by David Chapman
Staff Writer
The open house.
Is it a celebration for years of work developers have put into project?
A proclamation of a housing achievement?
A marketing tool used to build relationships, educate and network?
Or, is it simply a place to enjoy a free lunch, grab a drink or win some swank prizes.
The answer could be any and all of those ideas, but for some marketing directors and agencies that go through the process of putting on these events, it’s hours of work, stress, budgeting, smiles, anticipation and then finally relief.
There is no off-season or breaks for the industry. Companies put on multiple events during the year, with the number and size of the event affected by things such as the state of the market, the community being presented and the size of the company.
“Our company produces special events year-round,” said Maxine McBride of Clockwork Marketing, “including open houses, grand openings, topping off events, groundbreakings and ribbon cutting ceremonies.”
Planning each event from scratch is no easy task, either. Most event planning
encompasses so much that it can’t be done alone by just marketing directors.
“Marketing directors couldn’t do their job well if they didn’t have the support of the sales staff,” said Amber Williams, marketing director of Standard Pacific Homes.
She isn’t alone in expressing that notion.
“It is me and two assistants,” said Karen Sutherland, marketing director of ICI Homes.
Sometimes it takes even more than just a few people to coordinate and plan an event; sometimes it takes company- wide involvement and more.
“Due to the size of our events,” said Karen Sadowski, marketing director of Mercedes Homes, “we usually involve the entire neighborhood team and support from our office staff along with the entire sales and marketing department.”
With support staff in hand, the time then comes to make things happen. But it’s time itself that is needed first to plan.
“Hours and hours and hours,” said Sheryl Vaughn, marketing director of Ryland Homes. “The most challenging part is getting the word out about the event.”
Initial meetings, meetings for budgeting, meetings for planning. Even with countless meetings and hours, there does seem to be somewhat of a standard time frame for planning and preparation of an event.
“Depending on the event,” said Williams, “a good open house takes about a month to plan.”
One thing that doesn’t seem standard for events is the costs involved. They differ because of a number of things.
“The investment for an event varies,” said Amy Ogden, a public relations specialist at Clockwork Marketing Services. “It depends on the location, number of guests, purpose of the event and the client’s expectation of the event.”
With all the expenses, some directors were able to give some ranging figures. Sadowski noted that the average event for Mercedes Homes costs between $3,000 to $6,000 with a special event hitting around $10,000. Williams said that she has spent as little as $200 for smaller, intimate events but up to $45,000 for extravagant events. The highest priced one, from the group interviewed?
“Held in 1999, it was $125,000,” said Sutherland, who noted that it was not in this market, but for the Southeast Builders Show home. “We had synchronized swimmers in the pool, star lookalikes from Universal Studios, two bands and unbelievable food and drink.”
With the amount of money, time and preparation needed to pull off an event, the amount of stress might seem daunting. Even for directors and those who deal with putting on these events for a living, there are moments that make them nervous.
“Maybe the day of the event of the moments before people start filing in,” said Sadowski. “We only get nervous if we don’t see Realtors arriving.”
The thought of a lack of a crowd is one that seems to make even the most positive of forecasters cringe.
“The most stressful part is right when the event begins,” said Vaughn. “I worry that not many people will show up, but once everything gets going I enjoy the event.”
For Sutherland, it’s the things in her power such as entertainment and catering that go wrong that make her stress.
Others tend to think of positive things that outweigh the stress.
“Not at all,” said Williams, in reference to being stressed. “I absolutely love planning events.”
Williams explained that no matter how well she plans, she always expects something to go wrong and has a contingency plan in place. Doing so, she says, will help correct any problem before guests notice. Lastly, she notes, “stay calm and smile.”
While it may seem like fun and games with a little educating thrown in, open house events can succeed or fail; they aren’t put on simply to party. Success comes in many forms and can’t always be judged immediately, but sometimes the signs of a great job are apparent before the last Realtor walks out the door.
“We consider the event successful if our guests seem happy and interested in our homes and neighborhoods,” said Sadowski. “We also ask for their opinion while they are at the event. We can usually sense their excitement and enthusiasm.”
Just Realtor crowds isn’t enough, though. In the end, it’s still a business and the marketing aspect of hosting Realtors and others is to generate interest.
“If it gets people talking about the community and our models, if we get sales from it and if we see people come to the community who haven’t seen it before, then it’s a success,” said Vaughn. “But the most telling sign of success is when those same Realtors bring back buyers to the community.”
Sutherland and Williams both agreed, saying that positive results mean people coming back to the community with potential buyers. Seeing a large turnout is a good sign, though.
So what have been some of the more successful productions that have taken place for these marketing directors? While some mentioned that they couldn’t pinpoint one, others shared some of their stories.
“The Sevilla/Kensington model,” said Vaughn, referring to the homes near St. Augustine. “We had a progressive dinner at the Sevilla model and had three stretch limousines take people to Kensington, where we had a flaming dessert and coffee. It was a real treat.”
While it might not have included a dessert, Sutherland’s story about one grand opening off Beach Boulevard was just as sweet.
“I’d have to say our Highland Glen grand opening,” she said. “We had about 400 attendees because this was our first themed community. We saw immediate results with Realtors showing and selling after the event and keep a steady pace for two years.”
Sadowski’s story of success is recent and went off with a bang. It included a demonstration of an air cannon firing 2x4s at weather-resistant walls to show hurricane durability.
“Our most successful event was our grand opening at Coronado,” said Sadowski. “We had over 200 people and the entire event was glamorous.”
From meetings and budgets, to making decisions like choosing barbecue or deli sandwiches, creating a memorable open house is like an art form. Like any artist might attest to, it’s usually all about the details. Without them,
Realtors and visitors might walk away unimpressed. With the right blend of entertainment, information and of course, food and giveaways, marketing directors can help create a lasting memory that will generate business. It helps if you have a little fun with it.
“Regardless of the size of the event, I try to have fun,” said Sutherland. “When I can do this it seems to carry over to the event itself and the attendees have a pleasant experience and feel it was worth their time.”
Serving the guests
Ever wonder how many how many martinis are served at an average event or how many shrimp are necessary to feed 450 guests? Here is a sampling from a Clockwork Marketing Services event where an estimated 450 Realtors attended an opening event recently.
400 wine glasses
250 martini glasses
1,500 pieces of steak
540 polenta rounds
400 fresh rolls
200 pieces of sushi
1,600 shrimp
275 cherry tomatoes
200 éclairs
200 truffle bites
200 macaroons
350 cookies
350 parfaits