Is direct mail marketing still kicking even in 2017?

We get asked all the time – is direct mail marketing working, now, in 2017? The answer is a resounding yes. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), direct mail is still alive and well. More than that, it is still preferred by consumers, especially the head-of-the-house, purchase-decision-makers. The DMA reports in a 2016 survey that direct mail is seven times more effective than all digital mediums combined. Even young millennial adults, who are giving the word “social” an entirely new meaning through social media and content marketing, say that they are most responsive to direct mail when it comes to making a purchase. This response comes from the ability to see it, touch it, read it, share it, and come back to it it when the time comes for a purchase.

Positive response also stems from the “human-ness” of direct mail. Over 70-percent of Americans surveyed by the DMA stated that mail is more personal than the Internet, and because the audience can better recognize a brand when it speaks to them “off-line” as well as online, it creates a stronger presence.

We use an integrated approach in our own marketing, and so can you!

Here are some of our suggestions for optimizing direct mail marketing in your campaign this year.

1. Integrate

Use your social media to research and communicate with your target audience. By integrating all marketing platforms (both digital & print), you will be able to build a strong brand identity. Begin with social media and email automation campaigns to build awareness and track who is interested in your service or product. If you are lucky enough to have your target ZIP codes available, you can purchase a multi-channel marketing package at Discover Publications to have this is handled for you. By dialing in on your audience, communicating with them, and allowing them to access information through website clicks, etc., they will develop a positive customer relationship. Strengthen your digital touch points with print marketing that is worth sharing. Create a more personal and unique experience for your audience with relevant content, not just promotional marketing. Many Agents use market stats, newsletters, and of course custom publications to achieve this. A bonus: you can promote your social media profiles with a call to action on your mailing, and track the effectiveness of your print campaign by seeing a (hopeful) rise in online activity post-print and mail.

2. Consistency

How serious would you take a company if they mailed you one brochure, one time? It’s unlikely that you would call them the next time you need a service they offer, right? Right. Consistent marketing through all platforms both direct and digital is the key to a brand’s survival. It allows a company to create a recognizable and memorable image, and a relationship with their target audience. Staying consistent with direct mail marketing is a challenge, but as with most challenges, the benefits will be great. Consistently mailing (whether it be weekly or monthly) to your audience is a must. Create a calendar and segment your audience into groups, then constantly mail your advertising. Because you’ve segmented your audience, you will continuously reach your prospects without being overpowering. This creates brand recognition, eliminates confusion (didn’t this company send me a brochure once?), and cues purchase decision-making.

3. Get out there and get started!

Shelby Nicholson | shelby.nicholson@discoverpubs.com

Real Estate is the Best Industry for Direct Mail Marketing

Over the last few decades, here at Discover we’ve made huge efforts at getting custom publications in the mailboxes of various industry prospects. We’ve tried the full gamut of small businesses marketing to a geographic farm. What we’ve found is that real estate is the best industry for direct mail, and yet, we still run into agents who don’t get results. Here we’ve come to understand a few basic principles about direct mail; when and how it becomes effective. These are our nuggets of wisdom.

(1) You are still building a community presence

Real estate is such a great industry for direct mail because you only need a few good leads to cover the cost of several mailings. This isn’t true for other industries, whose services are yielding much lower revenue per lead. But to get even those few leads, your mail needs to reinforce an image that is already familiar. Of course, your mail assists with the familiarization process, but having a few yard signs in the neighborhood and a booth at the fireworks will make you mail much more effective. That doesn’t mean that if you’re a new agent you shouldn’t use direct mail (we think you should), but you must realize that it probably won’t send leads your way for a long time.

We’ve found that agents who have been working in the community for 5 or more years, have 5% or greater market share in their farm. And those who participate in community events regularly get the best results in the fastest amount of time.

