Tips for Hosting a Pie Day Event

As you can see, it’s getting a little chilly here in Tulsa, which gets us in the mood for planning our annual pie event. A lot goes into this event, so today I wanted to take you through it step by step to show you all the systems, checklists, and everything else we do for our Pie Day.

This is our third annual Pie Day. The first one was pretty small. We only invited the clients we had helped buy or sell a home to test it out. Last year, we gave out over 100 pies to our raving fans who share referrals and introductions with us regularly. This year, we’re opening it up to our entire database and we’re very excited.

To plan your own Pie Day, you’ll first need to pick a date. We’ve been having the best luck with the Sunday on the week before Thanksgiving. This year, that’s Sunday, November 24. On a Sunday afternoon, most people are free to swing by and pick up a free pie. Then you’re going to have a cute little sticker or some other kind of swag, which they’ll take to their Thanksgiving where you get to be the hero with the pie.

Next, make sure you pick a location. We’ve had ours at a local bakery and our local market center. This year, we’re actually doing it at a local caterer who happens to be my sister.

You’ll need to set up an Eventbrite link in order for people to RSVP. We usually just serve the pies on a first-come, first-serve basis instead of having them reserve a specific type of pie. We usually get our pies at Costco for a great price and a great pie.

We love giving back to our community, so we attach a non-profit to our event. Maybe your local Food Bank, or another great organization relating to the holiday needs of others. You can incorporate creating a video with the non-profit and share about all the good they are doing in the community. 

This year we are also adding in a Reverse BOLD 100 with a Thanksgiving meal giveaway, as we launch the Pie Day event. We’re asking for people to call in on a certain day to provide their contact information and they will be entered to win the drawing and also get a free pie!

Another video or email you might send out would be an announcement about the event. We typically send a postcard as well to all the people in our MET database. Then we call to confirm with those people on one day and another call the day after the event.

Our Pie Day theme this year is Fall Festival, so we’ll have some hot cider, cookies, and more for people when they come pick up their pies. It’s a family affair! 

One final note is to make sure you have a cutoff day for RSVPs so you can get the final number for the pies. Make sure you’re posting about the event on social media along the way, too!

If you have any questions for me about our Pie Day or about how you should be planning your own, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.