The 8 Critical Components That Must Be Part Of Every Direct Mail Marketing Campaign!

Most people get the general idea, but forget the “critical components” along the way. Here’s what you MUST have in a great direct mail campaign.

#1	You must use a quality, current, and highly targeted list …Maybe the biggest mistake that you can make is to use a mailing list that doesn’t represent your target audience. Too many people send out mailings, get no response, and wonder why. Make sure that your list is current and targeted to meet your needs.
#2	Clean, legible, well crafted copy.It’s NOT the amount of words that really matter; they need to be the “right words.” Of course, the letter copy needs to be long enough to convey the entire message, but the right words are what will get the response you’re looking for. Highlight and explain the actual benefits of your product or service. Take the time to do several re-writes until the copy will grab the reader’s attention.
#3	A clear concise call to action..It seems simple enough, BUT.. If you don’t tell the reader what you want them to do, it defeats the point of sending the direct mail letter. Do you want them to call you? Buy something? Fill out the form at the bottom of the letter? Make it clear what they should do or they will not respond.
#4	Test, test, and continue testing to achieve the best possible responses..Too many people find out the hard way that their direct mail piece is not effective. Make it your common practice to test out anything you plan to use. See if it makes an impact. Does it work? How well?
#5	Personalize your letters … Leave out the hype and commercial sounding wording. Personalize the letter as if you were writing to a friend. Your copy/letter should not sound like a car commercial. Don’t use words like people, folks, or any other words that indicate the “masses.” Remember, write in way that sounds like you’re talking to a friend.
#6	Proof read the copy.. You may have seen great direct marketing pieces that were missing “key information” like phone numbers, addresses, or other key information. Missing those key pieces of information just defeated the purpose of the mailing. Proof reading is a very important aspect of all of your marketing campaigns. Misspelled words look very unprofessional! If you feel that you lack in those skills, hire someone to proof your copy. Or ask someone who has a way with words to take a look at your text.
#7	Grab the readers attention with a headline.. One of the reasons we all toss direct mail out so quickly is because it doesn’t interest us at all. Don’t use boring headlines and gimmicks. Use a headline that catches someone’s eye without insulting their intelligence. You only have a few seconds to grab their interest, so you need to really think about what impact your headline will have. Ask yourself the question.. Would it interest me?
#8	Send multiple mailings to the same list.. Don’t waste your money on postage if you’re not going to send at least 3-5 mailings to the same list. In fact, the direct mail marketing industry says that 7 mailings to the same list will produce the best results.By contacting your prospects multiple times, you build credibility with them, and you stay on their minds. Think of the first mailing you send as an “introduction”… and then each following mailing establishes your credibility a little further, builds on your message, and increases your chances of getting the reader to take action. “It’s like going up the stairs in a house.. you don’t get to the second floor till you climb all the steps.”

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Investors In Real Estate Do The Proper Marketing

Is there anyone in your town that doesn’t know that you buy houses? If so, you aren’t doing as well at marketing as you should be. I hear investors saying all the time that they aren’t getting seller calls and subsequently aren’t getting the leads they need to find deals. I say step up the marketing and the sellers will call. Not only that but if you are shouting to the world that you buy problem properties, eventually you will be known for what you do and sellers will call you strictly on your reputation. THAT is cost effective marketing.

I was in Home Depot a few weeks ago and passed a couple of guys in an aisle. As I walked by, I overheard one say, “That is the house man”. Now I had never seen either of those guys and have no idea who they are but that experience lets me know that I must be doing my job at letting the world know my business is buying houses. There are many ways to let the world know what you do. Some ways are cheap and some are more expensive. You are going to have to try many things and get a feel for what produces for you best in your area. I have tried many kinds of marketing techniques and have come back to a few that constantly produce enough results for me to buy the 2 or 3 houses I want to buy every single month. They are as follows:

Classified Ads
The classified ad in the largest paper in the area is by far the largest producer of leads I have found. I know it is expensive and I know there are times it doesn’t generate calls but if you are going to stay in the biz just put it in there and leave it. Get used to it being part of the cost of doing business. I pay about $300.00 a month for my 4 line ad and that is the commercial rate. I run it 24/7, 365 days a year.Over the past 3 years I have seen many “investor” ads come and go. Most folks put them in for a couple of weeks and then pull them or try just putting them in on the weekends. IT AIN’T GONNA WORK! Put it in the paper and leave it. It will more than pay for itself, believe me. If you are worried because there are several in there, don’t be. They are there because they are getting calls. Just be sure and actually answer your phone.When a new ad pops up in my paper, I will always call. 9 times out of 10 I get a message. This is a big turn off to someone who needs a solution now. They want to talk to someone who can qualm their anxiety and tell them everything is going to be alright. Your answering machine won’t do that. As for what to put in the ad, you will have to work on this one. I have tried several and the one I have now hasn’t changed for over 2 years. I haven’t changed it because I get calls. My ad is:CASH FOR HOUSES
In 48 Hours!
Any area, price or condition
Call xxx-xxx-xxxxNow I have had other investors jockey for position and change their ad copy to be ahead of mine in the column but it hasn’t made any difference. Don’t worry about those things, just get the ad out there and leave it. It may take a few weeks to get going but sellers will call! Once you have your classified ad running than start working on your other ideas. If you only implement one idea a week, within a couple of months you will have a tremendously powerful real estate buying machine.