(2) You aren’t sending the right kind of mail

Ah, postcards. Even here at Discover we’ve dabbled with them. We learned early on that postcards can be a great tool for showcasing a recent sold or a hot listing, but they should not be used as the backbone of a direct mail strategy. Today’s consumers are highly distrustful of almost anything promotional, and it’s really tough to cram anything but self-promotion on a postcard. You’re go-to direct mail piece should speak to the homeowners in your community about what interests and concerns them. It should show, not tell, how you are an expert, member and leader in the community.

This realization was the genesis of our custom publication, which is designed to position agents as caring, contributing members of the neighborhood who are also successful real estate agents. Sending relevant, engaging content to your prospects is more effective over the long haul than promotional postcards or fliers.

(3) You aren’t properly prospecting or supplementing your direct mail with other forms of marketing

We’ve heard of agents who love the idea of direct mail so much that they rely too heavily on it, and it gets them nothing. A seasoned real estate agent knows that you’ve got to heavily prospect as part of your overall strategy. This includes regular phone calls, emails and even door knocks. If you’re calling on people you’ve been mailing too, you can use that as an opening line so the call doesn’t feel as cold.

Direct mail is also one of the least threatening forms of marketing because it is so easy. You send it. With your websites, social media, videos and emails, you’re taught to follow rules, cross-connect multiple channels and then analyze all of the metrics. We get it. But nonetheless, the fact is that even if you are a fantastic networker, direct mailer and community leader, if your prospects can’t find you online they’ll be turned off. To get the most out of direct mail you should:

• Lead prospects to a beautiful, functional and well-integrated website. It should tie to all your social media and other online profiles and sites (like your broker landing page and Zillow profile), showcase listings, link to tools your prospects can use to value their home and search local listings, and feature regular updates and blog posts
• Have a presence with frequent posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
• Build and maintain a clean email list of past clients and future prospects. You should email them at least twice a month with interesting content that is non-promotional, including videos

We know it takes a lot of inertia to do all of this, but we have found that agents who take advantage of multiple marketing channels get more calls from the direct mail they send out.

(4) You aren’t mailing consistently 

Just like with prospecting and email marketing, consistency is key. We’ve found that mailing a good, core piece at least every other month will pay off within 6-8 months (for an agent with presence, market share, and a good supplementary marketing program).
But what’s interesting is that once the agent mailing hits this “break-even” point, the leads don’t come in at a steady pace, they tend to come in faster and faster. It’s as though the continual reinforcement starts to take hold and homeowners start to associate the agent with “successful real estate selling.” At that point it’s exciting because it’s a matter of housing turnover more than trust building, because that’s already been accomplished.

We hope you’ve found this information helpful. We’re always here to share our experience and insights, so let us know if you have any comments or questions.

A custom publication creates a lasting impression on your audience, make them remember you

When you’re publishing your custom publication with Discover Publications, we want you to make every page count. To that end, here are 5 ways to grab attention and get your readers to engage with your company.

1. An enticing lead article

Your front page story is your reader’s first impression. An engaging article gets your reader’s involved from the start is important and will peak their interest. An article about the local area and market is always relevant … it speaks to them directly, especially when they are sitting at home. Readers would like to know what’s happening in the market and if their home is rising in value.

2. Featured listings and homes sold and pending

Many of our clients like to use the giant 10” x 16” back page to show off their most prized listings. Use this space to your advantage by keeping your listings moderately-sized with a photo and a brief description. Always have a space where the reader can locate a number or website quickly to contact you if they find their dream home.

Having pending and sold listings shows that you can move homes, and move them quickly, thus creating confidence in your place as a market leader. Plus, the reader can see what home prices are going for in the area.

3. Call to action spaces. 

These spaces, strategically placed within the custom publication, are where you want to really sell yourself and make the phone ring. Use these spaces to search for possible sellers and leads. For example, the house that your reader owns is something your buyers are in need of and they may be looking to sell. Many use the spaces to promote a website with a message: a free home value or market analysis. You may also want to promote a charity event you are involved in, or an event you are sponsoring for the community. You can also use these areas to sell ad space to defer the cost of the paper.

