Tips to Help You Create a Strong Multi-touch Campaign

A single mailer in your direct mail campaign may provide results some of the time, but often it will just get tossed in the trash if not followed up. Even a second mailer may not yield the desired results you’re looking for. Statistics show that it can take four, five or even more mailers before a prospect will contact you. However, a strong multi-touch campaign can help you turn prospects into sellers.

Set Your Goal

You know your end goal is to get homeowners to sell their houses to you under market value, but what is the exact purpose of your marketing campaign? Are you trying to get them to pick up the phone and call for more information, email you, or take some other action? Know your goal as you design your campaign, so that you can channel your message to focus on one goal and your targeted call to action. 

Have a Complete Marketing Plan

A single point of contact rarely creates any results. It takes multiple touches and reminders to get people to trust you enough to do business with your company. You need to decide how you will reach out to them and how often. Many people incorporate online and offline marketing as part of their strategy. Perhaps you can add email messaging and ringless voicemail to your direct mail. Everything you do should be part of an overall plan. 

Timing is Everything

You must determine how often you want to follow-up with your leads. Too frequent and you risk becoming a nuisance. Not often enough and they forget about you. When searching for real estate leads, it’s important to note that selling a home is a major decision that someone may not make for several months. It is all about timing and circumstance so you want to continue mailing so that when they are ready to sell you are the first person to come to mind. The frequency we recommend is sending a new mailer once every 4-5 weeks. This is the direct mail sweet spot and it can all be automated for you. 

Tip: Subtly refer to your previous letter in your follow up “Hi Sarah, I am still interested in purchasing your property” This reminds them that you have mailed to them before and helps them re-engage with your mailer. 

Always Have a Call to Action

Even if you’re just touching base and not trying to oversell your services, you need to include a clear call to action. It might be something as simple as “If you have questions about the process of selling your home, give us a call.” It’s valuable to provide helpful information, but your goal is to convert your leads. Don’t let them get lost in a maze of information without reminding them of your business. You can also let them know to hold on to the mailer if they may be interested in selling in the future. 

Tip: Make sure to use one clear and concise CTA so that they aren’t left with too many decisions. Read more about call to actions here!

Change up Your Mailers

You don’t want to send the same mailer for your multi-touch campaign over and over again. Instead, it’s a good idea to change up the type of mailer you send out. Otherwise, the recipients may just toss out the second and third mailers, thinking they are the same thing. For instance, you could send out a handwritten letter in the beginning and switch to a professional letter for the second touch. Some people will respond better to one type of mailer which makes it easier for you to reach more demographics and cover all of your bases. 

To take a look at our tried and tested multi-touch campaign sequences give us a call at (978) 269-0245 or email at info@openlettermarketing.com.

Benefits of Batch Skip Tracing

Investing in real estate has become a viable way to make a good income and even attain financial freedom. HGTV shows make it seem easy, but the reality is it takes a lot of work and time to find leads that will convert into investments. Batch skip tracing can make the task a lot easier and give you top notch information to zero in on motivated sellers and know how to contact them.

Batch skip tracing is a service which provides additional prospect information based on public and private information. Information is powerful when markets are competitive so batch skip tracing could give you the edge you need to land the deal. Here are a few benefits of batch skip tracing and how you can use it to elevate your marketing efforts. 

Qualified Information

Skip trace data is compiled from a number of sources including credit headers, public records, and other proprietary methods. A lot of skip trace services provide some information but you should be getting multiple points of contact. For example, phone numbers, emails, and mailing addresses. You want to make sure your list is scrubbed and in good form so that you get the highest match rate possible. If you have insufficient data, you will have bad skip trace results.

TIP: Remove LLC and Corporations from your list before skip tracing. Data is pulled based on name and mailing address so if there are only company names and businesses the hit rate will be low. 

