to a special preview on Thursday night. Don’t do a

postcard drop – instead, walk the neighborhood, introduce yourself, and

PERSONALLY invite them over. Make sure you have ALL of your listing

materials ready – including your listing presentation and neighborhood

market stats – to showcase when the neighbors stop by, so that when they

think about listing their home, they think about YOU.

Don’t have a listing presentation? Get one at:

www.marketing.realtor.com/listingpresentation

Step

6

Be EngagingStep

7

Don’t sit in a corner at your open house.

Set up a “home base” in the kitchen – it’s the most popular place in most

homes where buyers congregate, so you’ll have a chance to strike up

conversations. Greet people when they walk in, and let them know to stop

by the kitchen on the way out to receive more information about the home,

recent sales in the area and neighborhood market trends.

Follow UpDitch the dusty guest register, and start converting walk-ins

with your iPad® or other tablet.

Fire up the BrightOpen™ app. Load your open house listing, and have

visitors fill out the contact form to receive automatic market updates. You’ll

stay in touch and cultivate REAL clients by sending them RELEVANT

information. And you’re servicing your seller by ensuring that you follow up

with every single person who signed up at the open house, so if there’s

interest in a purchase, you’ll be able to find out. It’s a fast and easy way

to stay in touch with your open house sign-ups, and a surefire way to turn

those walk-ins into real business.

To learn more about BrightOpen™, visit:

www.topproducer.com/products/smartphone-apps.aspx

Step

8

Market Your Properties Quickly

Step

9

QR Mobile Marketing System gets all your property

marketing done, FAST.

The REALTOR.com® QR/Mobile Marketing App is a listing agent’s dream,

giving you property specific tools, including: a Mobile Website, QR Code,

Shortcode URL, Listing Flyer and Postcards.

And did we mention that the app is FREE?

Find out more at marketing.realtor.com/mobilelisting/

Be Prepared

Create a preparedness kit and keep it in your car.

Paying attention to those little details when preparing for your showings and

open houses will ensure you give your clients the best possible experience.

And when completed, it will make a difference in impressing that prospective

buyer — making them willing to work only with you!

Step

10

Light Bulbs

Trash Bags

Dusting Cloths

Mini Vacuum

Windex & Paper Towels

For more information call:

1(866) 319-3972Or visit:

Marketing.Realtor.com/Openhouse

© Top Producer Systems. All rights reserved. | GDR12058 | Open_House_8StepGuide

Being prepared in advance for your open houses is the key to success.

Planning for successful opens begins on Monday, not

Friday. By following these tips and preparing well in

advance, you’ll be able to turn your next open house from a

lost opportunity into a lead-generating event. Top Producer

& REALTOR.com® have a complete set of solutions that

can help. Get in touch to learn more about the open house

solutions available from Top Producer & REALTOR.com®.