Workshop open days: turning visitors into members

Open days are the best recruiting tool a makerspace has. People walk in, smell the sawdust, watch someone laser-cut a wedding sign and suddenly want to join. The trick is staying in touch once they walk out.

Use sign-ups, even for free events

Ask visitors to register for a time slot. It spreads people across the day so hosts aren't swamped at eleven o'clock, and it gives you a list of interested people afterwards, with their consent.

Give them one next step

Don't send visitors a brochure. Invite them to book a beginner induction or a taster class. Spaces that do this see far more visitors come back than those that send a general newsletter.

Follow up within a week

• A thank-you note the same evening
• A reminder about the taster class three days later
• Nothing after that unless they ask

Tidewell's event sign-ups can handle all of this, including the follow-up messages. If you're planning a spring open day, now is a good time to set it up.