A lot of business owners, advertisers, and marketers believe that print postcards have become an outdated marketing tool. They consider most direct mail and offline advertising efforts ineffective given the internet of things.
After all, many consumers dislike receiving direct mail advertisements and similar communications from businesses. They seek out listings and opportunities to sell via online avenues. The U.S. Postal Service also isn’t known for timely mail delivery.
Yet, print postcards remain a steady, viable communication and leads and listings generation option for real estate agents and agencies. In fact, the right types of postcards can help independent agents and firms stand out in the difficult cities and rural areas where fierce competition takes place in this industry.
The home rental and ownership crisis and heightened housing demand across the country have made it more important than ever that a real estate agent approach potential clients using money- and time-saving techniques.
Professionals have found that these five real estate postcard ideas work well even when dealing with homeowners and buyers who are also using online tools:
Market Update Postcards
If you don’t have a property to sell at the moment, you can still drum up business by simply sending local homeowners in a high-demand neighborhood, community, or area a postcard that gives detailed information about the current “seller’s” market.
The card merely needs to provide them with a friendly update about the financial and other benefits they can enjoy by selling their homes now. This type of postcard helps people in the area see you as a trusted resource and expert who can help them navigate this market so that they procure the best deal.
Expired Listing Postcards
Postcards about expired listings are the perfect opportunity for you to obtain convert listings. If a homeowner’s contract expires with their current agent without a sale, they’re more likely to consider transferring their business to another real estate agent or agency. When a homeowner with an expired or near-expired contract receives news via a postcard that you have experience with successfully selling properties that other agents failed to sell, they then know that you’re an expert and available to help them.
Just Listed Postcards
By keeping local homeowners up to date via postcard with details about new listings that you recently obtained, you demonstrate your expertise as a real estate agent in the region and alert potential buyers of opportunities. The only downside with the current seller’s market is that you might actually sell a property before the postcards generate interest in it.
Yet, these postcards are still worth your time and money. You can proudly show interested sellers and buyers who contact you because of the postcard that you’re able to quickly provide excellent service.
Just Sold Postcards
A “just sold” postcard, as with a “just listed” postcard, proves to potential sellers and buyers that you’re an expert real estate professional who has what it takes to handle their business. If someone is thinking about selling their home, they’re more likely to contact you if they receive a postcard in the mail that explains how well you just did at selling similar properties.
If a property is one you previously told them about in a just listed postcard, you can emphasize your expertise on your just sold postcard if the sale happened within a rapid turnaround timeframe.
Holiday Postcards
Lastly, you can create a sense of community by mailing postcards to past clients and other targeted people in the region during the holidays. Holiday postcards don’t have to mention anything serious about the real estate market or any information about property listings or sales.
They merely act as a way to stay in touch with members of your target market and spread some goodwill. Holiday postcards make you seem more like a friendly neighbor who is part of a community instead of a salesperson trying to make money off of their neighbors.
Keys for Sending Real Estate Postcards
Now that you know five effective ways that postcards can generate listings, you need to consider how to send postcards correctly. The following three tips guarantee that you’re not irritating members of your target market with your postcard efforts. They also make certain that you’re promoting yourself in a positive way and reaching the right people.
Mail Them Consistently
It’s important to mail postcards using a consistent schedule so that you keep you and your business in the minds of members of your target market. Yet, you don’t want to seem like you’re spamming them. You don’t need to overwhelm past or potential clients.
Instead, mail only one-to-two cards a month except during months that feature positive national holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. During those months, send out holiday postcards as well.
Use Professional Templates
People can tell when a business doesn’t invest in professional templates and printing services. As a real estate agent, you can’t afford to have potential clients think that you’re willing to cut corners during any type of presentation.
If they receive a postcard with poorly positioned elements, grammar and spelling errors, or even fuzzy photographs, they might believe that you’re incredibly unprofessional and willing to act unprofessionally when listing, presenting, and selling their properties.
Need help finding the right templates? Wise Pelican is considered the leading option for generating real estate postcards. Not only do they provide templates for all five postcard ideas above, but they also offer custom designs and no minimum orders.
Be Specific with your Mailing List
Some marketers advise business owners to cast a wide net when mailing postcards. They even tell them to use the U.S. Postal Service’s Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) service. The problem is that this type of service can result in you sending postcards to residents in a region who don’t have the funds or good credit to buy a home.
The service requires that you send at least 200 pieces at a time. You can’t use different types of cards and messages to target people from different backgrounds during the same mailing. A lack of personalization also increases the chance of a recipient throwing away your postcard because they consider it junk mail.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to generate leads and listings. You don’t need to pay for online banner ad campaigns or even more traditional massive roadside billboards.
These five real estate postcard ideas can generate all of the business you could ever want or need in a budget-friendly way. They also help you to build lasting relationships with members of your target market and local communities so that you’re always the first person people think of when they want to sell or buy a home or other property.
