I don't know about you, but most Open Houses that I've been to in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area recently are NOT standing room only events! So, you can imagine my surprise when I drove up to a model home this past week and couldn't find a place to park.
The event was organized by Redstone Group, a company which is building several unique communities around the Greater Grand Rapids area. My agents received an invitation while attending a mortgage seminar and persuaded me to attend. I'm glad I did. I always appreciate the opportunity to watch inspired vision in action.
The Redstone Group held a Networking Open House. Instead of waiting for clients to hopefully find them, this company decided to concentrate it's focus on connecting with the Networkers...you know the people who know other people; thereby enhancing the chance that they might know someone wanting to purchase a home.
The elegant catered lunch featured a Seasoned Breast of Chicken, Cesar Salad, Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Bread and Scrumptious Chocolate Chip Cookies. The venue was their beautifully staged model home. Guests were invited to tour the home and given an extensive packet of the various communities and distinctive options available in Redstone Homes. Talk about a cool way to create buzz...
Redstone Group designs Green Built, Energy Star* certified homes that are constructed in a manner that honors the natural habitat and seeks to preserve as much of the native terrain as possible. They build homes in Grand Haven, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Holland in addition to several communities throughout the Grand Rapids area.
The invitees were an eclectic mix. The event was billed as a Opportunity to Connect and you were encouraged to bring your business card and mix with other professionals to enhance your business. I met all sorts of individuals. Of course there were real estate agents and brokers, but in addition, a Business Network International Group was there which included a wide swath of different companies...there were mortgage brokers, at least one attorney, title reps, and we even met a former Sherrif.
I'm left wondering why so many Builder Spec Home remain in isolated splendor when they could be teaming with life and opportunities to Create A Sale through events like this? Redstone Group told us they had their best year ever in 2007. I can see why!
photo courtesy of: Wolfgang Staudt's photostream
Copyright 2008 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved
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Wow! Now THAT'S innovative marketing! Nice to see that there are still those that like to "think outside the box" and take a chance on the unusual.
That open house was a great idea Lola. Builders would be smart to adopt something similar.
Lola - What a terrific idea. I have only seen this one other time in our area. Great way to creat a buzz through networking and bring in the people. Thanks for sharing this idea.
Jeff
This sounds like a fantastic idea.
Sounds like thinking out of the box to me. Thanks for sharing a unique idea, my mind is going 90 miles an hour thinking of how this might work here in normal residential homes.
Hi Lola- Great marketing. I am sorry I missed hearing about this event. Sounded like you really enjoyed it yourself. Nice post!
So was this like a fancy kind of broker's open, held by the builder? And that photo is gorgeous!
Lola
That must have been a pretty cool networking event.
Sincerely
Tom Braatz
Someone in that company has vision. I just clicked on their website and it looks like they are going to be a "hit" with consumers and real estate professionals alike.
It is fun to network like that isn't it?
It's a given that the best Open House events around will be held by a builder.
Don't eat breakfast and go prepared for a treat.
Carol, it was innovative in a number of ways. What struck me was they used the Open House to feed people for FREE (always a draw) then made it a networking event by inviting a wide range or professionals to trade business cards and get to know each other while advertising their homes. Very effective use of marketing dollars.
Wayne, Thanks for your comment. It was a great idea and a good successful event.
You're welcome Jeff. Thanks for stopping by.
Tammy & Terry, Thanks for your comment.
Missy, this is totally workable in a residential home. That's what this was. The genius was adding a benefit for people to take time out of their day to attend.
Sue, I think you would have found it beneficial to attend. It was very well done.
Lisa,They termed the Open House as a Networking event. It was held in a beautiful home and they served good food...so, I guess it would be worthy of the "fancy" label. :) Isn't that picture cool...I love it when I saw it on Flickr.
It was fun Tom, & a great way to get perspective on our areas new home inventory.
Hi Kris... It was fun. Thanks for your comment. They don't have anything in the east side of the State yet, but who knows...
Lenn...I'm glad I brought an appetite. :)
Jennifer, This was definitely business unusual!
Great idea. Do you know what the results were?
Casey...I'm not sure what sort of results you're asking about. The results I observed were excellent attendance by various industry professionals and a captive audience to hear about the communities they were building in the Grand Rapids area. I'm sure the results will extend beyond my limited observations, but that would be a question that only the builder could answer.
Lola, Hi, this is very interesting. I do catered Broker luncheons but some how I need to figure out a way to incorporate this to a regular open house with a mix of participants? Thanks for sharing! Have a good weekend!
Thanks for stopping by Audrey. Cooperative events which benefit everyone are the wave of the future of effective marketing...online & off.
Lola, looks like these guys know how to put an Open House together. I would be interesting to see how many sales they get out of this.
Hi George...they did say they had their best year ever in 2007. This...when many builders and real estate agents were not enjoying the same level of success.
Love the graphic on this post and it sounds like they are savvy marketeers!
Lola - that is indeed a unique way to do things! I love new ideas! Thanks for sharing your experience!
I thoroughly enjoyed this luncheon, touring the gorgeous home and meeting other RE Agents as well as all the mortgage professionals that we did. This was definitely a win-win for the builder.
HI Lola, It sounds like this was a great open house and networking opportunity! The menu sounds fantastic also! Redstone Group knows how to do it up right! What a great way to showcase their products!
Sign me up. Free chicken and a green condo. What more can a person ask for?
Hi Lola, our office is hosting something similar this Saturday to promote new homes that are currently being built in Newark, NJ. It won't be as elegant, and we'll probably be limited to coffee & pastries, but hopefully we'll get some good networking done.
That is a great idea! We have broker open houses here but I like how they extended the invite to title reps, mortgage brokers, etc...
Lola,
Today's tough real estate market requires lots of creative marketing techniques and this open house certainly is one of them. Mortgage lenders, agents, all of us in the business, ought to learn something from this.