It’s likely that the idea of greeting cards being a significant part of your marketing strategy may not have crossed your mind. Can greeting cards drive profits for your real estate business? You might be surprised how efficient and effective they can be for increasing your bottom line.
Greeting cards? Really?
Really. Greeting cards are part of what we call direct mail marketing. If you aren’t familiar, direct mail marketing is a form of advertising resulting from communicating directly with your client and prospect base through a tangible and sometimes personalized mailer. As a quick refresher on direct mail, here are some different types in no particular order:
Also, remember that direct mail is just one of the staples of database marketing. As another quick refresher, here are the main communication channels in your database marketing (from the least effective at the bottom to the most effective at the top) as illustrated using my graphic design skills on a napkin at the coffee shop:
And while direct mail may seem like a lot of work, it can be quite the opposite if you leverage technology and systems. Using greeting cards as part of your marketing strategy requires a small investment of time and energy in the beginning and little effort to maintain it – if you’re using the right tools. It’s not the be-all and end-all, but it’s an important, easy, no-brainer, first-step, foundational strategy to your direct mail campaign.
The power of leverage
If your direct mail is done the right way using efficient and effective tools, you can benefit from the power of leverage. What exactly is that and why is it important?
Leverage is the concept of building off a single effort resulting in efficiencies in your future activities. For instance, you can design a single mailer or entire campaign of direct mail pieces just one time and leverage them for months… or years! It’s a simple, single effort that will pay off time and time again. Low maintenance, high return.
But what do I send?
Think about the ways you stay in contact with your client and prospect audience. What is it that you want to share? How do you communicate with them through your website or social media channels? What do you want them to know about you?
The possibilities are endless when it comes to sharing your message through direct mail pieces. Think of your mailers as a way of showcasing your expertise, as a “brag wall” opportunity to build trust in the mind of your clients, or as a way to grow the relationship.
Direct mail campaign ideas
Ask yourself this question when developing your direct mail campaign – what can you share that will make you memorable and that will set you apart from your competition? What kind of message will grab the attention of your prospective clients as they flip through their junk mail?
If you’re successful at what you do, it’s highly likely that you have a few qualities that set you apart from every other real estate professional in your area. Perhaps it’s your expertise in a neighborhood or area. Maybe it’s your focus on foreclosures or fixer uppers. It could be that you want to share the luxury homes you recently sold so the higher value homeowners know you’re comfortable selling at their price point. Regardless of your draw, leverage it and market it.
And what should my direct mail look like?
The beauty of direct mail is that it’s up to you! There are endless options of ways to communicate with your target audience through direct mail, but there are varying degrees of time and energy investments. It’s important to be strategic about the type of campaigns you plan to build.
How much information do you plan to share? For example, a community newsletter made up of several articles will require a significant time investment and updated content every month. It will also be a large financial investment due to printing and postage costs.
A postcard or flyer with some of your listings on it will remain reasonably static over time except for occasional content and image changes. These smaller pieces will also be easier to manage and less costly to send.
But I want something super low maintenance and really effective…
Okay, we get it. Time is money, right? We know that you even spending time reading this piece on saving time is costing you precious moments out of your busy selling schedule. So, what can kind of direct mail campaign can you launch that will offer the highest return on your small investment of time and money?
Greeting cards are one of the best investments for busy real estate professionals looking to make a big impact in a little time. Why are greeting cards so great? They are short, sweet, feel very personal and don’t require regular updates by you. Plus, they are fairly inexpensive to send and the process can be largely automated.
The best thing about greeting cards is that most of the work will be done for you. The companies offering these products hire skilled and experienced writers to carefully craft their messages – and all you have to do is sign them, if that!
Who should I send greeting cards to though?
Greeting cards can be sent to anyone but with any type of marketing you do, it’s always best to be strategic in your efforts. Think about your network. Who are the top 150 people that are most crucial to the success of your business? This could be potential repeat customers, community influencers, those offering referral opportunities, or clients that will write amazing testimonials for you and your business.
It’s personal and meaningful which translates to memorable
You may think that sharing your listings, past wins or recently closed deals will make the biggest impact, but isn’t that what all real estate agents are sharing? Greeting cards play to the emotional side of your clients. You’re someone who cares about them and their happiness, and that’s not something you find in every real estate agent.
And are they successful? Just ask Joe Girard, the Guinness Book of World Records #1 salesman in the world who sends 13,000 greeting cards a month.
How can I automate this?
I know, I know. This sounds like a lot of work and time spent in the greeting card section at CVS, but that’s not how it has to be. Reputable companies like Send Out Cards understand the importance of automation when it comes to your real estate success, so they’re handling it all for you.
With Send Out Cards you have a card for every occasion at your fingertips, and you can even pick them from your mobile device while you’re waiting in line at Starbucks. They’ll remind you when it’s time to send and after the green light from you they will print, stuff and stamp while you show your clients their next dream home.
Being proactive in your business can’t get much more passive than that! What will you do with all that extra time?
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