As with most things in life, you need to put your best foot forward if you want to obtain the best results. An open house is no different. You have to put your best foot forward if you want to secure and lock down offers from prospective clients and leads for your own business.

You’ve managed to get the listing and drum up a little success, but the open house is a chance to show your clients why they chose you as their agent and to show potential buyers why they need to buy this house. Whether you have a few people who show up or a horde of people running through the house, it only takes one person to make the open house a success—you.

So, if you’re going to make the open house successful, here are some key pieces of advice:

1. Curb Appeal Matters

If the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location, the fourth most important thing is curb appeal. When prospective buyers pull up to the house, you want them to feel like it is even more amazing than the photos they saw on Zillow or realtor.com. To do that, make sure the yard looks recently cut, remove any noticeable weeds, have your sellers plant a few flowers or get some potted plants to place by the front door. You should also keep cars out of the driveway. In the same way you’ll declutter the inside of the house, declutter the outside. Give buyers a canvas to see the life they want to make in that house.

1. It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts

Sure, looks matter, but cleanliness is next to godliness. Hire cleaners to clean every nook and cranny, and hire professional renovators to fix and smooth over minor cracks and other unsightly features. Tidy up any clutter or mess, organize furniture so it looks cohesive, and replace old dimming bulbs with new bright ones.

Another good tip here would be to open the curtains and blinds to make the house looks airy, bright, and spacious.

1. Gracious Host

Hosting an open house is not unlike hosting a party. The only difference is you are hosting a party for potential homebuyers. You want as many of them to make offers.

Bring the energy. Practice your smile and charm and welcome everyone who walks through the door so they can feel your passion for the house. That can be through jokes or interesting anecdotes about the house and its features or guided tours and answering any and all questions.

If you are warm, open, and inviting, then people will be more responsive to you.

You can also consider setting up a table with some light snacks and refreshments, which will really go over well and seal the deal in many cases. It is all about putting on a show. Plus it’s a good place to have prospective buyers check-in and out of the open house through an open house app or website.

1. Sell

Amid the theater of putting your best foot forward and providing cookies and water, you still need to sell. Make sure you know the key talking points of the house and the neighborhood. One good way to do this is to go over your pitch with the sellers beforehand so you know which features you will play up and how you’d do so.

Be courteous but assertive, firm and decisive. You want the audience to be compelled by your pitch for the house and to be convinced by your extolling its features and qualities.

1. Use Tech to Make Follow-Up Easier

Incorporating technology will not only significantly increase your chances of making a deal, but it will also make coordinating with buyers easier. If you use the right service, such as Offer to Close’s open house app (OTC Open House), you can learn which open house visitors are just local residents and which are serious prospects. You can also use this as a tool to show your clients how much value you are providing them as their agent. Finding the right open house tool to connect with prospective buyers will make all of your prep work pay off and increase the likelihood your open house results in an offer.