Are open houses worth it?

Will an open house sell your home? Some clients insist I provide them with open houses while others refuse for me to do one. In my experience most Realtors enjoy doing open houses because it affords them the opportunity to meet new potential buyers. I would think there is a relatively small chance of selling your home through an open house (maybe 5%), although I have done it. My feelings are even if there's only a slight chance, every bit you can do certainly helps.