Let us create a 3D eBook for you!
Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com

 

Real Estate Marketing, Do You Use Direct Mail?


Prospecting for leads is by far the most difficult part of being a Realtor or small business professional. In fact, lead development is by far the most expensive and time consuming aspect of your job. However, you level of success in lead development will determine if you succeed or fail as a real estate agent or small business professional.

So how do you develop leads? Well top selling professionals realize that they need to touch as many people as possible without spending a fortune or taking up a lot of their time. They also realize that they must make some form of contact with a prospect as many as eight times before that contact will even consider doing business with the professional. Many of these professionals use direct mail to recruit prospects, and direct mail tools to close their deals.

The fundamentals of direct mail are very simple. At is most basic level you are sending out message with an invitation for a prospect to contact you. The key is targeting your specific audience, and making your message stand out against all of the other junk mail that you prospects receive. In addition, you must expose your prospects to the message enough times to make them consider taking action.

The first step in creating a direct mail program is to determine where you are going to focus your message. What type of client are you specifically looking for? How old are they, what are their interests, fears, income levels, etc. With this type of very specific demographic information you can customize your message to invoke them to call you. Next, determine how many people you are going to send your message to and what geography you are going to focus on. Keep in mind that a direct mail piece with more than a 1% response rate is considered exceptional, and that statistically, post cards get more attention than envelopes in peoples mail boxes. Essentially this means that if you mail 500 pieces and you get five phone calls, you are doing exceptionably well.

After you know what your customer looks like and the area in which they live, create your marketing message. It should invoke emotion and request a response. The most effective messages offer something for free such as a free home report, assessment, or giveaway such as a software program or product. Other useful messages show what has just been listed and invite prospects to "cash in" on their rising home values.

Now that you have your message designed contact a local or internet based direct mailing list seller and rent a list of prospects addresses. You will be mailing to this list more than once so make sure you get repeat mailing discounts. All of these list brokers have test addresses in the lists they sell to make sure you only mail the agreed number of times. Many of these list sellers will offer mailing services as well, and some will even provide design and printing services. Companies such as PurePoscards.com and MailersClub.com are excellent resources to get both mailing lists and design services.

Use the design services as needed and remember that statistically, an enclosed letter with blue ink and a first class stamp will get the best response. Letters and postcards follow with lower responses. Regardless of the type of mail that you are sending, it is important to realize that you are hoping for at least a 1% response to your campaign.

Mail your message to the list and see what happens. Plan on mailing at least two more times to get your desired response, but feel free to modify the message and the medium. It is just important to provide your target customer with repetition so that they become used to your message and will consider doing business with you. It is through repetition and a message that stands out that you will get your client's attention and earn a response to your marketing.

Direct marketing is a very effective tool for realtors to grow their businesses. It can create a significant number of leads and a significant addition to your cash flow, However, direct mail must be done with proper planning and the right expectations for response. Never has a single one-time direct mailing been successful. Alternatively, real estate professionals who practice repetition in their direct mail and their marketing grow wealthy while they leave their competition behind.

About The Author

Barrett Niehus is a principal for IP Ware Real Estate Investment Software http://www.realtysoftware.org and a technical marketing specialist for Compound Solutions in Escondido, California.


MORE RESOURCES:

Real Estate - Google News

Real estate developer says he plans to make cash bid for Philadelphia's 2 ... - Washington Post


Real estate developer says he plans to make cash bid for Philadelphia's 2 ...
Washington Post
PHILADELPHIA — A wealthy real estate developer said Tuesday he and four partners plan to make an offer to buy the city's two largest newspapers, whose downtown offices he already owns. Bart Blatstein said he plans to pursue an acquisition of some or ...

and more »

UAE Banks Dip Back Into Real Estate - Wall Street Journal


Wall Street Journal

UAE Banks Dip Back Into Real Estate
Wall Street Journal
DUBAI—Banks in the United Arab Emirates are tiptoeing back into real-estate lending. As the region's economy improves and some sections of the real-estate market show signs of stability and growth, banks are cautiously beginning to lend again.