Layer Your Marketing

Instead of driving around looking for signs that say “For Sale by Owner” or checking on Zillow or Trulia for homes under FSBO and giving up when the addresses don’t garner any information, you can use skip tracing to find the contacts current information and shoot for those off market sellers. Think of how much time you spend browsing the internet to search for phone numbers or email addresses. Time is money so skip trace your list and save yourself the headache.

If you get your list skip traced (which is turned around within 24 hours) you can start to layer your marketing. For example you can send direct mail and layer Ringless voicemail on top of it as a follow up method. Or you can cold call your list and send email blasts. It is no secret that with multiple touch points it is necessary to propel your marketing efforts. Batch skip tracing gives you the tools to do just that. 

Reduce Competition

Real estate investing has become a competitive industry. The result is more buyers, which drives up the price. For investors, this means it is more difficult to find off market deals, and lower profit margins when it comes time to sell the property. With skip tracing, you get information on leads other investors may not know about. In many cases, you effectively remove the competition because they hit a dead end for contact information while you find alternative ways of reaching them.

TIP: Send your direct mail first class so that you get returned mail sent back to you. Once you get the returned mail back, skip trace your list and update the mailing address based on your skip trace data. This edges out the competition and sets you apart. 

In Conclusion…

If you like the sound of batch skip tracing or want more information on how to use it, get in touch with us! Contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com.

Why Direct Mail is More Effective than Other Marketing Channels

Targeted Mail

Direct mail works best when it’s targeted to the right audience. Lead generation tools allow you to track potential sellers based on behavior and not just on location. This feature increases the likelihood that the person you’re sending the mail to will be more motivated to sell and therefore more interested in your offer.

When trying to appeal to homeowners and landlords for your real estate investment business, direct mail is still one of the most effective and cost-efficient methods of advertising available. Even with social media, websites and landing pages, and other online marketing strategies, direct mail still provides an impressive return-on-investment.

For instance, you may find the potential sellers have requested information about selling their homes. Your list will be compiled with names of people who want to sell, which gives you an advantage in your campaign since you’ll be offering something they are already interested in. Other useful list types include absentee owners, high equity, pre-foreclosure, probate, driving for dollars and more. With direct to seller marketing you can cut out the middleman and speak directly to the motivated sellers that are more likely to do business with you. 

Personalized Marketing

One of the reasons direct mail continues to be successful for investors is because you can personalize the content. You can easily merge the person’s name, but that is just one option. Include the actual physical address and other details about the area to make the reader feel that you truly understand where they live. You can cite statistics about the neighborhood, such as rising market values or new construction.

Statistics show that people feel direct mail is more personal than other forms of marketing, including email. People get inundated by email and often hit DELETE without ever opening the message, whereas very few people throw away mail without opening it… Add a really bright eye catching envelope into the mix and you are bound to get calls back..

More Options

Direct mail comes with multiple options and is fully customizable, so you can choose which method and style works best for your chosen leads. For instance, a handwritten letter may get better results with an older demographic while a postcard could be a quick way to capture the attention of a busy, fast moving individual. 

A typed letter or one with designs may capture the attention of homeowners as they notice the bold colors or large font. While some of these choices vary in price, you can justify the expense if it improves your ROI.

Layer your Marketing

Another benefit to direct mail is the ability to layer other marketing channels to your direct mail campaign. If you have found success with direct mail but want to take response rates to the next level then you can pair direct mail with ringless voicemail to really trigger the phone calls. IP Marketing is another marketing option as well and direct mail is the backbone that ties it all together. 

The key to your direct mail campaign being successful is to organize it with a specific goal in mind. Look at each part of the campaign in relation to the other aspects and include ringless voicemail or other components to enhance the results. Learn more about how we can help you achieve your goals with direct mail advertising. Call us at 978-269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com.

How to Use Ringless Voicemail to Elevate Your Direct Mail Campaign

When creating a real estate direct mail campaign, you may focus on the mailer and the message you want to send. However, you shouldn’t forget about other marketing tools that help increase response rates for your direct mail. One of the most effective is ringless voicemail.

