Top 9 Tips For Sending Real Estate Direct Mail
Surprisingly the real estate direct mail marketplace is not considered a heavily competitive. While this can sound like a great opportunity there is still some negatives: a large portion of recipients will end up throwing real estate direct mail away before even reading it. A glaring fact about direct mail is that the recipient will automatically assume you are trying to profit from them. In this case, real estate direct mail marketing has to get your message across in a clear and concise way. This will give you a higher chance of the recipient reading and even responding to your offer.
The main goal of real estate direct mail marketing is to target the right recipients at the opportune time with the perfect message. Here are 9 useful tips to give you the highest chances of achieving this:
- Targeting The Perfect Audience: Creating the perfect audience for your message means nothings if no one is listening. So you will want to take a moment and decide just who exactly your target audience is. Are you reaching out to prospective buyers or sellers? Are you targeting high-income or low-income housing? And finally, is your main goal to receive leads, or are you simply trying to build awareness for your services? Once you have all this information, then you will be able to target your perfect audience.
- The Right Time: Success in direct mail is directly tied to the predictable trends of real estate. Typically, the slowest months for real estate is November through the middle of February. A huge uptick tends to happen between March and June. Understanding when recipients will most likely need your services is crucial in determining when to start your real estate direct mail marketing campaign.
- Determining Frequency: One of the hardest things to determine in a direct mail campaign is the frequency of sending. It is important to find the perfect balance to avoid the recipients being overwhelmed, but you also do not want to send mail so infrequently that you miss an opportunity. Lucky for you we have a good rule of thumb: send direct mail once a month. During this time you can continue experimenting with different frequencies depending on your desired target and trends. For example, higher frequencies can be sent during the busiest months, while lower frequencies can be spread throughout the holiday season.
- Grabbing Your Audience: Remember you have to get your message across quickly and clearly. The ultimate goal of designing your direct mail is to catch the attention of your audience. Remember you will need to tailor your message to your specific target. If your message is too broad or too vague then the direct mailer will usually end up in the trash at first glance. For example, open with bold text declaring what exactly is you are offering. Use phrases such as “We Buy Houses” or “Sell Your Property With Maximum Exposure!” Make sure you present your message in an easy to read font, with eye-catching pictures and your full contact information.
- Precise Formatting: You should try to keep your direct mailer clear and fresh when it comes to design. You do not want to crowd your direct mail message with too much information. Think of it like a postcard – aesthetically pleasing and easy to read. Only include what services you offer, who you are, how to contact you easily, and a concise call-to-action if possible. Present your phone number, website, and email address; then, your direct mail message will be complete.
- Informational Backside: According to USPS, the average time someone spends reading mail is about half an hour. Once your message is clear to your recipient, a good strategy is to create an information backside that will intrigue them. This can be an event list of the cities happenings in the coming months, more information on the real estate market, or perhaps other services you can provide. This may help your direct mail be taken more seriously as you come across as someone who can provide them with a wealth of information.
- Present An Honest Message: A common mistake made in a real estate direct mail campaign is a dishonest message. Promises you can’t keep included in your message can only hurt your reputation and business in the long run. Be honest with your services and the state of the market. Try to avoid hooks like “Your House Will Be The Talk Of The Town!” or “Urgent Message: You Must Sell Now!” These qualify as dishonest as their house will not be the thing on everyone’s minds, and selling your services is not an urgent matter. While these types of messages can catch the attention of your target, they will quickly realize that your dishonesty is only a marketing ploy and dispose of your mail.
- Remain Consistent: When you are marketing anything it will require you to be consistent. The time it takes for one to see an advertisement then pull the trigger on a purchase can be between weeks to even months. In the case of real estate, this is all too true. Remain consistent with your marketing efforts. Determine perfect timing for your market and stick to it. Ultimately, your goal is to always be in your target audience’s mind, so when they do need to solve a problem, they know who to contact.
- Follow Up: Finally, once you do get contacted, remember to follow up quickly. Nothing is worse than needing someone, and they are not there to help you until weeks on end. A good first impression is to be prompt when a customer first presents their need for you. In turn, you will be realized as someone they will be able to trust. If you take too long, your customers will most likely lose interest and find another person to work with.
If you’d like to find out even more about how to avoid getting stuck in the dreaded “direct mail” rut, or if you have any additional questions about topics like graphic design or targeted mailing that you’d like to go over in a bit more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