4. Advertisers
   

Selling ad space in your custom publication to friends and acquaintances in the business is a great way to offset your costs. Our clients frequently team up with a staging company, financial company, title company, or insurance provider. We can create the ad if needed and bill the advertiser directly for you.

5. Testimonials

To further cement your place as a market leader in your area, having some testimonials from satisfied clients can show your human side, and highlight things you and your staff have done to create a positive outcome for your clients.

Use these helpful tips to make publishing your custom publication much easier and more successful. 

Follow-up can mean the difference between fleeting and lasting relationships

In business, as with life, building relationships with care, understanding and respect can yield immeasurable benefits. Follow-up is an integral part of relationship building. It’s the shout-out, the “what’s up,” the “I’m here for you” that helps reassure both prospective and current clients that you are thinking of them.

Terry L. Green, president of BizEase Support Solutions, points out: “Follow-up involves all aspects of your business, from following up with prospective new clients, to making sure you are set on a path to success once you land them. That’s why you should make sure you have follow-up procedures in place and that they become part of your routine.”

There are numerous opportunities to follow up, and you should seize them all:

• After a networking event, stay connected with the people who made a difference to you. They likely will make a difference to your business. Use of online social media is a given; it is the most efficient method of sharing your experiences, photos and business tips. However, there is no substitute for a handwritten note to thank an individual for his or her time and attention, and to say that you look forward to meeting again.
• When contacted by potential clients for more information, send it right away. Then call or e-mail to see if they need anything else. Also, send a thank-you-for-contacting-me note … written … by hand.
• After landing a client, send a personalized welcome kit. In addition to information on your business policies and procedures, you might want to include a list of frequently asked questions (for the client who thought he asked everything but realized he hadn’t). The kit also should contain a gift and note … again, handwritten.

Your mother was right to stand over you while you wrote thank-you notes for the gifts you had received. Taking the time to put your appreciation in writing tells your clients that you are willing to put in the extra effort to show them you care.

Remember that follow-up is a process as well as a practice.

• Respond promptly. Your chance of speaking with a decision maker increases if your response time decreases. Common wisdom seems to suggest a standard of responding the same day or hour you receive an inquiry. However, studies show that responding within five minutes of receipt of the inquiry increases ninefold the chance of turning the prospect into a convert. Do it now; later might be way too late.
• Follow up every single lead. Log them as soon as they arrive and assign them for immediate follow-up. Don’t expect the magic to happen with a single email. It can take as many as 13 touches to get from initial contacts and intermediaries to the person who makes the decision to buy.
• Measure your process and track your progress. This is where an automated follow-up platform comes in handy. According to Annuitas, a demand generation strategy firm, businesses that use automated marketing experience a 451 percent increase in qualified leads. Leads can be scored and messaging targeted by providing prospects with customized content based on their behaviors and implied preferences. How many leads do you get in a week? How long does it take to respond? How many of them become qualified prospects or customers? What works well for you? What doesn’t? Modify any aspect of your process that needs it, and then check your progress again in a few months.
• Keep your mailing list updated. Your client information should be current and reflect any major changes, such as a geographical move, job change or marital status. Automation helps here by clearing your database of those who haven’t been responding to emails, as well as duplicates and outdated information. Oh … and you might want to know whether or not that person is still alive. One can only imagine how annoying it must be to keep getting mail for somebody who has been dead for more than a decade.

Follow-up is a valuable tool, not only for tracking the progress of your business, but also for learning more about your clients and increasing their familiarity and comfort with you. Those who enjoy a solid relationship with you are apt to send you referrals, vouch for your credibility and strengthen your reputation.

So before you congratulate yourself on another client qualified or deal closed, you would be well served to remember that these folks are crucial to the survival and growth of your business. Before you order a celebratory cake, send them a thoughtful and diligent follow-up.

Discover Publications can help you make those connections (on which you must follow up). Give us a call at (877) 872-3080.