Ringless voicemail or RVM works by sending a voice message to the recipient’s phone even though their phone doesn’t ring. Your real estate investment company records a message which automatically is sent to the phone numbers on your lead list. You only need to record one message and it’s sent to everyone on your list. However, you want to make it as effective as possible, so follow these tips:

Get Your Numbers

If you haven’t done ringless voicemail or cold calling before you will need to get phone numbers for your prospects. Start by batch skip tracing your list for numbers and this will help you know how many potential RVM’s you can send based on how many numbers you can get.

TIP: If there is an option to use mobile or landline numbers be sure to prioritize the mobile option. Most people have a cell phone but not everyone has a landline. 

Manage Your Lead List

If you are pairing RVM with direct mail, you’ll already have a list of people to contact. However, you may want to start with a small list until you see how quickly people respond. You don’t want to overwhelm those who will be answering the calls. One thing to consider is using batch mailing so that you can break your list of 2000 into two batches of 1000 sent each week. Your definition of small will depend on how many people you have fielding calls within that day or the next.

Timing

It’s also important to time your calls based on when you send out direct mail to the prospects on your list. Make sure they have time to receive the campaign but not so much time that they would have forgotten about it mailer all together. Ideally we would time your RVM to hit 2-3 days after your mailer hits.

Create a Personal Message

You’ve heard those robo-calls that are annoying to listen to and immediately feel like spam. You don’t want your message to sound like that. Instead, it should be personal and should not sound like telemarketing.

The message should be simple, friendly and quick to listen to. You might say something like

“Hi there this is John. I sent you a letter about your property a couple of days ago and I wanted to make sure you got it. Please give me a call back at 999-999-9999”

This gives your RVM a really authentic and genuine feel rather than blatantly coming from a robot or being a sales pitch.

Think About Your Drop Rate

With RVM, you can schedule your drops to happen at a certain rate per hour and per day so you aren’t overwhelmed with calls. For example if you have 1000 RVM’s going out you can choose to send 100/hour or 500/day and it would take 2 days to run your RVM campaign. Or if you want it to last longer you can do 50/hour or 250/day to have a longer campaign. Make sure you time it so you can better manage your calls and make sure they don’t hit on the weekend. Being able to control the timing will ensure staff have the time to answer questions and convert callers.

TIP: Keep in mind your hours of operation and time zone so that you don’t get calls at 4am!

In Conclusion…

If you would like to learn more about using ringless voicemail or would like to set up messages for your current or future direct mail campaigns, contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com.

4 Reasons to Personalize Your Mailers

One of the easiest ways to increase conversions for your direct mail campaigns is by personalization. When you personalize your mailers, it increases the likelihood that they will get opened and read. Here are a few reasons you might want to take the time for personalization with your next campaign.

1. Clients Feel Special

When you personalize your mailers, it makes the recipient feel special. They know you sent the mail to them and not just random people. You may use their name in the opening of your mail or include their address, which shows you spent time to get this information. Saying Dear Sarah is a lot more meaningful than Dear Homeowner. Because you took the time to include that detail, they will feel a connection with you.

2. More Precise Messaging

Another reason to get personal is because it allows you to be more targeted in your approach. You collect data from your intended recipients, which you can use in your messaging. It shows that you know who they are and what they’re about, and it makes them more likely to listen to you. For example if you are mailing a probate list you might change the message to be more sympathetic to that circumstance rather than if you are mailing to any other list.

3. Personalization Adds Relevance

When you personalize a mailer, you increase the relevance of your message, which also improves the retention of the recipient. Someone is more likely to remember what you have to say if they feel it means something to them. For example, you can include their address in your message. Google street view will show a real image of their property on the mailer, which increases the personalization even more. When they see this image, the person is going to want to read what you have to say about the property even if it is just out of curiosity.

4. Improved Response Rate

When it comes down to it, you track the success of your mailers by how much response you receive. Personalizing them improves the rate that people reply to your call to action because they feel the mailer pertains to them individually. You not only include factual data that pertains to the person, but you alter your message to fit their unique personality. As a result, they will feel more connected and will turn to you when they need your services.

