By |Published On: August 3, 2016|

Now that you have a decent pile of in-market leads, it’s time to start your direct marketing. One popular method, which has worked for real estate agents for decades, is the direct mail postcard.

Unlike the postcard you sent your in-laws from Cancun, a lead-generating real estate  postcard has a far more significant purpose.

Namely, to mature the leads that you already have. A good postcard should turn your leads list from a cool, undeveloped state, into a list of warm buyers and sellers ready to take action.

Leverage Data

Depending on the nature of your approach, you may decide to use your postcards to target your current customer base. But you could also target an entirely new market.

In the first scenario, you’ll want to look at neighborhoods where you’ve done business and double-down your efforts.

In the second scenario, you’ll need to decide which new market to target. Many ambitious agents will direct the content, information, and location of their mailings to nearby neighborhoods with higher home values.

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Additional Types of Useful Data to Include on a Lead-Gen Postcard:

Homes for Sale in the Area:

This is a must for nearly every real-estate mailer under the sun. It pays to provide your target audience with a visual of the homes that are currently for sale in their neighborhood. 

Seeing is believing, as the saying goes, and a visual of what could be theirs can often seal the deal.

Typical Home Mortgage Payments:

This is a feature for more mid-level or entry-level homebuyers, but it can be very powerful.

Obviously, when quoting payments, you’ll need to have an asterisk and some fine print. Be sure to detail any relevant stipulations such as “pending qualified lender status” or any other factor that might change the estimated cost.

Brag-Stats about Your Network or Agency:

Is your agency a leader in homes sold? Does it have the most listings in your area? No matter what your strength, you’ll want to put it on the mailer.

Tell people what makes working with you better than going to the other agencies in town.

Positive Trends about the Greater Local Market:

Make sure your postcard has any local data or studies you can find in regards to your neighborhood’s housing market. Sometimes a change in taxes or an increase in home values is enough to get people wondering about their next house.

Other Must-Haves

People want to see who they’ll be doing business with. Get yourself gussied up, then take a current and attractive headshot of yourself. This image should ideally appear on both sides of your mailer.

Lastly, a call to action is perhaps the most important component of your mailer.

Not all of your customers will be able to read between the lines and find out what you are offering. That’s why it’s in your own best interest to make that clear to them. Are you asking them to call you? Or visit a website? Or to just stop by your office?

Your postcard has gotten your lead’s attention. It’s up to you to tell them what to do next. 

Is Your Direct Mail Campaign “Over the Hill”?

Find out if your direct mail is “up-to-date” on the latest response-boosting techniques. Download our free scorecard today!

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