Direct Mail Advertising For Realtors
Real Estate Advertising Ideas – Video No. 2 of 4: Two things your real estate advertising must accomplish.
In Video No. 2 of our series we cover two things your advertising must accomplish. The video is only about 2.5 minutes long, so why not watch it now. As always we welcome your comments and suggestions.
Real Estate Advertising Ideas – Video No. 1 of 4: The Best Marketing Strategy for Realtors
This video training series: Real Estate Advertising Ideas, can benefit new and experienced Realtors.
Realtors often ask us what works best for a Postcard Mailing or Door Hanger Distribution. How many to mail or distribute, how often and what should the message be?
We have created this Video Training Series: Real Estate Advertising Ideas to answer the questions most frequently asked by Realtors. We will be releasing one each week beginning April 15, 2013.
Here is video number 1 of 4: THE BEST MARKETING STRATEGY. Please feel free to contact us with questions, comments or suggestions.
Real Estate Postcard Mailings Can Generate New Listings
When speaking to Realtors, they often ask me to reveal a few advertising secrets to help attract new listings. I give the same advice to new or experienced Real Estate Agents. Establish and then aggressively work a “Farm Area”.
A Real Estate Farm Area is a neighborhood, or in some cases several neighborhoods where a Realtor seeks to establish himself as the number one choice for Real Estate services. The best way to do that is to send a postcard mailing or conduct a door hanger distribution every month. Frequency is the key to success. For the same budget, it is far better to reach 1000 prospects 5 times than 5000 prospects once. Real Estate Postcard Mailings Can Generate New Listings.
The strategy of working a Farm Area is nothing new. Every agent starting out in the business usually starts with a basic Farm Area assigned by his or her broker. Every new agent is bound to make a few sales from friends or family. Then a few more sales from referrals. Then he’ll try to market around the last house he sold. This may or may not yield some results. Many of these sales may wind up outside his or her farm area. Before you know it, his marketing strategy becomes pretty fragmented.
Hit or miss marketing is not the way to increase sales and reduce stress. There are no silver bullets. Get back to the basics, work a specific farm area. Close every deal you can, but don’t lose sight of your primary territory.
The last few years have been brutal for the Real Estate Market. Honestly, the thought of a monthly advertising campaign in this market may seem a too optimistic or even scary to some agents. It’s difficult to spend advertising dollars when the results may be unpredictable. However, to be successful with any advertising, you need to be consistent. To be consistent, you are going to need a budget, even if it is a modest one. If your budget is limited, then adjust the size of your Farm Area to accommodate it. Make sure whatever you decide to spend is realistic and comfortable for your situation. The important thing is to stick with it.
Once the decision has been made to work a farm area, the next most popular question asked is “how many new listings do you think I’ll get if I mail “X” number of postcards? Here is my answer: “maybe none at first”. The look of disappointment and shock is usually the same. Why would you advertise knowing you might not get any results they wonder?
The truth is you can’t control when someone decides they are going to sell their house. However, you may be able to control whether or not they think of you when they make that decision. You can do that by creating a “Top of Mind Awareness” of you and your services, by sending a mailing or distributing door hangers once a month. So, even if you do not get any new listings, there are positive results. Homeowners in the neighborhood will begin to recognize you and your name.
With Real Estate Marketing, slow and steady wins the race. Momentum will build over time and the more successful you become, the more you can expand your farm area.
Direct Mail Advertising Ideas for Realtors
The success of a direct mail campaign is determined by a number of factors, starting with having a clear objective for the campaign. Once you have defined the goal of the campaign, the postcard must be designed to motivate the prospect to respond to your call to action, for example, come to your office, go to a website or call on the phone. We call this motivating offer “A Magnet”.
Here are a few Ideas and Magnets that have been used successfully by our clients. Use one or a combination, but do not over crowd the postcard with too much information. The postcard must pass “The Glance Test”, which means the reader will know what the card is about with just a passing glance. This can make the difference between getting noticed or being tossed out as junk mail.
- It is all about you!
When you are advertising your services, it is not the time to be modest. Selling Real Estate is a one on one, personal service. Include your photo and a brief resume. If you are new to the business, do not try to conceal it, let folks know that you are building a reputation and will work harder to get results. Include memberships in community organizations or church groups. If you live in the neighborhood you are targeting, be sure to mention it. - Use Mail Carrier Routes To Target Your “Farm Area”
Use mail carrier route maps to target your farm area. Direct mail is the best way to keep in front of new listing prospects. USPS Mail Carrier Routes can be mailed at the lowest postage rates and Carrier Route Maps are available to compare to your Farm Area. A smaller list, mailed frequently will yield the best results. Remember, your name needs to be “top of mind” when the decision to sell is made. The only way to do that is to mail on a regular basis. Be consistent and over time, the listings will come. Once you’ve built momentum, it’s time to expand that farm area. - Develop A Market Plan for New Listings And Give It A Name
Sure, most listings sell through the MLS. What other marketing activities do you include with your listing service? Open house, lawn signs, newspaper advertising, website, door hangers, etc. Make a list and present it as a results oriented marketing package. Make it even more special by giving it a name i.e. “The Exclusive, Bill Sullivan, Residential Real Estate, Marketing Plan”. - Use A Slogan To Help People Remember Your Name
Sometimes it may seem corny, but it works. i.e. “Selling Your Home? If You’re In A Hurry, Call Billy Murray!” - The FREE Market Analysis Offer
Everyone uses this offer, but perhaps a little rewording can make it more appealing, by targeting curiosity: “Find Out How Much You Neighbors House Sold For….You May Be Surprised!” - List The Houses You’ve Sold Recently. Don’t Have Any? You Can Still Make A List.
Put together a list of houses that have sold recently, including prices and a brief description. If they are not your listings, put a small disclaimer at the bottom “complied from MLS data base”. - Can You Offer A Discount Brokerage Fee? People Love To Save.
If your broker allows, you might consider offering a discounted brokerage fee and advertise: “Full Service At A Lower Fee”!