Adding the personal touch to your mailers can offer numerous benefits and help you achieve your goals. It only takes a little extra time to personalize your campaign, but it can make all the difference.

Let us help you make your mailers stand out and improve the conversion rate with personalization. Contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com. We Can’t wait to hear from you!

How to Create a Call to Action That Converts in Your Direct Mail

When it comes to direct to seller marketing, you’ll discover several important components. The headline captures the attention of your audience, while the format keeps them from getting bored. Bullet lists hold their interest as they skim and stories involve their emotions. However, one of the most important parts of any marketing, including direct mail, is a call to action. The call to action directly relates to your goal of turning prospects into clients. So, how do you create a call to action that converts?

Be Direct

Have you ever read a captivating advertisement, email or letter that draws you in, only to end it by closing the email, letter or ad and forgetting about it? Maybe you even wondered what the purpose was for the message. If you want to convert your readers into people who take action, you must be direct in what you want them to do.

With email or a website, it’s pretty easy. Just “click here” or “follow this link” to sign up or to be added to the list. However, a direct mail campaign can be more challenging, but you should still make it clear what action you want them to take. “Call us at xxx-xxxx to learn more” will work wonders. Don’t include multiple calls to action or the reader may end up doing nothing. Instead, provide contact information and include a single call to action.

Give Them Something for Free

Want to entice your readers to take action? Give them something free if they do what you want. For example, you’re a real estate investor targeting homeowners who want to sell their properties. Maybe you can offer free tips on how they can update their home for under $$$ or offer a free quote on the value of their property.

If you’re offering something for free and providing value, it must have worth to your audience. Think about what they need and what they might be willing to pay for and offer it for free.

Show the Benefits

You can tell your readers what you want them to do and even offer a reward if they take action, and it still might not make them step up. What will help them take the next step is if they can see what’s in it for them. Show them how your offer will help them or how they will benefit if they contact you.

A call to action is essential to your direct mail campaign, but you must know what to say to make it convert. Otherwise, your mail is just something pleasant for them to read, but doesn’t result in anything. Learn how to create strong calls to action for every direct mail letter you send out.

Be direct with your call to action, give something for free to get the person to respond and show them how they will benefit when they follow up. Contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com. We Can’t wait to hear from you!

The Benefits of Handwritten Letters

While we all know that direct mail is a great way to connect with a large number of potential prospects without breaking the bank, how do we decide the best way to relay your information?  From postcards and flyers to handwritten and professional letters, there are a variety of direct mail options to connect you with your ideal client. One of our favorite direct mail options is the handwritten letter.

Handwritten letters are some of the most effective of the direct mail products. Can you think of the last time you got a handwritten letter in the mail? Handwritten letters not only stand out from the crowd, but they tend to feel more personal than typed letters. This gives you an edge on the competition, and a great opportunity to connect with your potential sellers on a more personal level. Not only are handwritten letters more likely to be opened and read, but they increase the emotional connection that a buyer feels for your brand.

Handwritten letters are often reserved for personal communication. Thank you notes, birthday greetings, and sympathy cards usually include a handwritten note. Why not carry the sincerity and genuine nature of a handwritten note over to your business relationships? Everyone wants to feel valued and important – give your professional relationships a boost by letting your clients know that you value the relationship enough to take the time to send handwritten communication.

If you prefer hard data, handwritten mailers not only have higher open rates, they tend to have higher engagement as well. Smart brands know that marketing dollars can be put to good use by utilizing effective campaign strategies. Why not use one that is proven to work? Handwritten mailers are opened more often, and have high conversion rates.

In addition to adding sincerity and a personal touch, handwritten notes also allow your brand’s personality to shine through. Have you thought about giving handwritten direct mail campaigns a try?  What are you waiting for? Contact us today to get started!

Mailers that actually work are our specialty. We’d love to help you find the best handwritten letter for your audience. Contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com We can’t wait to hear from you!

