Hosting a fall open house is the perfect opportunity to showcase what your institution offers and leave a lasting impression on prospective students, parents, and other influential community members. But how do you make your event truly stand out? The answer lies in the details — specifically, in the branded products that can add a personal and memorable touch to your event!
From custom giveaways to creatively branded décor, branded promo products and kits can enhance your guests’ experience and reinforce your school’s identity and values. In this blog, we'll show you how the right branded products can turn your fall open house into a memorable event that inspires students to apply early.
Why Open House Tours Are So Important
Here are five key reasons why open house weekends and tours are important for colleges in the fall:
1. First impressions matter! Fall open houses offer prospective students and families their first in-person experience of the campus, giving your college the chance to showcase your facilities, culture, and community in the best light before application deadlines.
2. Build personal connections in a single weekend. Tours and events allow potential students to engage with current students, faculty, and admissions staff, helping them feel more connected and informed about the school, which can significantly influence their decision to apply or enroll.
3. Show off campus life to the fullest. Fall is the perfect time to highlight your vibrant campus environment, with students back in classes and campus activities in full swing, showing prospective students what their day-to-day life could look like.
4. Answer prospective students’ questions in real-time. An open house allows for immediate, face-to-face Q&A sessions, helping prospective students get personalized answers to questions about programs, financial aid, housing, and campus life and reducing uncertainty.
5. Inspire students to apply early. Seeing the campus in person can motivate students to apply. By immersing themselves in the college environment and envisioning themselves there, prospective students may feel more confident about choosing your institution over others on their shortlist.
9 Ways to Connect With Prospective Students Fast
When prospective students and their families visit your campus, you have a short window of time to convince them that your college is the best fit for them. You can make a bigger impact by creating an emotional connection with them using branded gifts and kits. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing if you want to try something new this year.
1. Welcome Kits for Students and Parents
Create a branded Welcome to Campus kit, including a college-branded tote bag, water bottle, campus map, and a pen. Add a small notebook for taking notes during presentations or tours!
2. School Spirit Stickers and Decals
Provide prospective students with a set of branded stickers or decals featuring your college logo, mascot, and fun slogans. Your guests can place these stickers on their laptops, water bottles, or notebooks, showing off their school pride and feeling more connected to the campus after their visit.
3. Campus Ambassador Swag
Give campus ambassadors or tour guides branded t-shirts, lanyards, or hats that reflect your school pride. Prospective students can receive similar branded items, like a limited-edition keychain or lapel pin, making them feel like a part of the campus community even after they’ve gone home.
4. Custom Campus Survival Kits
Could you offer prospective students a Campus Survival Kit with practical items like branded hand sanitizer, lip balm, a reusable straw, and a power bank? These small essentials can help students feel prepared for the day and give them a lasting impression of your school’s attention to detail.
5. Branded Dorm Room Décor
Offer prospective students a taste of campus life with branded dorm room décor, such as college-themed posters, pennants, or wall flags. These items add a personal touch to their future living space and serve as a fun reminder of their visit and a preview of their potential new home for the next four years.
6. Photo Station With Branded Props
Set up a photo station with branded props like foam fingers, pennants, and mascot cutouts. As visitors snap photos for social media, offer them a branded phone wallet or PopSocket to remind them of your college every time they use their phone.
7. Branded Tech Essentials for Prospective Students and Parents
Provide young people and their parents with a practical Tech Kit featuring branded earbuds, a phone charger, and a portable power bank with the college logo. These are functional and keep your brand at the forefront of your mind!
8. Interactive Campus Tour Bingo
Create a branded bingo card with landmarks and key tour stops. When visitors complete the bingo, they can redeem it for a branded prize like a hoodie, t-shirt, or coffee tumbler. This fun idea engages prospective students in the tour and leaves them with a memorable keepsake!
9. Eco-Friendly Goodies
If you want to emphasize that message, offer branded, eco-friendly products like reusable snack bags, bamboo utensils, or stainless steel water bottles that tie into the college’s sustainability initiatives. This promotes your values and gives visitors items they can use long after the event
Enhance Your Open House Experience With Branded Merch From Campus Stop
Campus Stop offers a wide range of promotional items and branded apparel to make your college's open-house tours memorable and engaging. Our creative team delivers top-notch customer service, competitive pricing, and award-winning designs explicitly tailored for colleges and universities.
From personalized campus gear to event-specific giveaways, Campus Stop provides branded merchandise that leaves a lasting impression on prospective students and their families. We understand the unique needs of open house events, ensuring that our products help build school spirit and create meaningful connections.
Visit us at www.campusstop.com or email us at sales@campusstop.com to discover how Campus Stop can elevate your college's open house experience with our exceptional promotional items and branded apparel.
