Low on Listings? How to Blaze a Trail of New Listings

What if I told you that sending out 200 marketing postcards for less than $150 (postage included) could potentially net you five new listings?

Barbara Todaro, a Franklin, MA agent, sent 200 Just Listed postcards to an area that surrounded her new listing and her mailing resulted in just that number – five new listings.

Todaro’s advice, “Never eliminate a method because it’s basic, those are often the best methods. The reality is, everyone reads their mail”. 

Yes, real estate postcard marketing has been around for a while. And, no, it’s not as innovative as digital marketing, but clearly – IT WORKS.

Left in the dust

We’ve definitely come a long way from the days of AOL dial-up connections to jet-propelled search engine rankings and the availability of real-time information.

It was a steep learning curve, but like most things in life, as agents became more tech-proficient, the demand for high-tech grew.

Unfortunately, along with this came new-fangled ideas regarding listing generation and conversion; that it should be quick and effortless. And, this false belief came at a price.

Old, yet highly effective marketing methods, were left in the dust by some agents, specifically the method with the longest history of success – direct mail marketing.

Snail mail? Guess again!

Direct mail outperforms email, social media, and all digital forms of marketing by 700 percent, according to research from the Data and Marketing Association (DMA).

In addition, the Marketing Sherpa survey showed that direct mail was the third most trusted form of marketing overall (behind magazines/newspapers and TV ads).

For comparison, search engine ads came in sixth and, at the bottom of the list? Online pop-up ads.

A customer of ours recently discussed his return to direct mail marketing, specifically Just Listed/Just Sold postcards, after spending some time away.

“My business was starting to be flat. I was still a top producer but where I used to have more listings than I did buyers, I now had twice as many buyers as I did listings”, Joe Cooper stated.

“I took a hard look at my business model and realized that it had been around two years since I’d used Just Listed/Just Sold postcards. I decided to start back up and see if it made a difference. Well, it has. Almost immediately, my listings have picked up!”.

Is farming a thing of the past?

In the past, most agents chose farm areas to target their best potential customers and direct mail marketing was the best way for them to reach these people. Guess what?

Direct mail marketing still is the best way to target your ideal customer.

Neighborhoods that are ripe for the picking include those that haven’t turned over in a while. Or you can choose to circle prospect and campaign in an area surrounding a recent listing or sale.

Your research into the right farm doesn’t stop with choosing your neighborhood; learning the area’s demographics (especially the average age and income of the residents) is vital to a successful campaign.

The easiest way to ensure you are targeting the right list is to source it using our targeted mailing list tools.

The postcard winners

So, which are the most effective postcards for real estate? By far, the top agents we’ve spoken with chose Just Listed/Just Sold postcards.

“We host monthly events at our office and invite local businesses and residents. When we send a Just Sold postcard, it includes an invitation message to the party,” states Laurie Laykish, Engle & Volkers.

Though the invite isn’t the focus of the card (the just-sold home is), “we have had at least 2 people from each drop of 200 cards that attend an event and sign up to buy or sell with us,” Laykish concludes.

A tip to keep in mind, nearly 15 percent of direct mail recipients who responded to a Marketing Sherpa survey say they often discard mailed pieces when they are “too focused on the company’s needs and not enough on their own.”

This is why it’s important to keep your postcard’s focus on what’s important to your target market. Detailing what’s in it for them will engage them far more than self-promotion.

If a year-round direct mail marketing strategy isn’t currently part of your plan – the time to change this is now.

Send a Multi-Photo Just Listed postcard to a radius around your new listing. Use the MapMyMail tool, from a desktop or laptop, to generate this list in minutes.

Need help targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Use our prospect list tools to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: When you have time…here are some helpful resources we’ve made available to support your success.

1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

Become branded in a specific neighborhood with a 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically each month to an exclusive carrier route. Watch this video to learn more or Click Here.

2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted prospecting lists including Baby Boomers, Empty Nesters, Investors, Lifestyle Interests, High-Income Renters, Move-Up Markets, and more. The Guide also defines done-for-you marketing campaigns to match these markets. –Click Here

3. The Free 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

7. The Free Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here