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2016 Lodge Open House

Benjamin Baxter

Moderator
Premium Member
So since every lodge in Texas will have an open house this year, are you or your lodges doing anything unique to make it a success? Are you planning anything extra to help draw a crowd? I mentioned this the last meeting of one of my lodges and I heard crickets chirping.


I would like to hear your thoughts or ideas that your lodge is planning.


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Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
We have had open houses this yr and last yr, we have 2 lodges located in the same building and that building shares the parking lot with the SR temple. What we did was in my lodge room which is the smaller of the two we had the OES set up and explain what they do, in the larger lodge room we had a lodge of friendship which explained some of the things that we do when opening and closing the lodge, had its own password that was given to all the visitors and then collected by the SD. Next door at the SR we gave tours of the building, explained the connection between the Blue lodge and SR and we also had a brief overview of the degree structure and hierarchy of the Rite. we advertised in the newspaper and local "zines" also were able to get on with the local talk radio.

We served sold hot dogs and frito pies. It was a great success.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Media is important and lot's of food !

We tap into Open Houses Melbourne http://www.openhousemelbourne.org/

We've done it for 3 years and showed our 1,000th visitor through the lodge room this year.

Being organised when people show up is important, but getting them there is just as important - think hard on how to do that.
  • Real Estate Company sponsored signs
  • Face Book promotion
  • Web sites
  • Using networks
  • Print Media (newspapers etc)
  • Historical Societies
  • Genealogical Societies
  • Letter box drop
Being part of OHM - we do not have to push the event hard - find something like that to use to promote your event..
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Ours has been successful due to the fact that the Scottish Rite temple is a huge draw. Its a giant pink(yes pink) building that was built in 1904. People know it has to do with "the Masons" but have never been inside so when they hear they can see what we do they are all over it

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Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
It was a big to-do for the Centennial, only slightly marred by the attempted coup and sale.
well not sure of you knew or not but that was finally taken care of last yr. Wes Thorton is now the Deputy to the SC and the building is no longer for sale!
 

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
I'd get a screen, projector and put together a nice video about Freemasonry. You could probably find one on youtube to use. Then I'd follow it up with information regarding your Lodge, what you do in the community and handout a FAQ along with contact info.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I'd get a screen, projector and put together a nice video about Freemasonry. You could probably find one on youtube to use. Then I'd follow it up with information regarding your Lodge, what you do in the community and handout a FAQ along with contact info.
Good idea... but also be cautious to add more value than people can get just from looking at a link... by far, the chance to talk to a "real live Freemason" is something which attracts the public. On the AV front , we run an overview of Freemasonry, but also maintenance projects on our building, we have displays, mannequins with regalia - a lodge set up in the dinning area (because we run a formal tour of the lodge room), pamphlets,

Don't kill me for the copy, but good hooks (targeted to an audience) are really important.. .the target below was people who wanted to look at buildnigs- but we have 4 men who are likely to become candidates from it.

~

Ever heard of that secret and mysterious group, The Freemasons? This is a chance to go inside one of their mysterious buildings which are scattered over Melbourne and indeed the globe. Completed in 1929, the Collingwood Masonic Centre is a two-storey, purpose-built Masonic hall with an operational Masonic lodge room upstairs. It is still proudly owned and used by the Freemasons, who are available during Open House Melbourne to talk to about their organisation and how the building is used. Hear how the Arts and Crafts style building is being restored and used in the 21st century as a local and enduring community asset. Hear its history and explanations of the building's furniture, fittings and design, and why the Freemasons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries moved from traditional meeting places of pubs into their own purpose-built structures. This building retains most of its original furniture and many original fittings, and is a time capsule to a bygone design and social era. Open House Melbourne provides a rare chance to tour the lodge room, and understand some of its rich symbolism and the history of this fraternity which was founded in 1717 and still operates today.

~
Media.. .you have to get into the right media, and if people are still reading the local paper, that's a good one.. but don't estimate the power of putting up some fliers on local community notice boards such as libraries and supermarkets.. and a promotional 6'x4' board on the property....
 

Benjamin Baxter

Moderator
Premium Member
I'd get a screen, projector and put together a nice video about Freemasonry. You could probably find one on youtube to use. Then I'd follow it up with information regarding your Lodge, what you do in the community and handout a FAQ along with contact info.

These are all great ideas. I will Donny best to get them in place for the next one.


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Benjamin Baxter

Moderator
Premium Member
Good idea... but also be cautious to add more value than people can get just from looking at a link... by far, the chance to talk to a "real live Freemason" is something which attracts the public. On the AV front , we run an overview of Freemasonry, but also maintenance projects on our building, we have displays, mannequins with regalia - a lodge set up in the dinning area (because we run a formal tour of the lodge room), pamphlets,

Don't kill me for the copy, but good hooks (targeted to an audience) are really important.. .the target below was people who wanted to look at buildnigs- but we have 4 men who are likely to become candidates from it.

~

Ever heard of that secret and mysterious group, The Freemasons? This is a chance to go inside one of their mysterious buildings which are scattered over Melbourne and indeed the globe. Completed in 1929, the Collingwood Masonic Centre is a two-storey, purpose-built Masonic hall with an operational Masonic lodge room upstairs. It is still proudly owned and used by the Freemasons, who are available during Open House Melbourne to talk to about their organisation and how the building is used. Hear how the Arts and Crafts style building is being restored and used in the 21st century as a local and enduring community asset. Hear its history and explanations of the building's furniture, fittings and design, and why the Freemasons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries moved from traditional meeting places of pubs into their own purpose-built structures. This building retains most of its original furniture and many original fittings, and is a time capsule to a bygone design and social era. Open House Melbourne provides a rare chance to tour the lodge room, and understand some of its rich symbolism and the history of this fraternity which was founded in 1717 and still operates today.

~
Media.. .you have to get into the right media, and if people are still reading the local paper, that's a good one.. but don't estimate the power of putting up some fliers on local community notice boards such as libraries and supermarkets.. and a promotional 6'x4' board on the property....

That's one way. I wish we had good media outlets nearby. The problem is they make it really expensive to advertise. The paper used to support us with free or cheap runs in it, bit it has been taken over by a group of papers that support a region. They don't support us that well anymore.


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Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I wish we had good media outlets nearby. The problem is they make it really expensive to advertise. The paper used to support us with free or cheap runs in it, bit it has been taken over by a group of papers that support a region. They don't support us that well anymore.
We have the same problem here. The print media seems to be dying, so all they think about is maximizing revenue while cutting costs.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
The print media seems to be dying,.
YUP! so use social media. There is an option on FB that allows you to pay a fee and they will "boost" your post so that more people see it and for a relatively low cost you can advertise on Facebook. This is also an option on Twitter, instagram and just about all the social media platforms.
 
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