When I think to what brings people to our house, an out of the way, dimly lit, hard to find shabby mansion where some street signs are not even visible to find the place, I would have to say it's the one on one personal invite, communication that is as human as possible. There's our mailing list which does next to nil as far as bringing people in, and there's facebook which does an excellent job in putting an image in peoples mind so they're a little less timid about coming. But both of this technological blasts are so impersonal. Most of the responses I get from the mass emails are "please take me off your list, I've moved to a different part of the country." What actually brings people to our house is the one on one personal invite. Often, I'll be down on Lakeshore Avenue, one of the most charming streets of Oakland right by our house, and run into people I went to school with or recently met. Inviting them on the spot puts a personal touch on their connection to the house. People want to feel special, like there the only one being invited, while at the same time knowing there's a crowd of people waiting for them when they get there.
-Before an event I like to compile a short list of the people I met that month and make a personal call to those who are in the area. It seems so simple but it has such a good response, especially when compared to email. People who I just met want to come to my house because I'm welcoming them into my home for the first time. "Plus," I tell them, "there will be lamb."
-Also, as a 7+ house there's always another event right around the corner, which is why i do block invites. A block invite is simply having the next event in your back pocket ready for when the person your inviting inevitably says they already have plans. Invite them for the next event or the event after that. Once you have them on the phone or in person you want to lock them in for a date they can commit to. A date with destiny...
Joshua Walters, MH Oakland
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