Real estate postcards are hotly debated on the web. Some sources swear sending postcards as a marketing tool will yield amazing results while others warn against wasting hard-earned dollars. One common argument against them is they are simply outdated. Generally, that may be true - but a well executed print marketing campaign can still be effective.
Before you overlook using postcards altogether or, on the contrary, blindly sink money into them - consider these points:
Pros:
- Delivery:
Unlike email, you can pretty much guarantee that a postcard is going to make it to the intended recipient. To protect against an addressee no longer living at a specific location, you can either omit the addressee altogether or add “or current resident”.
- Tangible:
A physical object can be passed from person to person - giving postcards the potential for a longer marketing lifespan. Most people only open promo emails once, but a well-placed postcard can change hands multiple times.
- Targeted:
It’s easy to target a specific location or neighborhood. Geo-targeting can be a challenge with digital marketing since you may not have current location data for everyone in your book of business.
- Value:
It costs money to print nice looking real estate postcards and your prospects recognize that. A nice looking postcard with an attractive layout that is professionally printed can convey a lot about how you do business.
Cons:
- Disposable:
Snail mail has a spam filter too – the recipient. We all get those “fun” credit card offers, flyers and coupons on a regular basis. If your postcard ends up being delivered on the same day as a big pile of junk mail, it may well end up in the trash.
- Cost:
Postcards – like most print media – can be pricey. Costs will vary by printer and quality - but you can expect to pay a setup fee and a per-postcard fee at minimum. Keep track of your cost-per-lead (total cost divided by # of qualified leads) to evaluate whether your return-on-investment (ROI) is worth the initial expense.
- Passive:
Postcards are not personalized and not strongly action-oriented. While listing details are informative, a postcard primarily serves as promotion for the agent. Great for you, but not always particularly helpful to homebuyers.
- Tracking:
With digital marketing, you can easily track and analyze your marketing. With mailers, it can be difficult to compile data that will help you identify which new leads are generated as a direct result of your postcard campaign.
Take these pros and cons into consideration when deciding if real estate postcards are a good investment in your business marketing.
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