Can We Please Talk about Direct Mail?

If it’s OK with you, for today’s "A Little Reminder," I’d really like to talk about direct mail campaigns.

At little word studio , we work with a lot of clients in the real estate industry and that means we create a LOT of direct mail campaigns. As luck would have it, my insights on this very topic were recently published by Forbes:

So, with the timely publication of this story, I thought I’d dive a bit deeper into the wonderful world of mailbox marketing. Also, let's skip ahead from the direct-mailers-are-dead part (they’re NOT) to the part where we talk about how to create an unforgettable lead-generating campaign. Here’s how I’d start:

Define your goal.

This will help you arrive at your target audience. E.g. My goal is to get 10 inquiries from sellers. Great! Inquiries from sellers (your audience) it is.

Think about your audience’s needs.

Maybe it’s reassurance that prices aren’t on a downward trajectory, and buyers are looking for homes like theirs. Maybe it’s knowledge that there is a window of opportunity to list ASAP before even more inventory comes on the market and competition for homes increases. Maybe it's simply a reiteration of your value as a real estate professional, including a rundown of the services and support you offer. Your message should get right to the heart of their needs. Whatever it is that's keeping your prospective client up at night, address it with your messaging. This ensures your mailer is valuable and relevant. The beauty of mailers is that you can frequently adjust your messaging to align with the ever-changing needs of your audience at any given time.

Design with goal + audience in mind.

Imagine yourself as your ideal client receiving this piece of mail. What would make you stop and go, “Ooooh!”? Often, at least for those initial first few “should I toss this or read it?” seconds, it’s design-related. A big, punchy headline. Bright colors (on brand, of course). Minimal text with maximal impact. Gorgeous photos of your current listings to show that the market is hot – you get the idea.

Add value.

Creative looking sweet? Awesome. Now it’s time to add in some extra value, juuuust in case those ideal clients have even the slightest inkling of a thought to pass up this gorgeous mailer of yours. Like I told Forbes, add a QR code to your mailer that links to something super valuable for your target audience. It could be a blog post about properly pricing your home, or a downloadable 8-step guide to selling, with pretty pictures and LOTS of detailed info so they’re already itching to work with you. It could even link to a welcome video you've created that shares your professional story. Use your imagination with this piece of the mailer puzzle but ALWAYS lead with value.

One more note on adding a QR code. This QR code serves a twofold benefit:

1 - It adds even more value to your mailer and ...

2 - It seamlessly combines the offline with the online; you’re sending them into a sticky, digital space (e.g. a landing page) where they can sign up for your newsletter or explore your awesome content and learn even more about you.

And oh yeah, f you need help putting your mailer together to generate some fresh, new business this spring, reach out to our team. We LOVE creating highly impactful direct mail campaigns and we’d be honored to help you!