How to Host an Open House for Your Huddle

How to Host an Open House for your Huddle: Well hello there! This video is all about how you can host a successful Open House and expand our vibrant business community while increasing your professional network.

First, decide on the event type that reflects your Huddle’s spirit—is it a laid-back lunch or a lively happy hour? Is it a coffee meetup or a general networking session? Once you’ve got that down, secure your venue, date, and time well in advance, ideally a minimum of two weeks ahead, to ensure everyone can make it.

Open House Protip

Why not schedule one once a quarter? Put it on your calendar and make sure your fellow members do the same!

Now, let’s walk through other items tailored to make your Open House a smashing success.  Keep in mind, you can do all of this during your Huddles’ “strategy” portion of the meeting by delegating different tasks to all of the members.

This way you won’t have to worry about having “networking homework” for you and everyone else in your Huddle.

How to Host a Successful Open House

Name It to Fame It

Give your Open House a creative name that sparks interest and stands out. Consider names like ‘The Mingle Mixer’, or ‘The Connection Cocktail Hour’, or ‘Networking with a twist’. A catchy title can be the hook that piques curiosity.

Open House Event Visibility

Get the word out by creating a Facebook and LinkedIn event. Feel free to utilize your local Chamber of Commerce calendar, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Calendar, Meetup, Eventbrite, or any local event calendar in your region. Your online presence can make a significant difference in your event’s reach and attendance.

The Power of Personal Invites

During your Huddle, engage your members to become ambassadors of growth. Have them each draft a list of 25 potential guests to invite with a personal text. Why 25 invites each? Out of 25 invites sent via text, an average of 5-10 people will attend. This approach taps into the strength of personal networks and direct invitations.

What’s better is if you have the event up on Facebook or LinkedIn, your members can go in and tag their personal and professional connections, further inviting them to your upcoming Open House.

Share Your Open House Event!

After having posted the event up on Facebook and LinkedIn, encourage your members to share the event on their personal and business pages! This will grant you even MORE visibility into the upcoming Open House!

Week-Of Reminder

In the crucial week or 2 business days leading up to the Open House, remind members to send a gentle follow-up to their list. A simple message like, “This is a gentle reminder that our Open House is coming up this [day]— I have you down as attending and we can’t wait to connect with you!” This keeps the event top of mind and boosts attendance.

Seamless Arrival

Ensure the beginning of your event is as smooth as the planning. A stress-free check-in process sets the stage for a relaxed and enjoyable event. All Huddles should have OCR technology embedded into their Huddle. This makes it easy to scan an attendees business card or take down their information if they DON’T have a business card. The last thing we want is a huge line heading into the event. We want to make it as easy as possible for attendees to get in and start networking!

Maximize Every Conversation

During the Open House, encourage meaningful interactions. It’s not just about the number of attendees but the quality of connections made. Have everyone in your Huddle spot out new attendees, approach them, and take them around to other people in the group. This prevents wall flowers or attendees feeling left out at the event.

Capture the Energy

Designate a member to take pictures and videos for the event. Visuals are a powerful tool for showcasing the energy of your Huddle on social media. You could post it during the event as a Facebook Live or post it up after the event to showcase how awesome your open house was!

Instant Feedback

Gather immediate feedback while the experience is fresh. Reach out to the attendees and thank them for attending the next day. Ask them if there is anything you can do to improve your event in the future. This can guide you in refining future events for even greater success.

Host your Open House with these tips in your toolkit and watch your Huddle’s membership thrive. You’re creating more than an event; you’re fostering a growing, interconnected community. Here’s to making your next Open House the talk of the town!