It’s common knowledge for a real estate agent that open houses and private showings are some of the biggest ways to bring in clients and close deals.
These events can be difficult to manage, especially with different vendors, realtors, and their clients coming and going through the space at different times. The best way to stay organized is by using sign-in sheets.
There are plenty of different styles to choose from, so we’ve rounded up the best open house sign-in sheets for every realtor.
What You Need to Know Before Buying an Open House Sign-In Sheet
Open house sign-in sheets are ultimately important to the success of your open house events because it ensures that everyone who enters is accounted for.
Without one, you would have no idea how many people enter and exit the space while you’re away. For this reason, every realtor should invest in at least one sheet before holding any event.
Even if you don’t plan on hiring someone to help you with open houses or private showings, it’s good practice to get into using these tools right away so that you can be better prepared when it comes time for your first big showing.
What to consider when buying open house sign-in sheets
When buying the best sign-in sheet for your business, there are a few essential factors to consider.
Size
The sheet size depends on the number of guests you’re expecting at your open house or private showing. If you have a smaller event with about five people, a small sheet will do.
However, if your event is much larger and you expect to have 20 people entering and exiting throughout the day, it would be wise to buy one that’s twice as large so that everyone can easily write down their name.
Make sure that whatever material you choose is big enough as well as durable enough for your needs.
Material
There are plenty of different materials available when shopping for sign-in sheets, from paper to vinyl and everything in between. If you plan to use yours often, it’s best to invest in a sturdier material that can hold up to lots of use.
For one-time uses, you can get away with using paper. But if you want something reusable, then vinyl is the way to go.
Design
Designing an open house sign-in sheet may seem hard, especially if you have no design experience. However, there are plenty of resources available online, so don’t sweat it too much.
The key is to keep it simple and easy to read for guests while also including all necessary information such as lines for names, room numbers or addresses, and times.
Use bright colors for guests to see from a distance but not so much that they’re distracting. If all else fails, check out templates for open house sign-in sheets and pick one that’s simple and clean-cut.
Obtaining Your Open House Sign-In Sheet After the Event
Now that you have your perfect sheet picked out, it’s time to use it during your next open house or private showing. Ensure that every guest is given a copy before they leave, as this will prevent any mix-ups with names and room numbers. If everything runs smoothly, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about once the event is over.
However, if something does go wrong and you find yourself needing to try and track people down, don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to locate an individual after the fact.
First things first, though – make sure that you have a list of names and corresponding room numbers or addresses on the day of your showing.
Even though it’s not foolproof, at least you’ll be able to narrow down your search based on who was in attendance. Just remember that there are more creative ways to track someone down rather than just calling information.
You can always try using social media or even Craigslist. These will take a little more time, but they’re also very effective if done correctly!
What should be included in your sign-in sheet?
Typically a sign-up sheet that uses real estate industry standard authorized signers will have:
- Date and time of showing
- List of attendees (name, phone number, and address if necessary contact information.) Make sure that each attendee has their own unique line, so you know who is signing and how many people are attending the showing.
- Your personal information (your name, phone number, and email address)
- Information about what you’re showing (address, MLS number, etc.)
- A signature line where each person who enters/exits the event can sign in. You will need this if there are any questions or disputes later on. No exceptions!
- Special notes may also be included, such as: “please turn off cell phones while entering/exiting the home,” “no shoes allowed in the home,” “pets need to be leashed,” etc. Make sure that you include the date and time of the showing, so everybody knows when they are expected at your property. When you have a large group show up early or late, it can cause problems with other guests being inconvenienced which is never a good thing.
How To Get More Open House Sign-Ups
The primary purpose of having an open house event is to have as many leads as possible. While this might look easy, since you have organized an event, the truth is sometimes it is not automatic to get as many sign-ups during the open house event. So how do you get many sign-ups?
Use social media platforms
Today’s busy people are always looking for quick ways to find information that is easy and fast. Use Twitter, Facebook, or even LinkedIn to share information about the open house event. You might be surprised how many individuals will see this on their timeline and attend your event.
Create business cards
If you’re working with real estate agents, you probably know they have hundreds of business cards sitting in drawers all over town.
A great way to increase sign-ups is picking up a good stack of their cards every now and then and bringing them along with you on each show. Give them out at gas stations, grocery stores – anywhere where the average person shops!
Leave flyers around town
Another great way to get sign-ups is to leave flyers around town. If you are trying to sell your home in San Diego, you might want to drop some flyers off at local coffee shops or small markets. You never know who will pick up the flyer and decide that they would like to attend your open house event!
Create a great looking ad
If you’ve ever seen TV shows about buying houses, one of the first things real estate agents do is create an attractive ad for their upcoming open house. These ads are often handwritten, using nice stationery paper that looks very professional.
This doesn’t mean that it has to be expensive because there are ways that you can print these out without spending too much money. Your printer might even have templates available for you to download free of charge.
How To Know If Your Open House Sign-Ups Are Working?
It’s hard to tell if your open house sign-ups are working or not because it does take time for people to respond. The one way you can know for sure is by keeping track of how many people have signed up for an entire month.