Direct Mail For The New Year

It’s no secret that direct mailing works, it’s a marketing and advertising method that has been used as long as we’ve had mail, and it continues to provide great returns for investors.  While it is a consistent way to get the attention of new and regular prospects, we are always looking for great ways to share our message. We’ve compiled some fun ways to combine new and fresh ideas with tried and true techniques for the new year. Fresh Lists – New to direct mail?  No problem! We offer premium lead list services.  Whether you’re new to your industry, or are just looking for some fresh contacts, our lead lists will introduce you to a whole new prospect base! Clean Up Those Lead Lists – Before you send anything out, you want to make sure you’re sending your mailers to viable leads.  Our list scrubbing service will not only correct address errors, but it will notify you of vacant properties, address changes, and more! Ringless Voicemail – Dropping a personal message into your customer’s voicemail box for them to listen to at their convenience is a great add-on to traditional direct mailing.  Ringless voicemail allows you to craft a message, and have it delivered to your customer’s phone. Estimates show ringless voicemail combined with direct mail increase response rates by over 400%! Keep a Traditional Touch – High tech is fun, but one of the things that prospects frequently report appreciating in real estate companies that they work with is when they feel like they have a relationship with the company.  A handwritten letter, or a personal message from you can go a long way with both new and repeat clients.  Utilize the prospect’s name as well, a little personalization goes a long way. . Grab Their Attention – Postcards are a great way to grab people’s attention.  Eye-catching designs on high quality card-stock get the message across quickly and efficiently.  Add handwritten fonts to create a personal connection. Take it Digital – Combine direct mailing efforts with your digital marketing.  Make sure that your website and social media are up to date with any offers you’re sending out via direct mail, and put your website information on your mailings.  Combining traditional and digital marketing is cost effective, and connects to a larger audience. Utilize a Direct Mail Service – They’re cost effective, efficient, and allow you to do what you do best -your job.  Direct mail services take the hassle and the guesswork out of direct mailing. We’d love to help you get more business leads with mailers that actually work! Contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com We look forward to hearing from you!

Direct Mail During the Holidays: Seven Tips For Success

We’ve made it our business at Open Letter to help you get the most out your direct mail throughout the year.  Things are a bit different during the holidays, so how should you change your strategies to ensure that you’re still getting maximum impact with your campaigns?  Take a look at the following seven steps and you’ll be mailing during the holidays like a pro in no time!
For most people, the holidays are a time to relax with friends and family.  For business owners and marketers, it is time to get busy. While consumers are deleting mass emails in bulk, direct mail campaigns are getting their attention.  According to the United States Postal Service, on average, 3 out of 4 direct mail customers receive and open their mail the same day it’s delivered to their mailbox. Combined with the anticipation of holiday cards and gifts from loved ones, your direct mail campaign will receive a record number of opens from your most valued customers.  Before you take a well-deserved break, take a look at our seven easy tips for direct mailing success during the holidays.

