Sorry about the delay in posting about this!
YES!!! Have an open house, and do whatever you can with whatever you've got!
Our Chamber does a ribbon cutting... they come out with a big ribbon, huge scissors, the Chamber Committee and CVB lady, plus any local officials they can talk into coming. They come out, take a picture, and that's pretty much it. Well, and "local officials" for me meant mayor (singular, not plural). The newspaper doesn't do articles on every business that opens, either, there has to be an angle.
So, I called a writer from the paper who'd written an article about another business that opened recently... young girl who put us on the wrong street and messed up other details, but we got an article about us moving back to Ohio, and it had our names, and a picture, so I was happy. The Chamber came the day after Memorial Day and cut their ribbon in front of our brand new sign. (See home page of our website if you're interested. The mayor is the guy on the right. Six people came for the picture plus an office assistant to take the picture.) I gave them coffee and goodies (which nobody ate) and a little tour.
The following Sunday, June 1st, we had an open house from 1-4. We had balloons, cake, nuts and punch. We did it has a fundraiser for Relay for Life/American Cancer Society and my sister and my diet group (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) helped me host it. I thought a lot of my friends and neighbors would come... only a few did. It was a major graduation party weekend, so a lot of people couldn't come (and they all know I'll give them a tour some other time.) What was great was that we had people from the university and seminary, which are absolutely our target markets, and we know we've already had a booking because of the open house. In our case, it is very important that the locals (or at least, the university and seminary people) know that we're here. Two days after the open house a couple more people from the seminary came by, got a tour and left their card. They told me they will put my information in their new student orientation packages if I get it to them soon.
We opened a year ago with our first room, October with our second, and the last two were supposed to be ready for June 1st. Well, they were ready enough to show off at the Open House (we were up til 4 a.m. cleaning) but then were torn apart again to finish them up. They are both open now... June 10th and June 21st. So, I've been open a year, but I feel like we've really been open a month or so. All the hoopla (and the new sign) made it seem official.
It was absolutely worth it.
I would have liked to have had another one on July 5th, when the historic homes on the street one block away have a hifalutin tour. I was going to put an "Open House" sign at the corner and run the same hours, 1-4. But we had guests in the house so I didn't do it.
I think the other B&B in town does a holiday open house each year with their Christmas decorations. Last year they did it the first weekend in November, which seems a bit early to me. I think I might try to coordinate with them and maybe we can get a press release or something out of it, especially if the third B&B (just south of town, but not far) was interested in participating.
=)
Kk.