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Thursday, May 9, 2024

direct mail marketing

    Over the past few years, direct mail real estate marketing has seen a resurgence. Experts chalk it up to the overuse of email marketing, but direct mail outperforms most digital marketing tactics, according to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA).

    Direct mail marketing’s “response rate ranges from about five to nine times greater than that of email, paid search, or social media,” according to the pros at datatargetingsolutions.com.

    Pretty impressive, right? Yet, at least in the real estate industry, it’s still not utilized like it could be.

    This leaves the door open for agents seeking an additional marketing vehicle and a way to stand out.

    Niche real estate postcards

    A few years ago, scientists at Temple University’s Fox School of Business Center for Neural Decision-Making teamed up with the Postal Service to study the circumstances under which email or direct mail was more effective.

    Postcards were more effective in five of the nine tests performed.

    The most popular postcard agents are familiar with are the time-tested Just Listed and Just Sold postcards, which are still highly effective. To stand out further in this market, consider a local market update on the postcard back or a QR code leading to a valuable direct response flyer opt-in.

    To think outside the postcard box, there are a multitude of real estate niches that you can drill down and focus on to stir up interest.

    Some popular niches include baby boomers, high-income renters, expired, absentee owners, FSBOs, move-up markets, and investors. The more obscure niches include divorce, foreclosure, estate sale, and notice of default.

    ProspectsPLUS! has postcard designs available in all of the niches listed above, already done for you with the perfect message for the niche market.

    Education Direct Response Reports

    Direct response reports are a great educational tool, filled with valuable information homeowners appreciate.

    You can share them on social media as a “free offer”, include them in your email newsletter as a free offer, add them to your website as an opt-in in exchange for an email address, or add them to your listing presentation folder and pre-listing packet.

    Personally branded agent magazines

    Consider a personally branded agent magazine to level up your real estate presence in a way that few agents do. Homes & Life Magazine is a done-for-you magazine with rich, full-color content.

    It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles, and engaging lifestyle content, and costs less to send out than a greeting card!

    Sphere or farm scheduled postcard campaign

    When clients need a real estate agent, it pays to have an easily recognizable name at their fingertips. But coming up with fresh, eye-catching content and sticking to a regular schedule of sending this content out is incredibly time-consuming.

    A scheduled, recurring postcard campaign is the easiest way to maintain brand exposure and stay relevant while freeing time for more high-level tasks.

    According to Lenskold Group, 78% of marketers reported that marketing automation increased revenue.

    And 75% of brands saw a return on investment within 12 months due to using automated marketing campaigns (Focus Research study).

    Launching a scheduled marketing campaign is the best way to make every moment count in your business, raise your brand profile, and stay relevant.

    ProspectsPLUS! offers over 40 scheduled postcard campaigns, including sphere, farm, renters, absentee owners, holiday, and other niche markets.

    PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

    1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

    Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

    2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

    3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

    The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your goals.   – Click Here

    4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

    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

      Real estate agents are always looking for ways to increase their exposure and generate leads. One effective marketing strategy that has stood the test of time is sending Just Listed and Just Sold postcards.

      If you’re wondering why even the highest-producing agents still spend time on this marketing tactic, read on.

      Five Reasons Why Smart Real Estate Agents Continually Send Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards:
      Builds brand awareness

      Just Listed and Just Sold postcards are an excellent way to build brand awareness. By sending regular updates on your recent listings and sales, you remind potential clients of your expertise in the field. This can help you stand out in a crowded market and increase the likelihood that clients will choose you over competitors.

      Even if you don’t have any current listings or solds of your own, you can still send a postcard announcing to your farm or targeted neighborhood what property was just sold or just listed in the area.

      Or highlight a property listed or sold by someone in your office. This can still trigger inbound leads for you.

      Targets potential clients

      Sending postcards to a targeted audience can help you reach potential clients looking to buy or sell a property. You can purchase mailing lists segmented by location, income, and occupation, making it easy to target your ideal demographic.

      Creates a personal touch

      In today’s digital age, getting lost in the noise of email and social media is easy. By sending a physical postcard, you can create a personal touch that sets you apart from competitors. A postcard is tangible, and people are more likely to remember it than an email or a social media post.

      And I often hear of agents who show up to a listing appointment and are shown the collection of their postcard mailings that have been kept by the homeowner.

      It’s cost-effective marketing

      Compared to other forms of marketing, sending postcards is a relatively inexpensive and fast way to get in front of prospects in your market. This makes it an affordable way to reach potential clients and generate leads.

      Generates referrals

      Just Listed and Just Sold postcards can generate referrals from your existing clients. When people receive your postcard, they may share it with friends or family members who are interested in buying or selling a property. This can help you generate leads without having to do any additional marketing.

      Bottom line

      Just Listed and Just Sold postcards are a highly effective marketing strategy that has been proven effective time and time again.

      By sending regular real estate activity updates to potential clients, you can build brand awareness, target your ideal demographic, create a personal, tangible touch, and generate referrals.

      If you’re a real estate agent looking to increase your exposure and generate leads, consider adding Just Listed and Just Sold postcards to your marketing strategy.

      PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

      1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

      Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

      Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


      2. 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 and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

      3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

      The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

      4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

      The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

      5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

      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

        Debbie’s recent Just Sold postcard is shown above. To see more Just Sold Series postcards, Click Here.

