5 ideas for agents to up their direct mail marketing game

With email inboxes increasingly inundated with spam and news feeds flooded by sponsored posts and video ads, some might argue offline marketing initiatives are as important as ever.

As direct mail is not currently a crowded marketing space a great opportunity exists to get your foot in the door with potential buyers and sellers.

Direct mail marketing offers a number of advantages including:

• It’s tangibility- Consumers receive less physical mail these days than emails so direct mail stands out. People pay attention to the mail they physically receive and will at least glance at your message to determine if it is relevant to them.

• Personalised message- It makes potential and past clients feel special and appreciated. Personalise your message for your key audience to make it as appealing as possible.

• Targeted- You can perfectly tailor your direct mail campaign to a specific audience from renters, buyers, sellers and long-time customers.

• Measurable- A misconception about direct mail is that you can’t track your results but there are a number of ways to measure your response rate. You can use unique QR codes, create a campaign specific landing page (e.g. thegreatestateagents.com.au below) and utilise call tracking. So long as you include a clear call to action, you’ll be able to track your campaign.

If you’re considering shaking up your marketing strategy or just want to try something different, here are five different ways to leverage direct mail to build your brand and drive leads.

1. Events calendars.

A monthly important events calendar is the perfect way to increase awareness of your brand and because of its usefulness for a month, it’s less likely to end up in the recycle bin than some other forms of direct mail. Include upcoming national, state as well as local community events. Also add handy reminders for daylight savings, school holiday times and public holidays.

Better yet sending out yearly magnet calendars can make you a daily presence on potential clients’ fridges for around 12 months. So even if they don’t need your services when they receive the magnet they’ll become familiar with your face and name and know who to call when the time comes to move. Always include your name, headshot, contact number and website on your magnetic calendar so potential clients can easily reach out any time of year.

2. Market report.

Depending on who you’re targeting in your campaign outline why now is an optimum time to buy or sell in dot points in your market snapshot. Include the latest stats for your area (median prices, growth rate, auction clearance rate and the number of recent sales) to provide readers with everything they need to know.

Also, mark all your recent sales on a prominent map to quickly illustrate the volume of business your agency has turned over. Add a call to action for potential sellers who want to find out more information about recent sales and to arrange an appraisal on their place.

3. Feature client testimonials.

Add an authentic and personal feel to a recent local sales postcard by featuring a couple of quotations from your latest client testimonials. This will help build your credibility and offers potential clients insights into what they can expect if they were to work with you. It’s a good idea to add the details of your website and social media channels for anyone that wants more information and to hear additional stories from more of your satisfied clientele.

4. Event invites.

The formal nature of direct mail makes it the perfect way to inform potential clients in your service suburbs about upcoming events you’re hosting. Events give you the chance to share your expertise, engage with the community and answer any burning questions people may have about the local market.

You may be hosting a first home buyer information night, a home seller seminar or an investor Q&A session. Whatever the event may be, it’s a great way to get noticed, collect leads and connect with locals face to face. Don’t forget to include a call to action on the flyer or postcard for people to register for the event, so you can gauge interest, attendance numbers, collect potential clients’ details and rate the effectiveness of your direct mail campaign.

5. Local insights.

Become the authority on all things real estate as well as everything to do with your suburb by using direct mail. A fun way to become recognised as a ‘local expert’ is to provide a short list of your favourite local attractions, takeaway restaurants, the best family activities (even better if it’s in time for school holidays and includes a map) or a review of a new local café, whatever you think aligns best with the interests of your target demographics.

Include pics showcasing local landmarks and businesses to catch your reader’s eye. You could even look at teaming up with a local business to provide a special offer to people that hold onto the card to get a small discount on their first visit. That way your direct mail will be held onto by offering a small incentive and they’ll have a positive association with you and your brand when they save some cash when redeeming the offer.

We hope these ideas help inspire you to consider adding direct mail to your businesses marketing mix.

Are there any direct mail marketing tactics you’ve had great success with? Please share them in the comments below.