Real Estate Marketing with Direct Mail Advertising
Real Estate Direct Mail needs a problem-solving message to a targeted audience.
The Real Estate market has broken loose recently during COVID-19. I was in the market to purchase a home, and have found it to be a “sellers market”. Most of the homes we were interested in became pending very quickly.
We became more proactive. The house we ended up buying put us in a 3-way bidding war, our bid was within the first 9 hours of being on the market, winning the bid on their terms.
The market is full of real estate agents, it’s the perfect time for realtors to step up their game.
Direct Mail, with the use of a targeted mailing list, can be very beneficial. Here are some great tips to target the right audience with the right message, at the right time.
TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE
Find your audience.
Without a targeted audience and message, you don’t have a direct mail campaign.
To discover your ideal recipient, ask yourself these questions:
Do you want to target home buyers or home sellers?
Do you want to target high or low-income housing?
What is your desired end result, to get leads, or to build awareness?
Determine your ideal target area with that information in mind. Remember, you want to find the problem you are trying to solve for those you serve. Every message should target that audience.
TIME YOUR MAIL CORRECTLY
Any great salesperson will tell you that timing is everything. In real estate, timing is dire.
The Real Estate Trends report a low housing inventory in the past few years, home prices increased and many home buyers were caught in bidding wars like we were. It is predicted that one in four offers will face bidding wars in 2020. Baby Boomers are expected to decide to downsize or find a home with less stairs, or a place with less maintenance.
Because the year 2020 is so unprecedented, it’s hard to look at stats from previous years to gage the best time of the year to advertise. But typically, May through August appear to be the months that spike in house sales. People do tend to sell more houses during the Spring to Fall months whether than winter months. There is no joy in moving during a snow storm. It’s better to research your own market to find the best timing for your campaign.
Keeping your brand in front of potential clients frequently, even if you just drop a postcard during the holidays to remind people that you are a friendly realtor in their area, is a good practice. During the seasons spring through fall, send direct mail with targeted offers to call for action in those months they are most likely to respond.
HOW FREQUENT SHOULD YOUR MAILINGS BE?
You don’t want to be annoying, but you don’t want to miss an opportunity. Choosing the best frequency is a matter of testing through trial and error, although not always the most efficient.
A good rule of direct mail frequency is mailing once a month. Commit to it, relentlessly hitting your due dates.
DESIGN WITH PURPOSE
When the mailbox is full of different size cards and envelopes, you need to have an eye-catching piece that will make the receiver stop and read what you have to say.
Your only goal is to catch the eye of the intended audience. Grab their attention. That is why determining the best message has become so relevant. Don’t drag people along a path they don’t want to go. You could miss that great potential sale.
Don’t overcrowd your design, leave white space, and give the eye an easy path to read the important points of your message.
A quick description for best practices in design: choose an easy to read font, a short explanation of what the interested receiver can do (the action), and consult a graphic designer on how to put all the pieces together to grab attention to the main message. It’s worth the investment to get a professional opinion.
If you need help in Direct Mail marketing and design, PPS graphic designers are available for consultation.
BE HONEST & CONSISTENT
The temptation to submit to scheming marketing tactics falls on many. But don’t do it. In the end, it will only make your open, response, and conversion rates fall lower than they were before. Some have used yellow paper with large reverses to bring attention as if a legal paper for the wrong reason. Using words like “Urgent Message” as a headline comes off deceptive. Stay trustworthy and honest in your marketing. Straight-forward and friendly will bring a better response.
The importance of marketing is consistency. Find your branding, your “look,” and stick to the same fonts and colors to be recognized in your overall advertising. Decide on the direct mail frequency and stick to it. Your goal is to remind people that you exist, and find the right audience and the right message for your product.
FOLLOW UP AND READ THE DATA
When the mail goes out, be responsive. Follow up with social media to reinforce your message, and make sure your website is working properly. Keep the phone close to respond to calls, and your email easily accessible. There is nothing more discouraging than reading a sweet piece of mail, contacting the number on the card, and not hearing back for a week or so. Be prompt.
IN FOR THE LONG RUN
As in all marketing, don’t expect huge results if you send one – and done, as they say. Be in for the long haul, spend time creating a marketing plan, timing, design, message, list updating and good follow-up.
OMNI MARKETING
Direct Mail and Social Media Advertising can compliment each other. Using the same message and image on the postcard or letter mailer as the image on the social media ads can benefit when stratigically launched at the same time. If you want to learn more about using both medias in your campaign, and using your own personal dashboard to follow the delivery and demographics – read more on the here.
PPS offers direct mail solutions for over 1,500 businesses and nonprofit organizations in Amarillo and Lubbock. From first-class presort services to fully designed and printed direct mail campaigns, we do it all.