Ads in the “Freebie” Papers
I also run ads in the freebie papers here. These are the “Thrifty Nickel”, or the “Green Sheet” or whatever they are called in your area. I run both a column ad and a display in this paper and spend about $150.00 a month for these. They pull in seller leads fairly well and have always justified the costs. Remember that these guys are usually open to negotiating on your rates and you can probably get a better rate if you commit to a longer contract.

Bandit Signs
Bandit signs are great. They are some of the best lead generating tools around. I have yet to put out a bunch and not be bombarded with calls right after. I just don’t put them out that often. I might put out 5 or so a month and the ones that stay continue to pull in calls. At an average cost of less than $2.00 apiece, they are one of the best values around. Check the internet for sign companies for cheaper prices. I use 18 x 24 signs and place them at high traffic intersections around town. I also place one in the front yard immediately upon buying any house.I have bought several homes in the same neighborhoods as a result of this. You can either use contractor stakes or the wire stakes with your signs. I like the contractor stakes because they don’t bend like the wire ones, in addition, they are cheaper. Just nail the sign to it with the roofing nails with the orange or green plastic tops or you can use screws. There are many variations on what your wording on the sign can say. Keep in mind that traffic will be moving so you want to keep your message short and sweet so it can be read. My signs say:I BUY HOUSES
Cash in 48 Hours!
Any area, price, condition
xxx-xxx-xxx Notice that it is the same as my newspaper ad? I like to brand my advertising because I think that helps with recognition. My signs are white with dark blue letters. Some folks swear by black on yellow or black on orange. Again, I say it’s not what or how you say it but the fact that you DO say it that counts. When dealing with bandit signs, be sure that your local code enforcement laws are tolerant of them. In my area, the City of Macon is very lax on them but a few miles down the road in Warner Robins they are super strict and will fine you in a minute.

Flyers
Flyers are another inexpensive way to get the word out that you buy houses. Just create a flyer telling people what you do and how to get in contact with you. Make copies for $.05 cents apiece and you have some really inexpensive advertising. It really is that simple. Then place these flyers on every bulletin board in your town. I also place some of them in those plastic sheet protectors so the rain won’t destroy them and put them up on telephone poles around neighborhoods I like to buy in. While not as large as the bandit signs, on poles actually IN the neighborhood they still attract calls. I carry a file with me in my truck and place them up whenever I stop at a grocery store or Wal-Mart. Some other places to put them are:

• Laundromats
• Taped to the inside of Pay phones
• On the counter of any business that will allow you
• Bulletin boards at Wal-Mart or K-Mart
• Grocery store bulletin boards
• Fax to Mortgage Brokers
• Fax to Real Estate Agents
• Take them Door to Door in target neighborhoods
• Employment Center Bulletin board
• County Courthouse Bulletin board

These are just a few examples. Any place that will allow you to put one is a good place. You can never let too many people know that you buy houses!

Promotional Items
These are some of my favorites and most fun. While they are not the top producers of leads or the least expensive, they will sure set you apart from the average investor.Pen Knives – These tiny Swiss army knives are the coolest. They are actually key chains engraved with your message, mine being: WE BUY HOUSES- All cash or take over payments within 48 hours! Xxx-xxx-xxx I guarantee if you give one of these to someone they will keep it and if they think of selling, they will think of you. They are about $1.50 apiece.Key Chains – I give these to all my buyers with the keys to their new house on them and leave them all over the place. They come in the shape of a house or #1 or whatever style you like and have your message on them. You can guess what mine says. Cost – about $. 25 cents apiece.Pens – I use these all the time. Whenever I sign a sales receipt or anything I leave my pen. I can’t tell you how many calls I have gotten off of these things and since I always need one, I always have one to give away. My attorney even has a supply on his closing table. Mine are the “click” type and have my message repeating around the barrel. I have two types printed. One for sellers says “We Buy Houses!” and one for buyers says “Everyone Qualifies”. Cost – about $.21 cents apiece.Coin Holders – These you hardly find anymore so everyone is surprised when I have them. I leave these things everywhere. Mine are bright yellow with blue letters and my message. Cost – about $.30 cents apiece.I leave all of these promotional items everywhere, on the top of gas pumps, on end-cap displays in grocery stores and in department stores. I look at it this way, if I give away 100 pens, 50 knives and 50 coin holders a month, that is only a little over $100 bucks a month. That is still cheap advertising. You can get any of these promotional advertising products at National Pen. Their website address is www.pens.com or you can call my rep “Madison” directly at 1-888-672-9810. Always ask for her specials and tell her William sent you.