        Congratulations Debbie Haehnle on winning this week’s contest!

        Debbie had the following words to say about her success sending marketing out from ProspectsPLUS!,

        “ProspectsPLUS! is so user-friendly! I have been sending postcards and my office sends postcards on my behalf on my listings. I also use the newsletter for social media. The products are great quality and I have received very positive feedback from my SOI! I am considering starting a monthly campaign. Thanks for making my marketing a bit easier and quicker!!”

        -Debbie Haehnle

        Debbie, thank you for your wonderful feedback! Reach out if you need help launching your scheduled campaign. It’s so easy and a huge time saver.

        Don’t Forget to Enter For Your Chance to Win a $125 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card! (see how below)*
        What Can You Do With a $125 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card? Here are 5 Things:
        • Launch and pay for the first month of a Sphere or Farm Scheduled Campaign consisting of 130 jumbo postcards.
        • Send 130 jumbo Just Listed or Just Sold Postcard to a radius surrounding your listing.
        • Send 130 Jumbo Get More Listings postcards to an area where you want more listings.
        • Create a niche prospect list (empty nesters, move-up market, etc.) and send a mailing of 130 jumbo postcards.

        HOW TO ENTER: Just leave a review regarding how using marketing from ProspectsPLUS! has impacted your business, and you’re automatically entered into our next contest.

        Leave a review on Google, HERE.
        Leave a review on Facebook, HERE.

        *If you’ve already entered our contest in the past and haven’t won, you don’t need to enter again. Your entry remains valid and you still have a chance to win.

        Don’t forget to watch out for next Friday’s email announcing the weekly winner!

        Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you in your success.

        We’re here to support you.

        Your ProspectsPLUS! Team

        PLUS: When you have time…below are some helpful tools to support your success.

        1. 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 Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

        2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

        The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

        4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

        This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

        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

        The Take a Listing Today Podcast

          Before you launch your next direct mail marketing campaign, make sure to add these rules to your list of must-do’s.

          Rule #1 Provide a Compelling Call-to-Action

          Retailers have an easy time with calls-to-action. Offering a percentage off, free shipping, or buy-one, get-one-free are all popular examples.

          What about real estate agents though? What kind of call-to-action can you provide that might compel a recipient of your postcard to contact you for more information?

          The following are a few examples that are attention-getting and have the potential to engage homeowners and get them requesting more information.

          • Free Downsizing Review and Strategy
          • Free Home Equity Analysis
          • Free Vacant Home Sales Strategy
          • Free Home Price Analysis

          The Call to Action Series of postcards is shown above. To learn more about sending a one-time mailing, Click Here. To learn more about sending a recurring campaign, Click Here.

          Keep in mind, however; the number of hoops you force your prospects to jump through to take advantage of these offers does impact the response rate, according to Bob McCarthy at DMNews.com. The more they have to do to receive that offer, the lower the response rate.

          Rule #2 Utilize Standout Designs

          “One strategy we use to get our highest response rates is to make the call-to-action the centerpiece of the direct mail piece,” McCarthy claims.

          Whether you choose to include an image representing the free offer or use text to describe it, mention it boldly and repeatedly. Your message (its length and graphic requirements) determines the size and style of the medium.

          Plan on keeping it plain and simple? A standard-sized postcard may do the trick, although jumbo, panoramic, and mega-sized postcards stand out in mailboxes, which makes for a genuinely lasting impression.

          If it is graphics-heavy and you include substantial copy, using one of the larger postcard sizes (jumbo or panoramic) becomes even more important.

          Choose a font that is easy to scan as people sift through their mail. As direct mail experts, we recommend using a sans serif font, such as Arial, rather than Times New Roman or another serif font.

          Consider varying the font size throughout the text. For example, you can highlight important items with a larger version of the font you choose.

          Additional design tips to keep in mind include ensuring your headline is bold and compelling, yet short and specific. Use lots of white space to make the piece appear to be easily digestible.

          Subheadings are important, as they help guide the reader through the text.

          Don’t forget to use high-resolution photographs, and avoid placing text over photos. Last note, ensure that your call-to-action stands out and that your contact information is easy to find.

          Rule #3 Track Your Results

          Tracking your results is vital to long-term marketing success.

          In fact, the only way to continue to improve your marketing results, and achieve a higher ROI, is to understand what has worked and hasn’t worked in the past.

          Of course, the easiest way to track your marketing is to make it a habit of asking each person who calls how they heard about you.

          Another way is to make your free offer unique for easy tracking. When you receive incoming calls you will know immediately what marketing piece inspired their call based on the offer they inquire about.

          One more popular method used by agents is to create a dedicated landing page on your website. The URL should be unique to the campaign, so you are able to learn your exact response rate (number of responses divided by the total number of pieces sent).

          Marketing experts vary when quoting an “average response rate” for direct mail.

          The most recent figure puts it at 9%. How close or far you are from that figure depends on how closely you follow the guidelines outlined above.

          PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

          1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

          Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine, with rich, full-color content, and a sharp, professional esthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts, combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

          Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and, it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


          2. 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 Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

          3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

          The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes, but it is a business building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

          4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

          The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

          5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

          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 Take a Listing Today Podcast

          Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

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