Roaring Toastmasters (OPEN HOUSE) Frisco, Texas

6/21/20

 

I’m on the hunt for a WOW open house!

 

My friend, Missy, a top-notch realtor, says to have a successful open house, you start off with curb appeal. Then you have three seconds to WOW prospective buyers when they walk in the door.  They should be greeted with a home that is full of appealing sights (bright light, curtain pulled back) and smells (cookies just baked in the oven).  Last is the pricing.  Is it worth the price?

 

A Toastmasters open house is no different.  Some people believe you just have a regular meeting and invite people to come in.  Well, that would be like Missy giving an open house while the house is in disarray, yard overgrown, and the owners were sitting at the table eating as the  prospective buyers sat on the couch and watched.  I mean is this the most inviting way we can display our club to prospective members?

 

Our club has given some WOW open houses over the years.  We have had guest speakers, raffles, coupons, balloons, Toast-amonials, special guest packets, food, and the list goes on.  Our open houses are definitely not just come into our meeting and watch what we do.  We want to grab people’s attention from the first three seconds (if not sooner, since we have welcome signs all over the doors and someone to escort the visitors to the room).  We want the visitors to be treated like royalty.  They are the guests of honor.

 

So now that we have online meetings, I am struggling exactly how to do a WOW open house online.  I have visited two open houses online. Roaring Toastmasters was my second one.  And both clubs just had a regular meeting.  Nothing else.  In fact, this club seemed very unorganized and disjointed.  I think with good planning this could have been prevented.  For example, one of the evaluators didn’t even know he was evaluating at the meeting.  All the open houses I have chaired began weeks in advance.  Everyone knew exactly what role they would be doing.  In fact I had visualized the whole open house in my head before it was even planned out. 

 

Roaring Toastmasters has 10 members and 4 educational awards.  Kudos to them for having an open house! They had at my count 12 visitors from other Toastmaster clubs, many from other countries like Portugal, Nigeria and Germany.  The first evaluator gave some insightful feedback, however, neither speaker gave a speech that made me want to join Toastmasters. Or specifically THEIR club.  I realize that the meeting is the product, but this meeting did not answer the question, “Why should I join Toastmasters” or “Why should I join Roaring Toastmasters”  In fact, I felt like the lawn was overgrown and dishes were left in the sink.  I was not compelled to buy this house, even though I might be in the market.   

 

So here I am still on the hunt for a WOW open house… for good ideas for a successful virtual open house, something that will WOW anyone who walks in the cyber door. I need to prepare early and make sure I have curb appeal.  I need to light the room with excitement and fun.  The price? Well of course there is no question that the price of a membership is a bargain.  Any Toastmaster realtors out there willing to share your cyber secrets?  I am sure the answer is out there somewhere.  

 

The hunt continues….