Business Cards
I order business cards by the 1000’s and you should as well. They are cheap, mine are about $50.00 for 2000, and I pass them out everywhere. I leave my cards everywhere, in pay phones, on restaurant tables, my kids even have their own supply to pass out. Try to get a box a week out. The card doesn’t have to be fancy, in fact the simpler the better. My card is bright yellow with blue letters and says:WE BUY HOUSES
Foreclosure? Need Repairs? Bad Tenants? Divorce?
CASH IN 48 HOURS!
OFFERS MADE ON ALL CALLS!
XXX-XXX-XXXX

Car Magnetics
Magnetics are one of those things where you spend once and get use for a long time. Mine cost about $75.00 and are yellow with blue letters. They say:WE BUY HOUSES!
FA$T CA$H
XXX-XXX-XXXX I have gotten several deals from these signs. Remember to order a smaller set for the back of your car/truck. People have more of a chance to read the message when they are riding behind you.

Clothing
I like golf shirts and oxford dress shirts with my logo on them. There’s plenty of advertsing houses that will help you design a logo if you don’t have one or use the one you already have. There is no charge for set up and all items ordered include your embroidered logo free. They also have cool baseball caps and other stuff there as well. They have specials for new customers at great prices.
I pass my hats out to everyone I know who wears one and have given away many shirts as well. They really look nice and present a nice image for your business.

Other Advertising Tools
There are many other forms of advertising, some I have tried in the past such as billboards, door hangers, yellow pages, television and radio advertising. I even have a traveling billboard, an old SUV painted bright yellow with blue WE BUY HOUSES! and my phone number that I drive around and park overnight at different places. It gets the calls! Get the marketing going and let the world know who to call when they have a house to sell. If that phone isn’t ringing, you aren’t making money!

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At one point of another, you’re probably heard that “marketing” is the key to successful business. “If you’re not marketing, you’re not in business.” Or, perhaps more harshly . . . “If you’re marketing your business, you’ll soon be out of business!” But something you may not realize is that “marketing” is not just about advertising and sending out smoke signals to bring in customers. At the heart of it, marketing is simply about effective communication to get what your want. This is an essential skill not only for running a business, but also for being successful in all aspects of life. If you can effectively “sell” your ideas to the masses – or even just to your smug boss – you could stand to make a lot of money. Your ideas will earn more respect. Your confidence will grow, and as a result, your credibility among your co-workers will skyrocket.

Want to strengthen your relationship with your spouse? Communication + Getting What You Want = Marketing.

Need to train the dog not to sleep on the furniture? Yup, that’s “marketing” too.

Solid communication is essentially the key to the door of success – in all aspects of your life. But for now, “back to business,” so to speak. It’s agreed that in order to reach as many potential clients as possible, every business – large or small – needs to establish a well thought out marketing plan. There are as many ways to market as there are businesses. Just to mention the most general categories, there’s Internet/web, radio/TV, print ads (magazines, newspapers, industry journals, etc), and direct mail (postcards, flyers, etc). There are specific techniques and methods that apply to each of these methods, as well as different “tweaks” that would be employed for each type of business or product. Still, there are basic concepts behind marketing that always apply, regardless of the company type or marketing method. Take a good look at these established “do’s and don’ts” list. There are probably at least a few tips below that you can incorporate into your business practice immediately to increase your marketing effectiveness.

Grab Your Potential Client’s Attention

Perhaps more than ever before, people are distracted and have a short attention span. Use a compelling, involving image to your advantage. If you’re creating a marketing piece with text, make sure to “sell” the reader with your first sentence. The first sentence of anything you write – whether that is an email subject line, an opening to a promotional letter or the headline of an online ad – is the most important part of the whole piece. After all, if the customer never starts reading, they’re zero chance of them reading anything that comes afterwards! When there’s a lot of text, it’s not the reader’s job to stay interested and keep reading – it’s your job to grab their attention and keep it. When in doubt, cut text down! Never make it longer than it needs to be. Don’t overload your potential customer or client with extra information and data in a business card, post card, flyer, or radio ad.

Keep It Personal

“Dear Friend, I have to tell you a secret. People yearn for personal, one-on-one contact. I think they want to be treated as unique individuals.” Did the above statement hit you a little differently than the rest of this article? If so, you can see that in anything you write – even an Internet ad – you should make your potential customer feel special. There are many ways to do this. In email or letter correspondence you could use a personal greeting, or their name (if you know it). Or, you can make the customer feel like they’re part of a very special, small group. No one wants to feel like just another face in the crowd!