Over that period, look at how many times each individual has visited your open houses. This will be the best way to determine who your most prominent visitors truly are.
Then you can use those names as references at future shows so they will feel more inclined to visit again down the line.
It’s also important not to ask too many questions on your sign-in sheet. All you need to know is how many people are going when they’re going and who they are. Everything else is a bonus.
Don’t forget that a sign-up sheet isn’t the only thing that makes a showing successful, but also how you conduct yourself at your open house! Be sure to have plenty of refreshments on hand so people will feel more obligated to visit the event.
Be available for questions about future plans or even general inquiries about what life would be like living in this home. In addition, having a good sales pitch about why someone should buy from you rather than the competition can go a long way towards getting them to return down the line.
What makes a great design?
There are several factors to take into consideration when determining what makes a great open-house template:
Consumer friendliness
Before downloading any free printable or buying an already created product, the first thing you should do is to check out their customer reviews.
All customers want something free, so they may leave a bad review even if they are satisfied with what you have to offer. This is because the only reason they used your product in the first place was that it was free.
File size
Another aspect to look at when downloading a specific design is its file size. You will want to make sure that any open-house sign-in sheets you choose are small enough for you to save onto your phone or tablet but large enough so you can read what each box says. The last thing you need is having someone turn in their sheet and then finding out that it is unreadable due to how dark or light the form looks on your device’s screen.
Price tag
Finally, consider price when choosing an open house design. If they’re offering their printable for free, then there’s no reason that you shouldn’t take advantage of it. But if they charge a specific amount for their template, make sure you aren’t getting ripped off and only purchase the best looking and most professional looking sign-in sheet available.
Types of Open House Sign-In Sheets
There are several factors to take into consideration when determining what makes a great open-house template:
Pre-Printed Open House Sign Up Sheets
Open house sign-up sheets can be purchased from a variety of websites that offer real estate-related products.
These pre-printed signs are available in different formats depending on the type of open house you will be hosting.
You may find these open house sheets at your local home improvement store, office supply store, or online retailers.
Customized Open House Sign-in Sheets
If you want an open-house sign-up sheet template with a specific format or design, some companies allow you to create your custom version for free.
For example, if you’re looking for a signature sheet template with clip art but don’t see one offered by the website, all is not lost.
You can usually find some clip art on the site or contact customer service to see if they can help you create your own open house sign-up sheet.
Digital Open House Sign-In Sheets
You can also opt for digital open house sign-up sheets instead of printing them out. This is an ideal choice for people hosting open houses at multiple locations or who just want to save paper and time.
You can email the link to your guests to print out the form or host it on a website where you gather information during the event (and then notify everyone afterward).
Examples of digital networks capable of creating these sign-up sheets include Eventbrite, Everlance, and even Dropbox. However, if you want a more personalized look and feel for your event, try making it yourself with the help of Microsoft Excel’s form tools.
eSigns is also a great option to go digital, but they can be slightly pricey depending on your needs.
Best Open House Sign-In Sheet Templates & Designs
Open house sign-up sheets are what help your prospects remember to go to your event (and hopefully attend). Here’s an impressive collection of open house sign-up sheet templates to inspire.
Open House Registration Form Template / Blank Sign Up Sheet
This open house registration form template can be used as a guest list or general open house header form. Use the pre-filled header sections to include your open house details, or leave it blank to create your own header.
Open House Sign Up Sheet Template
What better way to advertise your next open house than by offering potential customers free printable sign-up sheets?
This allows them to focus on all items for sale at the event instead of worrying about signing themselves in!
Remember, you want as many eyes as possible on your items to entice people to swipe up whatever you’re selling.
Open House Sign Up Sheet Template with Header
If you want to make a lasting impression on someone, it’s best to show them top-quality design images beforehand.
By giving potential customers an idea of what their sign-in sheet will look like before they even bother downloading it, you will put them at ease knowing that they are getting exactly what they want. Isn’t this what advertising is all about?
Open House Sign Up Sheet Template with Detailed Boxes
If you want your open house sign-up sheet template to have particular boxes on it, then this template is probably the best choice for you.
This form has everything that a customer may need to attend an event on your property. By making everything look neat and organized, people are more likely to turn in their sheets without issues filling them out.
Open House Registration Form Template / Pre-Filled Header
As previously stated, sometimes all someone requires from you is a pre-filled header to know the details of the open house that they will be attending. Just fill in your information and then let people know where to turn it in!
This is somewhat like how you would do if you were hosting a potluck at work – one person provides the main course, another takes care of appetizers, etc.
Open House Sign Up Sheet Template with Clip Art
Finally, make sure your sign-up sheet template has clip art on it! It’s okay not to want to spend hours finding icons for each box. So why not include some pretty-looking clip art on there instead?
By making your printable look nice and professional even before someone purchases it, you will already be gaining a client’s trust before they even print it out.
Final Thoughts
Open house sign-up sheets are a great way to collect information from potential customers during an open house event.
They can also be used as a guest list for parties and other social gatherings, so if you happen to have another reason people need to fill out a form, then this template will fit your needs perfectly.
