Five Tips To Enhance Your Open House Experience

Open houses are essential for promoting schools and connecting with future students and their parents. While health measures are easing and are starting to allow some in-person activities, how can we offer a unique, hybrid open house experience? Above all, how can we stand out from the competition? Here are five ideas to adjust to the most recent Public Health recommendations and make these upcoming fall events a success.

Juggle authenticity and flexibility

Despite virtual fatigue, consider hosting live web conferences to address issues that directly affect parents. They will appreciate having direct contact with your school team, while also being free to exchange with each other instantly. Use the question-and-answer, poll, and breakout rooms tools integrated into video conferencing platforms to liven up your meetings. To reach more people, make these recordings accessible following the live events.

Promote informal exchanges

Participants’ passivity can be reduced when there is real two-way communication. For example, you could organize interactive workshops related to certain school subjects, schedule individual and small group meetings to discuss a study program, or offer a digital bulletin board where everyone can ask their questions. It is these moments that will allow you to communicate your educational philosophy while sharing the identity of your school community.

Involve a wide variety of your community representatives

Make sure you put your teachers, support staff, students, and graduates at the forefront of your open house content.

Some ideas:

• • A video explaining their roles within the educational community;
  • A podcast on their journeys;
  • An interview between teachers and students to communicate the objectives of their courses and  a presentation on their major projects. 

Focus on attractiveness and efficiency

Create relevant tools, like an FAQ on your website, where the most frequently asked questions are categorized. Thus, parents will quickly find answers to their questions. Podcasts are also worth considering as they deliver dynamic content in a format that has grown in popularity. The key: multiply these tools and switch up the channels to offer several options to curious parents.

Generate human contact

Be ready to open your doors with the greatest respect for Public Health measures. In addition to offering a few private tours of your school by reservation, consider outdoor events. If you have a  soccer field on campus, plan an event  for current and future students, for example. Your talented improv students could also perform on an outdoor stage, surrounded by food trucks or an art exhibit. This type of informal event will be conducive to authentic and safe exchanges between the school team and future students and their parents.

Would you like to improve your open houses following the latest Public Health recommendations ? Drop us a line, our experts will be happy to speak with you.