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Effective Print Marketing for Any Open House

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An open house makes a lot of sense for the right property, to showcase its finer features and draw new customers to the market. Sellers love them. They are ideal for gathering feedback and they are a wonderful way to meet prospective clients. If a home has potential for reasonable traffic flow and you can facilitate ample attendance, scheduling an open house will offer significant exposure for your real estate listing – and help to garner new leads for you.

 

 

But to have a successful open house, you need to prepare well. Of course, a sign in the yard and an   email campaign  announcing the event are not the only ingredients in a recipe for success. A more comprehensive strategy is needed. A solid multi-faceted marketing campaign will draw more potential buyers through the doors, increasing the likelihood of making a sale or making new acquaintances, or both. 

 

 

In this age of mobile connectivity, there can be no doubt that the world of real estate marketing to   sell more listings  has made a move to digital platforms.   Social media  sites, email campaigns, and the like, serve to reach a wider audience than ever before. But the drive toward digital media does not mean that the realm of   print advertising  has been left behind. Quite the opposite, in fact. Print media is not only relative to your real estate business today, it remains a tried and true, an essential, set of tools in your marketing tool belt.

 

 

Not only is print media still relevant, it is seeing a resurgence. Many younger home buyers respond better to print media than past generations. For instance, Millennials, who make up nearly forty percent of today’s home buyers, are more likely to read direct mail (82% of them do) than people in the two generations directly preceding them. And they are more likely to prefer novel approaches that lie outside the usual barrage of email promotions and other online ads. Younger audiences also enjoy the tactile experiences that print media can provide and digital devices cannot. This is one reason why   print advertising  should be a part of any marketing campaign – including your open houses.

 

Features of Successful Print Marketing Materials

Your print media strategy for open houses, or for any other focus, should embody certain traits or principles.

For example, if you want a listing to move, it needs to play to the right audience . Plenty of people would like a three-quarter of a million dollar house on the lake, but only so many are truly in the market for the place. You are looking for buyers who are not only willing, but able to make an offer. Your print products should aim at that target audience.

Clear communication is also a hallmark of any professional print material. Any relevant information should be clear and concise: the property address, the event date and time, and your contact information and logo should all be printed in large, high-contrast fonts that are easy to read. And high-resolution photographs should be featured. Clarity is key to successful print advertising.

 

 Creative copy is another quality of any truly effective print marketing materials. Not only is it important to include accurate details about a property and event, it is also a significant advantage to write them well. A picture might be worth a thousand words, but a few well-placed words can capture a buyer’s interest and stimulate their imagination. Not only is good writing key, but research shows that certain words and phrases , when included in real estate literature, improve results through increased sales. “Must-see”, “natural light”, “luxurious”, and “updated kitchen” are a few examples of powerful words that quickly move properties.

 

 

Of course, print media would be lost if you did not feature fantastic photos . An arrangement of amateurish cell phone pics are a poor substitute for professional photographic layouts. Homes that are highlighted with high-quality photos sell, by some accounts, more than thirty percent faster. And when it comes to interior and exterior pictures, it is best to have more than you think you might need. In addition to photographs for the listing , you can use them in various print products.

 

Digital media does not replace print media in your advertising arsenal. And printed products, no matter how effective or recently re-emerging they may be, do not stand alone. Your most effective marketing campaigns will be those that combine a multimedia marketing approach , where digital and print strategies expand on and complement one another. Examples of what some refer to as multichannel marketing include: 

  • Announcing open houses, new listings, and sold properties through direct mail marketing and on social media
  • Using QR codes on print materials as a bridge between print and online pages
  • Including your email address, website, and social media profiles on printed materials.

Cast across all of your marketing materials, regardless of their form, should be evidence of your professional brand . Every interaction you have with your clients – current and prospective – should be infused with the tools that build a positive professional brand: your logo, slogan, and message; a color scheme consistent with your company; high-res graphics and photos; and professional print quality. And these tools should be consistent across your offline and online marketing channels. Your website, brochures, email newsletters, business card, and the like should all bear the marks of your professional brand.

Print Marketing Tools To Use Before an Open House

Certainly there are features common to any print strategies you employ in your marketing mix. Whether you use flyers, postcards, door hangers, yard signs or other print products, each of them should encompass the traits suggested above.

