Open houses are the best free lead generator in our industry, and yet, the least maximized—probably because most agents don’t have an effective strategy to drive traffic, and then successfully convert leads into clients. They lack the skills to convert the most difficult attendees into new clients and therefore miss lots of opportunities to convert. Open houses are one of the best methods for your agents to fill their pipelines of listing and buyer leads that, when effectively converted, can turn into big profits for within the next 90 days. Sunday is notoriously known as Real Estate Day in every city in the country! Look at the open house as the best, free lead generating system and be in front of potential buyers and sellers to create new business. If you increase their sales skills and show them how to add tremendous value to the process, they will convert more business and generate appointments and sales from their open houses.
Use these five amazing strategies to help coach and train your agents on maximizing open houses right now to create listings and sales in the next three months:
- Pick the right house to hold open that will have a move-up buyer with a house to list. Choose a house that the buyer will have a home to list; that way, you’re getting two sales out of each client. Don’t sit first-time buyer open houses if you want to pick up listings out of the open house. Also, pick the price point that is in the highest demand—that’s where all the buyers show up every week.
- Prepare the open house in advance. If you really prepare for this open house, you can drive more traffic to it. Post it up to three weeks in advance online to create urgency and showings before the open house. Invite the neighbors with a phone call and a postcard. Run a boosted Facebook ad to target buyers to attend your open house.
- Offer value during the open house. The agent who provides the most value gets hired—plain and simple. Offer a Homebuyer Guide or packet of information branded to you. Include mortgage, home inspection and steps in the buying process. Also, add value to what you say to help convert the lead.
- Focus on getting appointments during the open house. You have a 90 percent greater chance of getting a “yes” to an appointment if you ask right then. Add value by offering to assist them before they put the house on the market. You can save them “time and money” is one of my favorite value-adds. Remember: Start the relationship; you’re not going to go over their house to list it. You are cementing the relationship.
- Watch my signature “How to Make $50K at Your Next Open House” webinar. This webinar makes for your next fantastic in-office lunch and learns or special training session by sharing proven strategies with new or experienced agents. My entire strategy shows agents how to properly prepare, plan and execute the most 2-3 profitable hours of their week. To receive a free link to this priceless webinar, click here. Your agents will have immediate results, and approach open houses with a new mindset, converting more leads into listings and sales in the next 6-12 months.
For a FREE link to watch Sherri’s exclusive “Make $50K at your next Open House” webinar,  CLICK HERE.
Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour. For more information, please contact coaching@sherrijohnson.com or 844-989-2600 (toll-free) or visit www.sherrijohnson.com.
