How Not to Be a Hound at an Open House (But Still Get Attendee Info)

Holding an open house can serve more than one purpose, so when you plan one, it’s important to clarify your objectives — keeping in mind that your primary goal is to sell your client’s home. If you also use an open house to build your database, however, make sure you don’t become a nuisance to buyers on your quest to obtain contact information.

Here are 7 ways to get buyers’ information at an open house without hounding your attendees.

1. Use your name

Introduce yourself by name, not just “Hi, I’m the seller’s agent.” When people hear your name, their natural inclination is to say their name in return, and that’s a start.

2. Do as much as you can for the buyers in attendance

Make a great first impression with buyers at an open house so they can see what you have to offer as a real estate agent. Catch up with them after they’ve done their walk-through, ask what questions they might have and see what they liked or didn’t like about the house. Offer to update them if the listing price changes, if the homeowner adds a special offer or if other homes in the area come on the market.

3. Stay friendly

Forget the hard sales push for attendees’ information. Instead, create a rapport — and position yourself as the local expert — by talking about the neighborhood, local amenities, transit options and other features the home offers. The more they experience your casual, approachable style, the more likely they’ll be to continue the conversation.

4. Make it easy on attendees

Keep your sign-in form simple and fast for attendees to complete by asking only for their name, phone and email — no clunky forms that ask for everything under the sun. You can also add an email opt-in check box or a disclaimer on your form reassuring buyers that you won’t spam them.

5. Get the ball rolling

Complete one line on your sign-in form. Other attendees will see that someone else felt comfortable leaving their name, and they’ll be more inclined to follow suit.

6. Offer something in return

If an attendee is a serious buyer, they would probably welcome a market data report, a neighborhood overview or a guide on first-time home buying, so offer to email or send hard copies of these resources. Also, consider holding a raffle or drawing that attendees can enter by providing their name, phone and email.

7. If you meet any hesitation, explain your position

Most open house visitors are willing to provide their contact information, but don’t push for it if you meet with resistance. Instead, let attendees know that you’re responsible for the home on the seller’s behalf, that collecting their information is a way to let sellers know about the open house activity that day, and that you also ask for their name for safety reasons.

Lead generation is a vital, ongoing task that successful real estate agents do at every opportunity. In addition to marketing a home for sale, an open house is a chance for you to identify buyer leads and capture their contact information. If you approach open house attendees the right way, you can be signing them up instead of turning them off.