Holiday Open House

 

Goals

We will discuss how to plan a successful Holiday Open House.  How to market that event.  What to do during the event. And how to follow up with your customers so that your next events are successful as well. Be sure to listen to Episode 24, our Event Marketing Podcast

How to Plan

1. Timetable
   • Weekend afternoon
   • Wednesday or Thursday Evening
   • Avoid beginning of the week and Friday or Saturday evening
   • Set a date and time (and end time!)
   • How Many emails?
   • How Many Social Posts
   • Plan Menu (if serving food) and a potential partner (see below)
2. 4-6 weeks ahead of time.

Theme

1. 1. Holiday
2. • New Product Premiere
   • New Product Line
3. Incentive
   • Free Food
   • Samples
   • Door Gifts
   • Goodie Bags
   • Deep Discounts or Sale
   • Kid’s area to give parents time to shop?

1.  Consider Potential Partners
2. Street wide Open House
3. Shared Print/TV/Radio Marketing
4. Food Partner
5. Free Printing from a print partner
6. Offer Logo placement on marketing materials

 Marketing the event

1. Tease the event on social media
   • RSVP
2. Add event to the calendar on your website
   • RSVP
3. Create a Facebook event
   • www.tagboard.com
4. Create a unique hashtag
5. Announce the event on social media, website, and email
6. Pin to the top of Facebook and Twitter
7. Update cover images on all social media networks
8. Send an email to your customers
   • Bag stuffers
   • Postcards
   • Posters
9. Print material
   • Can you mail them?
   • Will your partners distribute them?
10. Posters in store
11. In partner locations
12. On community boards
13. Newspaper
14. Radio
15. TV

During the Event

1. Take photos and videos
2. • Facebook live
   • Post photos and videos to social media
   • Use your hashtag

  After the Event

1. Save some images to post after

• Tag customers
• Create a Pinterest Board, Instagram Story, Facebook Story or Photo Album
• Thank your customers for attending

Key points:

• Planning is key
• • 4-6 weeks away
  • Plan date and time
  • Plan social campaigns
  • Plan print campaigns
• Consider partnering
• • Better exposure
  • Help running the event
• Make sure to market your event on every channel available to you
• During the event take and post lots of images and video
• Save some for after the event
• • Create stories
  • Tag your customers
• Make sure to say thank you!