Business Marketing Advertising

Do you use direct mail? Direct mail can be a very effective marketing method if you do it correctly.

Every time you open your mailbox, I am sure you will be greeted by tons of direct mail. If direct mail does not work, large and small companies would not spend tons of money on it. However, do you perceive them as junk mail, or something useful?

The real estate industry love to use direct mail. I get several direct mail from the local realtors every week. There is a successful real estate agent in my neighborhood, dominating the small area that I live in. I am sure everyone can relate to that. You probably also see a popular neighborhood realtor’s pictures everywhere, including open home signs, direct mail, and other places in your neighborhood. They are dominating the area that you live, even their office might not be even close to your house.

I like to read my local popular real estate agent’s mail. Her niche are the houses within 2 mile radius near some high tech companies in the Silicon Valley. She targets relatively new houses with value between $600,000 and $1.6 million. She works for the “fine home” division on a popular real estate company.

I got her mail at least once a week. Most of the mail tells me about her recently sold houses, the sold prices, how long the houses were on the market before they got sold, and what her next open homes will be. At this slow real estate market, she can still sells a home within a couple of weeks at a reasonably high price, it shows her expertise.

I live in her target neighborhood. Even though I live in the lower end of her target market, she still sends me a lot of mail. I am interested to see what her next open home is. I am more interested in the monthly newsletters that she sent out that tells me information about the housing market of the area that I live in. Something that I am interested in and something that I concern about. If she sells a house that is similar to mine, then I know the estimated value of my house.

Like many other real estate agents, she uses postcards in her direct mail campaign. So I don’t have to open an envelop to see her mail. She uses newsletter format for the monthly newsletter.

One more very important thing about direct mail…. mail frequency. The successful real estate agents mail to their target market very frequently. I received a couple of mail from her every week. Statistics shows that it takes 3 to 7 times for people to remember your mail. Be consistent!
Her open house sign also shows her picture, which makes it more memorable compare to other signs that only have the real estate companies’ name.

Her marketing campaign co-ordinate together to establish her expertise and knowledge of the area that I live in, and her effectiveness of her home selling skills. All her direct mailing tells you that she can get you a good price within a short period of time if you sell your house through her. She establishes herself as a real estate EXPERT of my neighborhood, and gradually build a successful realtor image in our mind. When I want to sell my house, I will probably give her a call.

In order to make your direct mail campaign effective, think about what your target market interested in, and create an offer specifically for them. If you are an accountant, dentist, or any other service related business, send out newsletter that give out useful information to your target market. Show them your expertise and build credibility. Build a relationship with your audience through direct mail or email marketing. Include some coupons or other attractive offers in your direct mailing to entice your target market to try your products or services. Once you establish your creditability and build a relationship with your target market, you will be the first one they call when they need your service or know someone that need your service.