Make It Clear What You Want Your Customer To Do

While none of us are likely to admit we like to be told what to do, in reality, it works well for advertising and marketing. We like our advertising to tell us exactly what our best option is.It’s your responsibility as a marketer to command your reader. Tell them exactly what you want them to do.“Order now by clicking here…”,“Get started today by calling…”
“Call your personal consultant right now…”And, here’s a related idea. Americans love choices – in fact, we’re used to having too many choices in our land of plenty. Perhaps you have stood confused in the aisle of the supermarket, trying to decide which of the hundreds of kinds of cold medicines to buy. A similar “paralysis of analysis” can happen to your customer if you offer too many options in your marketing. Don’t risk confusing your customer by putting too many attractive choices in an ad. You run the risk of inviting your potential client to ponder which one is best, and the result in no choice/sale at all. Whatever it is that you want your reader to do, make sure you tell them - in plain English.

Be Accessible

 

Have you ever seen an advertisement or come across a website that promoted a service or product you were interested in? But, when you went to find a phone number, physical address, or email contact, it was hard to locate. If you’re the impatient type, you might have even gone to a competitor instead! Don’t be that “hard to contact” business. Always include an e-mail address, a phone number, and any other critical contact information in easy-to-spot locations on all of your printed documents, your website, or any other marketing pieces.

Be Honest

We humans are funny creatures… we won’t do much of anything if we don’t trust someone. You need to build that trust through your advertising, through your communication and through your support. But you don’t always have the ability to build a lot of trust in one specific marketing piece. So, you need to work extra-hard to establish this critical “relationship” between your company and the customer. Your claims should always be believable. You simply can’t trick someone into buying something (well, you don’t want to at least). Most savvy consumers can sniff out a scam. If you’re going to make claims in your marketing, back them up with facts or proof.

Get Emotional

We’d all like to think of ourselves as highly rational and intelligent beings. But . . . the fact remains that its our emotional side that often spurs us into action. Design your marketing to invoke your target customer’s emotions. Firing up feelings of desire, curiosity, hope, fear, surprise, respect, humor, or even anger can make your message (or what you want them to do - #3 from above) that much more powerful and memorable.

Show Them How You Can Improve Their Lives

A related way to really connect with your potential client in marketing is to show them how your service can make their lives better. It all comes down to a “problem – solution” approach to ad creation. Before starting any marketing campaign, you should first consider these simple questions:• What are my customers’ problems?
• How does my service solve those problems?Remember, you’re still relying on basic human emotions. We all have real problems, and we carry them with us through our day. So by employing the “problem – solution” marketing method, you appear to present a perfectly rational argument. But, when the customer sees the benefit, it produces an emotional response of “wow, that would be really great!” or “that’s just what I need at the end of a long day . . .”, etc.

Don’t Self-Promote Yourself and Neglect the Customer

It’s fine to give the client compelling reasons to spend money with you. But if your marketing campaign brags about the size of your operation, how your product blows away the competition, focuses on your company growth, and doesn’t once mention how much your product or service benefits the customer, you’re possibly ignoring – and insulting – the very people your ad is targeting.
Consumers typically want the following two things in order to spend money:• Be shown a solution to a problem they have, (or make them aware of that problem)
• Be offered an attractive solution to that problem.Provide compelling reasons that your business provides the best way to address that problem, and acknowledge the customer’s belief that they are the most important part of the business transaction. Do this well, and your marketing efforts are sure to be a hit.

Follow Up!

Don’t assume that a customer remembers what you discussed last week, or that they received (and actually read) that pretty sales flier you mailed out a month ago. If your business deals with a limited number of clients with highly personalized service, consider calling them a week later. Or, if you have hundreds or thousands of people in your leads list, mail a follow-up marketing piece or email that reminds them of the special offer you made previously. One of the cornerstones of marketing is repetition. And, you will often be rewarded for going the extra step to remind a customer of what an incredible offer you extended to them previously.
Sometimes, that additional contact is all it takes to convert a consumer who is on the fence with a “hmm, I like this, but I’ll decide later” mindset into a “I shouldn’t put this off any further – I need to do this now” customer. Use the above eight tips to make your “pitch” compelling – then help your customer to take the next step in completing the buying process.

Monitor and Adjust Your Marketing

You’ve invested both time and effort you’re your marketing strategy. Maybe you’re convinced it’s the best campaign possible. But don’t be “sold” on the merits of your own work and ideas. Take a hard look at the results, track how your marketing performs over a period of time (don’t make a decision to change things too quickly) and be open to making adjustments if necessary. It might be worth hiring an outside consultant to review your campaign and results. It’s better to have to spend more money retooling your marketing program into something that brings positive results than to keep pushing out a weak or ineffective message, or the right message by the wrong channels of communication.

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