Eat, Drink, & Be Merry

Last night we had our annual open house at my office. It’s always a great way to get new people in to see what we’re about.

I persuaded my mother to make ham biscuits as part of the refreshments; this is the South, and hey, the announcement of ham biscuits will draw a crowd like flies to honey! Myself and a few of my musician friends played a few tunes to entertain while our staff members worked the room, welcoming people and telling them about our services.

The best thing about an open house is that people who have never been to your business will come; they might be drawn in by the announcement of free food and music but then they’re a captive audience. And it’s not just good for us; it’s good networking for the whole community. It’s nice to see people who have businesses and services that can benefit each other make that connection. Last night, a new person in town who’s building a house met a craftsman who sells recovered building materials from period architecture and they struck up a deal for a marble fireplace right here in my office. A person who just started a publishing company connected with a lady who has written some as-yet unpublished children’s books. It was great to see people enjoying themselves and doing good for their own business while doing good for ours. 

You don’t have to get fancy with the food and entertainment. If you’ve never had an open house before, give it a try. Even just a few new people coming in is going to enhance your business.