  • Textured Paper Gets Attention – If you want to stand out in a sea of mail, (literally) tap your customers’ curiosity by using textured paper.  Simple raised cards will pique curiosity among the flat papers, add interest by choosing colors and patterns to further amplify your message. Tri-fold flyers are printed on parchment paper which is another great option to add a little texture to your mail piece.
  • Utilize Postcards – People receive countless cards and catalogs during the holiday season.  Save them some effort and send a professional postcard that will stand out among their other mail.  Saving them a step by not using an envelope ensures that they’ll take a look at your message.  Be creative, and add a personal touch if possible.
  • Make It Memorable – Taste and smell are tied more closely to memory than visual imagery.  Added to the nostalgic feelings that holidays often evoke, this can be a powerful marketing tool.  Adding fragrance or even attaching a treat to your holiday mailing will evoke memories of past holidays and make your brand more memorable at the same time.
  • Do The Write Thing – Handwritten letters are quickly becoming an art of the past.  Why not get people’s attention with a nice handwritten letter? If you’re imagining slaving away at your desk for hours with a pen and notepad, have no fear! We have handwritten mailer services available!
  • The New Year Is Upon Us – The post-holiday weeks and months are not only a good time for people to unwind and reset, but also for businesses to get back in front of customers while they’ve got a little more time and attention to devote to marketing materials.  Don’t discount January and February as good times to send mail and get in front of potential sellers. In fact January gets some of the highest response rates because people are looking to sell houses that have heating/snow problems and get a fresh start.
  • Mix Your Media – Combining direct mail, ringless voicemail, and email marketing gives you the trifecta of contact opportunities.  While one audience may prefer direct mail, another may spend more time on their phone.  Why not reach them both, using the same message in different formats? Send a direct mail piece followed by a ringless voicemail to make a strong impact and increases your response rates.
  • Utilize Your Lists – If your product or services serve a specific market, why not target them directly?  Scrub your list for homeowners who are more likely to sell. If you don’t want to list homes of a certain size, make sure to hone in on that criteria so that you’re not sending mail to people who you are not likely to buy from.
  • Spread Cheer – Give your prospects something to smile about, and they’re more likely to save that mailer and remember you when it’s time to sell.  A cute photo, a fun joke, and valuable information are all great ways to evoke a positive emotional response from your audience.

Direct mail marketing is a simple and cost effective way to share your marketing message and increase business.  What are you waiting for?
Mailers that actually work are our specialty. We’d love to help you navigate the holiday mailing season successfully. Contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com We can’t wait to hear from you!

Avoid These Common Direct Mail Marketing Mistakes

There are many variables to making a great direct mail marketing campaign. When it comes to direct mail there a handful of things that can be overlooked or done incorrectly in a campaign rendering them less successful. Open Letter Marketing is here to help by showing you some of the top direct mail marketing mistakes and how to avoid them. Read on for these tips! Get a Solid Lead List One of the biggest mistakes companies can make is to ignore building a solid lead list. These lists are comprised of motivated prospects that could be your next deal. If you’re just starting out, send a mailer using first class postage and remove the addresses from your list once you receive returned mailers. A solid lead list of recipients will make your campaigns more effective. Another common mistake is to not scrub your list. List scrubbing will save you a lot of time and money if done before mailing. Continue Testing on the Content/Styling of your Mailers Testing your mailers success can be hard work. Many businesses choose to do one test and continue the rest of their campaigns on that data. We do not suggest this strategy. Continuous testing will help you decide which call to actions reap the most reward and help you refine your lead list. After you’ve sent one mailer and collected its data, send a similar mailer changing one variable and see what results that campaign yields. For instance you may decide to change colors or a call to action. The key is to keep refining and evolving! Create Personalized Campaigns Potential customers get tons of mail every day, a big mistake companies make is not making their campaigns stand out. The best way to make your mail stand out is to personalize it. Using fonts that mimic handwriting help your customer feel that you care for them enough to connect with them. Also making sure that you mailers are personalized to each individual will give you an edge over other investors. Rather than Dear Homeowner say Dear John, it will make them feel more comfortable about picking up the phone and giving you a call. Personal connection will help you increase trust which is invaluable in making a sale. Make Your Content Clear The content of your mailer is of vital importance. You must include clear information regarding the services or products you provide in an enticing manner. The call to action portion is equally as important. If your copy feels wordy or unfocused, a rewrite is in order. Overall you want to ensure that your mail piece communicates clearly and concisely what you are able to do for these individuals and how they can get in touch with you. Keeping track of your direct mail marketing variables may seem overwhelming. We’re here to help you understand how to create your effective lead list while testing your actionable mailers. We’re also around to make your mailers stand out from the crowd with gorgeous personalization and pops of color. Your direct mail marketing campaign success is our bread and butter, so reach out to us today if you’d like a hand at beating out the competition. Open Letter Marketing would love to help you get real estate leads with mailers that actually work. Contact us at 978.269.0245 or email us at info@openlettermarketing.com