When it comes to planning for each phase of an open house – before, during and after – particular products offer the best bang for your buck. You might consider the following print materials for use before an open house .

 

 Flyers.   Open house flyers  can be distributed within the neighborhood around the open house property or posted on community bulletin boards. You might even place them on the window of your office for passersby to take a glance. A QR code included on the flyer can allow viewers to easily access your   single property website  or the property location.

 

Door hangers. While not appropriate in all areas (your client can tell you if they are not), door hangers can be an effective tool to get out the word that an open house is scheduled in the neighborhood. You can simply distribute them door-to-door, or you can have someone knock and speak person to person to share details.

 

 Postcards. Simple to send,   postcards  are a cost-effective means to spread awareness in the community. While the size of a postcard limits how much information you can list, important event details can be shared along with a QR code linked to the property listing or your website and contact information.

 

Yard Signs. Nearly half of all home buyers look to yard signs as a source of information when on the hunt. A simple, legible sign, prominently placed and garnished with eye-catching ribbons or balloons can be coupled with directional signs around the vicinity to direct traffic and highlight the event.

Print Marketing Tools To Use During an Open House

When you prepare well for an open house, you place your brand in the minds of your guests even before they arrive. When they show up, any print materials you include on site then serve to continue the relationship. And they promote a professional atmosphere for everyone who walks through the door.

 

 Greetings. By all means, help your guests to feel welcome when they arrive by greeting them personally at the door. But don’t stop there. Welcome signs, posters,   business cards  , flyers, and a sign-in sheet near the entrance can all go a long way toward putting people at ease and helping them get to know you and your team. Just make sure to keep all of these “welcoming” print materials consistent with your   professional branding  .

 

Fact Sheets. Give your guests something tangible to study while they wander from room to room. Sure, they can pull up the listing on their cell phones, but it is better to put the facts in their hands. Include a headline that gets their attention, major property details (address, square footage, number of beds and baths, etc.), succinct descriptions of the property’s best features, and a reference to the price.

Additional Details. If you really want your visitors to immerse themselves in the experience, provide them with other promotional products beyond the basic sell sheet. Let each guest envision what it might be like if the property were their own as they peruse a professional brochure or pamphlet. Give additional details, such as neighborhood information, local features, available service providers, utility rates, property taxes, and any HOA fees. You might even assemble products in a folder of print materials that your guests can take with them to continue the experience (and the relationship) down the road.

Feedback Forms. An open house is more than a way to feature a listing and bring potential buyers through the doors. It is also an opportunity to collect valuable feedback about the property – and meet more people. The best time to collect feedback and other data is before your guests leave the party. An easy-to-use (and professionally-branded) feedback form at the door can yield helpful tips for making any necessary improvements and leave a lasting impression. Include a QR code linking to an online form or a call to action on your website to further enhance a guest’s experience.

Print Marketing Tools To Use After an Open House

 

Maybe there is an occasional example of a house that “sells itself”. But sellers and buyers alike seek out an agent for a reason. For a relationship. Once you have established rapport – through your pre-event planning and on the day of the open house – continue the relationship with printed materials after the event is through. Postcards and flyers sent through direct mail , along with strategic email campaigns, serve to thank your guests for coming, share the latest developments, or announce a reduced listing price. Continued follow-up keeps the wheel spinning as you feature a similar property, show off a “just sold” listing, or invite recipients to another open house.

 

Throughout the open house process – from pre-event planning to the day of the show and beyond – a thoughtful selection of professional print materials to complement your online efforts will set you (and your listing) above your competition and keep your clients happy.

Meet Victor Coll, a seasoned expert in the art of in-bound content marketing. With a proven track record in crafting winning content strategies, Victor excels in attracting and engaging audiences organically. His proficiency extends to optimizing content for maximum impact, resulting in increased brand visibility and audience retention.   Victor's dedication to the art of in-bound content marketing has helped businesses achieve remarkable growth. Join him as he shares invaluable insights and strategies to empower your content marketing efforts and drive meaningful connections with your target audience.

Craig Westerman - Owner & Founder

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Craig Westerman - Owner & Founder

Annapolis 20% off Discount City Page

Craig Westerman - Owner & Founder

Annapolis 20% off Discount City Page

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