Updated August 2022

As any agent who’s hosted them will attest, open houses can be a lot of work. From preparation and promotion to making sure things go smoothly when the day finally comes, all the time, effort, and money spent on an open house can sometimes be enough to scare agents away from doing them altogether.

Luckily, there are some steps you can take to ensure your event has the biggest impact possible. Use these promotional methods to make sure your open house is well-attended and more likely to lead to a sale.

Put out plenty of signage

If you’re planning an open house, you already know that you’ll need to place a sign in front of the property advertising the upcoming event. But have you considered other signage that can more widely promote your event?

For one, you shouldn’t underestimate the potential of posting flyers at community gathering places, like coffeehouses. The amount of foot traffic at these spots means you’re more likely to connect with relevant leads.

Additionally, you’ll also want to set up directional signs the day of the event. Whether these efforts get additional buyers to come to the open house, the extra signage will be helpful to your attendees who may be less familiar with the neighborhood.

For some printable signage and other resources you can use to spruce up your open house, click here.

Create a targeted ad on Facebook

When it comes to getting your real estate listing in front of a very specific group of prospects, there are few options better than a Facebook ad. And, though you do need to be prepared to pay for the privilege, Facebook gives such specific targeting options that you can’t afford not to take advantage.

One approach you might take is to target leads by traits such as income level and recent life events, such as an engagement, marriage, new baby, or retirement.  You can also narrow your search to include only people who are interested in certain pages—for example, real estate listing sites like Zillow. While there is no guarantee that these individual criteria will connect you with interested buyers, these characteristics are all indicators that someone could be looking for a home in the near future.

If you need a bit of help crafting a Facebook ad, be sure to check out our free Facebook Ads Webinar.

Geotag your listing on Instagram

Given the platform’s 1+ billion monthly users, competing for market share on Instagram can get a little tricky. One way to make your open house stand out is by geotagging a post or Instagram Story about your listing.

When you geotag your post or Story with the name of a specific neighborhood or nearby landmark (such as a school or park), you’re grabbing the attention of locals and increasing the likelihood your open house will appear on the radar of the right person.

Of course, there are some other things you can do to ensure your post stands out. Instagram’s gallery feature allows you to show off multiple photos from your listing, while you can include detailed information about the open house in your caption.

Post a virtual open house teaser

What better way to get people interested in seeing a property than by showing them just enough of it to pique their curiosity? You can create a short teaser video for Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube—or, if you’d prefer, all three places. You can also go live on the platform of your choice.

The key here is to show just a little bit of the house (inside and out) and talk about why people will want to see it in person. Emphasize that this is a desirable property, and how it might not be on the market for long. Beyond that, make sure you’re crystal clear about where and when the open house will be taking place—include this information in the video, as well as the written description on whichever platform(s) you’re using.

Don’t forget about door knocking

Another popular strategy for getting the word out about open houses is door knocking—visiting dozens of houses in the area and handing out information about your upcoming event.

While it may seem counterintuitive to advertise the open house to homeowners who already live in the area, there are two reasons why doing so is actually a great use of your time:

• Local residents could have family or friends who are looking for a home, and they can help you spread the word.
• People will see how dedicated you are to selling homes and be more inclined to work with you if and when they move.

And, while you’re at it, why not leave a little something with the neighbors to remember you by? We have a Resource Library full of pop-by tags, cards, and other nifty leave-behind items for all seasons and occasions that you can download for free.

CLICK HERE to download this free pop-by tag.

As you can see, there are a variety of methods you can use to promote your open house. And, as with any other marketing strategy, it’s usually a good idea to diversify your efforts. With some persistence, you’ll not only draw a sizable crowd to your event, but also lay the groundwork for future sales around the neighborhood.