Real Estate Marketing Blog

Occasionally I talk to realtors who complain that they aren’t seeing fantastic results from their direct mail campaign, and the first question I always ask it, “Who are you mailing”. And every time I get practically the same answer, “a farm or prospecting list”. Before you spend a penny prospecting, you need to be mailing your friends, family, and past clients consistently. The top-producing agents know this and have a list of warm contacts, or their sphere of influence, of approximately 400 people. For realtors just starting off, your list may be smaller, 50 or 100 people. But your efforts will be best spent on growing this list overtime. People who know you and trust you are much more likely to call on you when they need to buy or sell.

The second question I ask these realtors is, “How often are you mailing and how long have you been doing it?” At ReaMark, our marketing specialists know that it takes consistent marketing over a time period of at least 6 months before you can really expect to see results. Research shows that approximately 8% of homeowners move each year. The likelihood of someone needing your services at the exact time they receive a single mailing from you is rather low. However, if you continue to market the same person, month after month, when they do have a real estate need, you will be the first person that they think of. Approximately 62% of Sellers will use the first realtor that they call. So it is imperative that you keep your name, face and telephone number in their reach month after month.

ReaMark makes keeping in touch with your sphere of influence easy and affordable. You could mail 100 of your past clients every month for an estimated cost of about 50¢ each. So for about $50 a month you can stay in contact and keep your name and face fresh in their memory to ensure they call you next time they need to buy or sell. Any lapses in marketing such as missed mailings, inconsistent or infrequent mailings could result in lost opportunities, lost business, and ultimately lost income!  For more marketing tips, to ask questions or place an order, call us at 800-932-2957 and visit our website at www.ReaMark.com.

Dear Fellow Real Estate Professional,

Hello I’m Richard Brown, president of ReaMark. I have been in direct marketing for over 25 years with the last 12 years helping Real Estate Professionals, just like you, substantially increase their listings, sales and ultimately their income.

Times are tough in today’s ever changing real estate market. However, all signs point to a slow but steady rise in our business. Affordability is at an all time high while interest rates are at record lows.

Each year I personally take hundreds of calls and the same questions keep popping up time and time again. “Rick, what works best? How can I make more money?”

So last week I sat down, got away from the kids, and really thought about all of the success stories, trials and errors that Realtors have told me during the past two years. With all being equal why are some realtors more successful than others? What does actually work? What has been proven time and time to be the Golden Truths of success? What makes a top agent? How can my business survive when I have less money to spend because I am making less money?

One glaring fact is that my business only makes money if the programs we recommend make you money. And I came up with the four things you should be doing if you are serious about increasing your annual income.

1. You MUST contact your past clients contact list at least every month.

Over 50% of your business should come from referrals. If you are not mailing your contact list then you are losing money. You contact list should includes anyone who knows you, your friends and your family. The larger the list the more successful you will be. You really need to sit down and put this list into a workable database.

2. Mail Just Listed/ Just Sold / Market Updates and Open House Postcards.

Announce your success. Since referrals are the largest part of your business and you want to build up your contact list, these are the second most effective tools at your disposal. You should mail the entire neighborhood and also your current contact list. If your budget is strained these could be part of your planned monthly budget but for better results you should be doing these mailings in addition to your regular contact list.

3. Track your results over time.
The beauty of direct marketing is that is affordable and trackable. If you have 400 contacts then you could be mailing them 12 times per year for as little as 47 cents each or $188 per month. One sale and you pay for the entire year of marketing!

4.Become known as a specialist of your farm.

A business with no prospects will die. You need a reliable consistent source of leads. Since most consumers perceive all real estate professionals to be pretty much the same, you must find ways to differentiate yourself. I get calls everyday from customers thanking me two years later telling me that they now get 50% or more of all listings in their neighborhood. Walk your neighborhood twice per year, create and submit articles and or advertise in the neighborhood newsletters and finally educate them on community activities including the local real estate market.

Did you know that ReaMark can mail your postcards/newsletters/calendars or other marketing materials directly to your clients? All you have to do is send us your mailing list and we will handle all of the details for you. No longer will you have to hassle with applying hundreds of address labels and stamps to your marketing materials and then hauling them off to the post office. Let ReaMark do the work for you! We start by CASS certifying your mailing list, to remove any invalid or duplicate addresses. Then, we ink-jet your clients’ addresses directly onto the marketing piece for a professional finished look. Plus, we add FREE UV coating to all postcards that are mailed with ReaMark’s Mailing Service. Lastly we deliver mail to the post office twice a week to ensure your product mails as soon as production is complete. To learn more, ask questions or place an order, call us at 800-932-2957 or visit our website as www.ReaMark.com.