Real estate market rebounding - Park Record


Real estate market rebounding
Park Record
The Park City Board of REALTORS shut the book on the 2011 real estate market, releasing their annual report on last year's number of sales, sales prices and number of foreclosures. 2011 sales increased by a total of six percent from the year before ...
Real Estate Market Picks UpKIII TV3

all 2 news articles »

Alexandria Real Estate Q4 FFO Rises - Quick Facts - NASDAQ


Data Center Knowledge

Alexandria Real Estate Q4 FFO Rises - Quick Facts
NASDAQ
(RTTNews.com) - Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (ARE) Tuesday reported an increase in funds from operations for the fourth quarter, as revenues grew. Funds from operations, FFO, attributable to common stockholders for the quarter was $67.8 million ...
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year Ended ...MarketWatch (press release)
2011 Operating Results And Increased 2012 Guidance Announced By National ...Daily Markets (press release)
BRE Properties 4Q Net Soars As FFO ImprovesWall Street Journal
4-traders (press release) -RTT News -Business Wire (press release)
all 68 news articles »

Real Estate Weekly- What is a 203K Rehab Mortgage Loan? - Ukiah Daily Journal


Real Estate Weekly- What is a 203K Rehab Mortgage Loan?
Ukiah Daily Journal
By Deanna Parrish You find this great house that is in the perfect location, it's in a great school district, excellent floor plan and the yard you always wanted. It's the lowest price in the neighborhood. So what's not to like? It's a foreclosure.

and more »

REAL ESTATE: Refinancing expanding for Fannie/Freddie borrowers - Press-Enterprise


Los Angeles Times

REAL ESTATE: Refinancing expanding for Fannie/Freddie borrowers
Press-Enterprise
With the changes that are expected to make the program much more effective, the program is being called HARP II by those in the real estate and mortgage industries. Probably the most significant improvement is that it lifts the ceilings on the amount ...
US mortgage giant plans massive auction of foreclosure propertiesA Place in the Sun

all 140 news articles »

Real Estate Broker Sentenced for Tax Evasion - KSEE


KSEE

Real Estate Broker Sentenced for Tax Evasion
KSEE
According to court documents, Cortez was a real estate and mortgage broker who operated businesses in Fresno named Mortgage Express, Mortgage Express Inc., and Valley Investment Properties. Mortgage Express and Mortgage Express Inc., functioned as home ...
Fresno real estate broker sentenced for tax evasionFresno Business Journal

all 2 news articles »

Collins Joins Equity Office Properties in Boston as Regional Director - Citybizlist Real Estate


Citybizlist Real Estate

Collins Joins Equity Office Properties in Boston as Regional Director
Citybizlist Real Estate
Collins brings more than 15 years of experience in real estate investment management to this role. Formerly, Collins was a Director at Long Wharf Real Estate Partners and was involved in the group's asset management activities.
Sam Zell "Comes Clean" for Penton's National Real Estate Investor (nreionline.com)MarketWatch (press release)

all 5 news articles »

The Real Estate Book Helps Agents Go Mobile in Just Minutes With Free Online ... - MarketWatch (press release)


The Real Estate Book Helps Agents Go Mobile in Just Minutes With Free Online ...
MarketWatch (press release)
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA, Feb 07, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- With more and more consumers relying on mobile devices for local information, real estate professionals can no longer ignore this increasingly important channel when marketing properties.
The Real Estate Book Helps Agents Go MobileRisMedia.com (press release)

all 4 news articles »

So Eager to Get Foot in Real Estate's Door, They Work Without Pay - New York Times


New York Times

So Eager to Get Foot in Real Estate's Door, They Work Without Pay
New York Times
In past years, becoming a real estate agent was rarely a first-choice gig. For many people, it was a way to pay the bills while trying to break into another field. For some, it was a second career — or maybe a third or a fourth — tackled after the ...
Interns look to NYC brokerages for unpaid workThe Real Deal New York (blog)

all 2 news articles »

Click here for Best Buy In-Store Pickup

StreetSideAuto.com

Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?

My Life Through The Lens

List4Sale Domain Is For Sale - $10,000 For Enquiries eMail Us

© www.List4Sale.biz 2011

home | site map | links

eXTReMe Tracker