Branding your business in the community

1. Having an Open House for your Business

2. Why an Open House?
• Increase the community awareness of your
business and your location identity
• Get introductions to other business owners in
the community
• Broaden your networking opportunities
• Strengthen your professional image with
clients, business associates and referral
sources

3. Target your Guests
• Current Network referral sources
• Potential Network referral sources
• Existing High Value clients
• Neighboring business owners
• Friends, family

4. Pick a location
• Always at your business if…
– Parking is adequate
– Your space can handle 20+ people with food and
drinks
– You have an impressive location
• Elsewhere if your place won’t work
– Can it accommodate the expected turnout?
– Is it a place that you’re proud to represent your
business?

5. Pick a Date
• Target a date at least 60 days in advance
• Pick a time of the year when weather can be
expected to be reasonable (you don’t need
“perfect,” but you also don’t need 9” of snow)
• Check with the Chamber of Commerce to
make certain there is not already a planned
event; maybe your business can be the
Chamber event!

6. Pick a Date, continued
• Check the local newspaper and civic calendars
to make sure you aren’t in conflict with
another popular event
• If you are planning your Open House for “After
Hours,” make sure you don’t conflict with local
High School or College sports if possible
– Consider an Open House near the lunch hour, like
10 AM – 2 PM; this gives people an opportunity to
stop by on their lunch break and also reduces the
cost by not having alcohol available

7. “Extras”
• Check with the local newspaper and
see if they would cover the event
• Check with local Delegates and Political
leaders to see if they would stop by for a
photo opportunity
• Consider hiring a wait staff person to help
with refreshments so that you and your staff
can concentrate on networking

8. Invitations
• Send a “Save the Date” email 30 – 45 days out
once you have selected a date
• Follow-up in 10 – 14 days with an “Evite”
invitation (www.evite.com)
• Keep an updated log on an Excel spreadsheet
of those invited, those who have responded
and those planning to attend

9. Send Follow-up Emails
• Email reminders from your email account
(and/or by phone), not Evite
– 1 week before
– 2 to 3 days before
– The day of the event
• Evite will automatically send a follow-up
reminder the day prior to the event

10. The Event
• Registration table with basket for people to drop
their business cards for a drawing (this also helps
track who attended)
• Name tags with names preprinted (you have the
spreadsheet) and some extra “blanks”
• During the event, make a public “Thank You” and
draw for raffle prizes
• Have “Goody Bags” for people as they are leaving
with some small token gifts and some
information about your business

11. During the Event – Network!
• This is supposed to be a Networking event, so
lead the way!
• Be a “Match-maker;” introduce people in
businesses who could share referrals (Real
Estate Agent, Mortgage Loan Officer, for
example)
• Set the stage for follow-up in the next few
days

12. Follow-up
• Send a “Thank You for attending” email to all
who attended
• Send special note to anyone that you had a
particularly good conversation with or to
people that you introduced to each other
• Call anyone that you mentioned that you
would follow-up with a phone call
• Track the follow-ups on the same
log as the Invitations