Why Realtors Need to Market to Professional Referral Sources
Direct Mail Marketing
Direct mail marketing has been around for a very long time. Pretty much since the postal service has been doing their job. It was the main medium to get a message or advertisement to the front steps and into the hands of the consumer. In many ways it can still be very effective to get a message to a target client. The issues? There are several and Real Estate agents are notorius or making these mistakes then saying that sending out Diret Mail doesn’t work and is very expensive. You might be suprised reading this since I am also the guy that wrote about how to Farm your Subdivsion without using postcards. Ha ha…yes you can Farm your subdivision that way and WIN, but most agents don’t and won’t. In this blog we will cover how to best use Direct Mail Marketing in your Real Estate business and how you can cut down your costs by “target marketing” vs a shotgun approach, and also something called the EDDM Program.
Are you on Target with the right Data?
Before any Real Estate agent decides to send out direct mail to a Farming subdivision, Short Sale candidates, Renters, etc, they need to get a plan together. Who is your end client? What is your targeted message saying? Where are you sending them to get more information about YOU and what you represent? All of these questions should be answered. If not…you are more than likely shooting from the hip…or “shotgunning.”
Story time…a few weeks ago I received a postcard from a Realtor in the mail. The postcard asked if 2014 was the year I make a move and sell my house. The postcard was nice…but a lot of generic messages and no real call to action. I’m telling you this because I bought a house in October 2013. I just BOUGHT! Why was this Realtor sending me this generic message asking me to sell? Waste…of…money.
You need to have a targeted approach to WHOM you are trying to read your message. Here is an example of what a farm list should look like vs marketing to the entire farm:
- Homeowners who have lived there 3yrs-15yrs
- Equity Owners vs Short Sale Candidates
- Owner Occupied vs Non-Owner Occupied
- Homeowners 85% LTV (Loan to Value) and better
- How many homes SOLD in the last 24 months?
See…how finding out this information ahead of time would be helpful in crafting a message…a specific message? Then where are you sending these people for more information? Yep…your Real Estate website that has all the information the people you are mailing to can get the answers they need AND learn more about you and your value. Or…perhaps they can be driven to a VIDEO like this one:
Two Programs you MUST Use for Direct Mail Marketing
1. Corefact
This program is awesome! Yes…I’m directing you off my website…but don’t click the link yet. www.corefact.com. This program allows you to send out direct mail to a specific list and it notifies you WHO opens your mail. Yes, you heard that right. How though? Corefact takes each postcard and it codes each one with a widget. So each card is linked to a property. It then directs the homeowner to go to generic landing page site and to put in the “Key Code” for a free home estimate or other good information. When the homeowner does this it then prompts their name and email/phone number. When they put this in, YOU get an email with the person’s full contact information and that they want a Free CMA, etc. It is all about Lead Capture and then it is up to you to convert that lead to a sale. Cool right?
2. EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)
Using EDDM is a must in direct mail marketing in Real Estate. This is program is set up by the Postal Service and it allows you to mail to “Carrier Routes” within subdivision or areas so that you can save money on your mail and also target market properties? How does it work? Watch this great video from my buddy Stephen Garner over at MyTitleGuy:
Need Help with your Real Estate Marketing?
I hope that this was helpful to your business? At Stewart Title in Northern VA and Washington DC we can provide you the data that you need to help target market these homeowners. All you have to do is fill out the form below and I will contact you shortly. If your Title Company isn’t helping you grow your business…give them the boot and let’s chat!
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DCTitleGuy
Director of Sales/Marketing at Stewart Title
My name is Wade Vander Molen and I am the Director of Sales and Marketing for Stewart Title in Northern Virginia/Washington DC.I work with Real Estate agents and Mortgage Lenders helping them grow their business with Outbound and Inbound marketing strategies. If you wish to meet and set up an appointment call me at 480-203-6452 or email at wvander@stewart.com
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