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In a time when many agents are struggling with high lead costs and low conversion rates, broker Josh Ries out of South Dakota has developed a system that uses one of the oldest tools in the book: open houses.
“If you’re wondering how to get face-to-face with more buyer and seller prospects, open houses are one of the best ways to do it,” Ries said in a recent interview. “And when done right, they generate real results.”
He isn’t speaking in theory. His strategy is consistently generating prospects, and it’s designed to be repeatable. From content planning to signage, every step of his process is intentional.
Where it all began
Ries’s background in digital marketing started early. At 13, he was already running Google Ads for local businesses. That background helped him later when, after getting his real estate license in 2016, he and his wife discovered their business had a profitability problem.
“We were selling homes, but we weren’t making money. Our lead generation and nurture costs were too high,” he explained.
That’s when he tore everything down and rebuilt it with one goal: reduce acquisition cost and boost conversion through efficient, repeatable strategies. Open houses became a core part of that system.
The secret is in the setup
Once a listing is secured, Ries and his team skip the standard “just listed” and “open house” posts on social media. These posts and promotions are driven by educational short-form content. They identify unique or compelling aspects of the home and create videos around those features. They also tell stories about the different rooms and features and how the current family enjoys these areas of the home.
These videos serve two purposes:
- They boost listing exposure by aligning with keyword-driven, SEO-style content.
- They promote the home, and in turn the open house, in a more engaging, curiosity-piquing way.
Targeted marketing with social science
Every post and video is created based on Google keyword research. That ensures the messaging resonates with what people in that market are actually searching for. Social platforms are chosen based on where the ideal buyer is most likely to engage — whether that’s YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or another channel.
Ries avoids trends or “viral” styles and instead focuses on lasting visibility through search. Google keyword research can be extensive, but an easy way to identify what people are searching for is to go to the Google search bar and type in [Your City] home features and benefits.
Once you press search, Google now provides an AI overview of the most desirable features and benefits for your area. The list of desirable features and benefits provides a simple way to identify the features you should highlight in your social content and promotion of the home.
The neighborhood packet
Before the open house, Ries assembles a “neighborhood packet” that includes:
- An MLS sheet with the home’s specs
- QR codes to the educational videos created about the home and the neighborhood
- Local stats and seller-friendly insights
These packets are distributed while door-knocking in the area prior to the open house. The goal is to drive traffic to the open house and also build curiosity and seller leads.
If they are too busy to door-knock the neighborhood, they send the packet as a mailer (with those same QR codes). This helps get better reach than traditional open house flyers.
Day-of: A high-tech, low-pressure experience
Ries uses QR codes throughout the house during the open. Each code links to a video explaining the amenity or room where the QR code is located. At the entrance, visitors find a table with the home info flyer, the neighborhood packet and a buyer’s guide.
Ries never forces people to sign in. Instead, he positions himself in the kitchen and lets visitors tour at their own pace. If it feels natural, he offers to text or email a video version of the buyer’s guide or the home’s details.
Tools and tactics that elevate the experience
Ries emphasizes branding consistency across QR codes, packets and social media.
He recommends:
- Using the same headshot and style across materials
- Including platform logos (YouTube, Instagram) next to QR codes to boost click-through rates
- Leveraging pattern interrupts, such as unusual signs or offers, to draw attention
He also uses social platforms as digital resumes. “The content we drive them to should prove what we promise. It shows we’re out there, actively doing the work.”
The follow-up most agents skip
After the open house, Ries doesn’t just debrief with the seller — he has a system for following up with the prospects that visited the home, utilizing Instagram’s connection to your contact list to drive prospect awareness of him. Instagram has stated that when you connect your Instagram account to your mobile device’s contact list, it will use your contacts to help you connect with people on Instagram in that list.
Ries said the first thing he does after the open house is that he adds the prospect to his contact list, including their phone number and email address. He then follows the prospect on social media. He utilizes a video text the afternoon after the open house to thank the prospects for attending, including a contact card they can save.
If he hasn’t heard from the prospects within three days after the open house, he follows up with a phone call. He stated they often tell him that ever since the open house, they have been seeing all his posts on social media, which he credits to this process.
After-the-sale neighborhood follow-up
Once the home is sold, he revisits the neighborhood. He door-knocks the neighborhood again with details about the sale, along with a seller’s guide. This compounds his efforts from the original open house and creates brand awareness for him and his team as neighborhood experts.
A system that converts
Ries’s open house system solves multiple problems. It gives agents a way to generate buyer leads affordably. It enhances seller marketing with modern tools, and it provides tangible proof of value during listing presentations.
Whether you’re in a hot market or a slow one, this process works. And for agents or team leaders struggling with profitability, it might be the refresh they didn’t know they needed.
You can connect with Josh Ries on Instagram or on TikTok.