How to Market Yourself in a Slow Market with Real Estate Postcards

Even though the market can be tough right now, abandoning your marketing plan can be detrimental to your business. If you’re depending on all your past clients to just remember you, then you may be shocked to hear this fact: On average, only 35.5% of homebuyers would use the same agent again without regular contact. That means that you can be losing a whopping 64.5% of your business if you do not market yourself regularly.

In a slow market, rather than cut your marketing plan altogether, trim your expenses to accommodate your budget. Direct mail is proven to be the most cost-effective offline marketing medium. By sending postcards, you can market to each client/prospect every month for as little as 37 cents! 

Your past clients and their referrals on average should account for about 80% of your business. So before you spend a dime prospecting, make sure you market to your client and personal contact list first. Direct mail allows you to track your response rate so you can segment your client list and prospect list and make cuts where necessary.

For more information on Real Estate Postcards and other marketing products, please visit ReaMark.com or call 800-932-2957.

Why JUST SOLD Real Estate Postcards are your best marketing value right now!

Throughout my nine years of working in Real Estate Marketing, and over two decades of experience in direct marketing, I am yet to find a promotional tool as essential in increasing your leads listing and sales as JUST SOLD Postcards.

With all of the turmoil and media creating concerns regarding buying a home right now, many potential buyers are waiting on the sideline. The best way to prove that Right now is still a good time to buy is to announce your success, in order to generate confidence in your clients and spread the word throughout the neighborhood.

Most of our top agents are mailing at least two JUST SOLD Postcards per month, many including multiple sales accomplishments on a single card, in order to get the best bang for their buck. 

Since referrals should account for over 60% of your business, it is especially important to create a buzz and positive mindset in your previous clients, family, and friends. JUST SOLD Postcards accomplish this by announcing your home-sales to a large group of people on a regular basis.

In addition to JUST SOLD and JUST LISTED cards, over 34,000 of our active customers are also sending out quarterly Market updates. By reporting this information on Jumbo Postcards or in newsletter format, Real Estate experts are drawing in business while informing their target market in an innovative and professional way.

Do not wait any longer! If you have recently sold properties, you owe it to yourself to announce your success. Remember: success breeds success.

At ReaMark, we offer a huge selection of eye-catching and professional looking Real Estate Postcards that can be custom-printed and mailed for as little as 41 cents each.

By sending out real estate postcards regularly, you can gradually build your client base and increase your referrals. Your monthly mailings will serve as a reminder of your services to past clients and will familiarize you to prospects. And by mailing regularly, you help to ensure that your cards will arrive at the key time when they are looking to sell or buy. All of ReaMark’s postcards are professionally designed by our graphics team to stand out in the mail. And you can bet that because over 30,000 Realtors use us for their marketing, we know what works. Also, right now if you order 5 styles of postcards, you get the 6th style for FREE. Here are some different ideas to set up your postcard mail campaign:

1. Choose from anyone of our 30+ series to mail out. We have a huge selection of series including Recipes, Home Tips, Animal Cards, Scenic/Inspirational, Comics, Spot 6 Difference Cards, and Feel Right at Home farming cards. Each series has 12 cards so you can mail out every month.

2. Seasonal postcards for monthly prospecting are a great way to connect with clients and prospects. Holidays and events are a great way to keep in touch, because most everybody has those things in common. Some special events during the year include Spring and Fall Time Change, 4^th of July, Halloween, Memorial and Labor Days, Thanksgiving and the December Holidays.

3. Just Listed Postcards and Just Sold Postcards serve the excellent purpose of physically showing clients and prospects that you are active in the business and that you get results. It is important to send Just Listed/Just Sold cards out in neighborhoods that you have listings in, so the neighbors can see that you are their local expert. It is also crucial that you send these out at the very least to your past clients, so they’ll remember that you get the job done when they (or somebody they know) are ready to buy or sell.

