On Friday (4/10/20) Sherrie Shaw with Universal Title shared tips on how to hold a successful virtual open house. Check out these great tips from the FAAR webinar:
Setting Up Your Virtual Open House
- Select a good date and time for your virtual open house.
- 9 AM is about the time most people have started their day.
- 12 PM is when people are on their lunch break
- 5 PM and later is after work when people are winding down and checking out social media.
- Set up your open house as a Facebook event on your business page.
- Pro tip: Use hashtags in your event description. These can be things that are features of the home or area! #FrenchDoors #HistoricCommunity #FreshPaint
- Have an outline script to keep you on topic.
- Plan for your virtual open house to be about half an hour.
- Pro tip: Start your showing a little early to make sure all your equipment is working.
- Make a walkthrough video before you go live in case something with your live walkthrough goes wrong. This allows you to still have something to post.
During Your Open House
- Get people involved!
- Hide an object in the home and have people take a screenshot when they find it. Have participants email the screenshot to you to be entered in a drawing for a gift card or prize.
- For best recording results consider investing in a gimbal to stabilize your phone while you record.
- Present yourself as a professional.
- Dress like you would for a regular showing. You never know when you’ll run into a mirror.
- Make sure you smile throughout your showing. Even when the camera isn’t on you, people can hear a smile.
- For safety, ask someone else to come with you to the showing. You’ll be marketing this event and telling people exactly when and where you’ll be. Having an accompanying party will help keep you safe.
Right now, we are looking at adapting. As we adapt to our current situation, we’re designing the future of real estate. The normal we build today could be our next normal. Many of these technologies and techniques will be relevant long after this pandemic has passed. Good luck with your next virtual open house!
Watch the whole webinar here.