For other marketing ideas using Real Estate Postcards or any other promotional products, please call ReaMark at (800) 932-2957 or visit ReaMark.com

Why Spring Time Change Real Estate Postcards Work

It’s getting close to that time of year again when the clocks get moved forward by an hour and the days start getting longer. Yes, daylight saving time is approaching on March 9, 2008, and it is a great opportunity to remind your past and potential clients of your real estate services. But to get your cards on time, remember to order them by February 15^th.

Spring time change postcards are one of our hottest items this time of year and are so popular, because people will hold onto them as a reminder to set their clocks back. Imagine the exposure you’ll get when your card is posted on the fridge for a few weeks. Also, it is important to take any opportunity you can to connect with your clients and prospects, and sending a time change postcard is a great and cost-effective way.

ReaMark has over 20 different spring time change postcard styles, and any of our postcards can have a time change reminder added to the backside message. All of our postcards are expertly designed by our graphics team to stand out in the mail, so your cards will get noticed. And with over 30,000 customers in Real Estate, we know what works. Also, if you order 5 different styles of postcards, your 6 style is FREE!

But to get your cards on time, remember you need to order them by February 15^th.

For FREE samples of our Spring Time Change Real Estate Postcards , call us at (800) 932-2957 or visit our website at ReaMark.com

Spot 6 Differences | Exclusive ReaMark Real Estate Postcards

Have you ever turned to a page in a magazine and seen the Spot the Difference challenge? It’s where you see 2 pictures next to each other that at first look identical, but on further inspection, there are several subtle differences for you to find. You stop flipping through the magazine, focus your eyes and really concentrate on the pictures for 5+ minutes—they’re irresistible! That’s the concept of ReaMark’s new Spot 6 Differences Postcards!

These ReaMark exclusive cards are colorfully designed cartoons by our graphic artists, and all of them have real estate themes. Each of the 6 cards really pops out in the mail, and they’re sure to grab your clients and prospects attention (6 more Spot 6 Differences postcards to come soon). And because you put your name on the front of each card and on the back as well, you get double the exposure! Just imagine how long people will be staring at your cards and info. No other postcard out there gives you that kind of concentrated attention for that long! You can view these Spot 6 Differences Real Estate Postcards online at ReaMark.com , or you can call us at (800) 932-2957 for a catalog and FREE Samples.

Did you know that sending out Real Estate Postcards is the most cost-efficient offline way to market to with past clients and reach new clients? It’s true! No other marketing medium allows you to have such an impact on your target audience for as little a cost.

By sending monthly postcard mailings, you keep your information continually in front of clients and prospects, so when they are ready to buy or sell, you’re the first person they think about. Not only do repeat mailings build your name recognition, they also establish your credibility. Receiving your repeated mailings shows your farm that you’ve been in the business for awhile and that you’re a true professional.

Unlike other advertising mediums like newspapers or TV, you are able to direct your marketing efforts solely to your targeted audience. Whether they are homeowners or renters, you know where each piece is going and you can easily track the response. Also you know by sending to homeowners that they have most likely used a REALTOR in the past and will be inclined to do so in the future.

And at ReaMark, our postcards are as low as 5 cents each so you know you’re getting a deal. Please don’t hesitate to call (800) 932-2957 or visit ReaMark.com for FREE samples of our real estate postcards

When sending out real estate postcards , repeat mailings are crucial to the success of your direct mail marketing campaign. Only through repetition can you build and maintain the name recognition that you need to build your client base. Here’s why repeat mailings increase your chances of getting more listings and sales:

An average of about 8% of homeowners will move this year. But the whole 8% won’t move at the same time. You can separate your targeted audience into three divisions: 

1. People who need your service now

2. People that are going to need your service later

3. People that are not going to need your service

The smaller portion of your audience is going to need a Realtor right now, but more of them will eventually need one in the future. When you send mailings repetitively, you up your chances of getting business from those who need you now and those who will need you later.

By sending repeat mailings, you build your credibility. As your name and picture becomes more familiar to clients and prospects, you start creating a level of trust. You are conveying that your business is established, and that they can trust their real estate needs will be secure with you.

Lastly, a lot of people have a tendency to procrastinate. Even though they could be thinking about using your services, they may take a little more time to make a decision. Sometimes people can get sidetracked, but sending real estate postcards continuously reminds them about their real estate needs and of your services.