Download The Do`s and Don`ts of Direct Mail for Property

The Do’s and
Don’ts of Direct
Mail for Property
Professionals.
As a property professional, you may be finding that the amount of applicants
registering with your estate agency has slowed down a little- particularly since
Christmas has been and gone. But finding new customers doesn’t have to be a
drag. With the BriefYourMarket.com Direct Mail feature, you can easily create
campaigns that target potential prospects with pinpoint precision- and
generate tangible results. You might have heard lots of differing opinions about
Direct Mail, and that’s okay. We’re here to set the record straight. Read on for
the truth about this powerful marketing tool…
What’s Changed?
Over the last few years property prices have fluctuated. You may have put all your resources
into lettings, or towards new customers. We find many agents have not reached out to their
archived database- sometimes in years.
Marketing has changed for agents, from the rise of sites like Rightmove and Zoopla and with
stats showing people move house up to 8 times in their lifetime, it’s now more critical than
ever to have a cost effective marketing solution that empowers your agency to create great
marketing campaigns that both engages your archived database and captures new leads.
Looking back just 10 years, marketing was very different indeed. As a property professional,
you may have relied on word-of-mouth recommendation, flyering or newspapers adverts
before the advent of websites.
Did You Know…..The earliest UK direct mail campaign that is known
to have gained significant results took place in London in 1825, and
took the form of a pamphlet for a funeral parlour, offering
prospective customers a scheme that allowed them to pay for their
funeral in advance, over a period of 6 months. This was said to
generate over 1100 responses- a particularly impressive response in
the 19th century.
Communication channels are always seen as a threat to the previous one. When CDs came
in, people resisted – insistent that vinyl or tapes would reign supreme! When TV came a
fixture in every home, the fear was that the cinemas would close.
This simply isn’t the case. As we are seeing now with digital TV, play on demand and the rise if
YouTube and Vimeo, consumers want communication across more channels. One does not
replace the other – in fact, it enriches our media consumption.
This is the same for direct mail. During the rise of email and social media marketing, articles
with names like, “Direct mail is dead” “The demise of print marketing” were prolific on the
Internet.
What surprised everyone is that the end wasn’t nigh; conversely, stats have shown that a huge
44% of people who receive direct mail then visit the brand’s website (Direct Marketing
Association). This form of marketing is crucial to enhancing your online presence and inciting
interest in your brand. But, like with any campaign, a finely targeted approach yields the best
results.
Canvassing cards are probably a big part of your marketing. These direct mail pieces typically
work really well with ‘Sold in your area’ 20-20 campaigns. With BriefYourMarket.com, you can
include a large image of the sold home at the front of the piece, which should be instantly
recognisable to your prospect and captivate their attention, urging them to read on.
They can even be addressed by name for that truly personal touch, so your prospect knows
your message hasn’t just been intended for just anyone’s mailbox.
Our canvassing cards can be generated automatically, based on triggers such as a valuation
request or a house sold in a particular area. What’s more- you can also use our Draw-aSearch tool to create your own custom search area, whether you want to focus on a particular
street or estate and get really specific with your filtering.
But canvassing cards aren’t all we offer to rocket your marketing strategy! And we can also
slip you some handy tips on what to do – as well as methods you should steer clear of- if you
want to make your direct mail a success.
What not to do
Work Solo
Your direct mail should be sent to arrive as part of the marketing mix- not the whole thing.
Stats show that marketing that spans 2-3 channels has an average of 24% more
engagement- so you should use direct mail alongside our Emailing and Newsletter feature, in
order to establish your brand in the minds of your customers, and become a familiar name
that they associate with credibility and trust.
For example, as well as sending out a flyer about your upcoming open house event, it’s wise to
follow up with an email or SMS message to those who have expressed their interest,
increasing the chance of customer engagement and keeping your brand fresh in their minds.
Keep your sales team in the dark
Your entire sales team need to be on board with your all of your outbound marketing, and
direct mail is no exception. As well as it being a good idea to inform them of your upcoming
campaigns in case they receive any enquiries or follow-ups, it’s also worth getting the input of
your sales team when you create your campaign. As the face of your business, they might be
able to give you some tip tips on your tone, or the most frequently asked questions they hear
from customers.
What not to do
Flyer by hand
You might want to get out there in the field whilst you’re delivering your message, but flyering
by hand can be a lengthy process for you and your staff- and we know that your time is
precious. Not only that, blanket deliveries means that your campaign isn’t targeted, and we’ve
found that targeted direct mail yields a 2.5 times greater return on investment than traditional
direct mail. If your audience is carefully considered, you stand a much better chance of
generating more interest from your campaigns.
We allow you access to one of the largest sets of consumer data, containing over 20 million
households, so you can seek out the most suitable customers to whom you should be sending
your message. Filter by criteria such as age, gender, household income and marital status, as
well as many other variables.
With BriefYourMarket.com, you do longer have to hand deliver hundreds of cards in all kinds
of weather, meaning you lose out on that precious telephone contact with the customers who
need you. Your direct mail acts as your sales people, and can be automated and sent straight
to your customer’s door, meaning you can focus on those mounting in-house activities, safe in
the knowledge that your creations are doing the talking for your business.
Guess the area
Many businesses send out general messages to an entire area, casting as wide a net as
possible and then hoping and praying for leads. The problem with this kind of communication
is that it’s so cold and impersonal that it screams to the recipient that it might as well have
landed in anyone’s mailbox. Whilst the business waits for a response, whether that’s a phone
call or having prospects drop into their branch for a chat, it’s likely that most of these
messages are being thrown away, without even being properly read.
What not to do
Rely on old data
Stats show that people move an average of 8 times and, chances are, if you haven’t checked
your data in a while, a lot of it’s probably out of date.
To get the most out of your marketing, your list needs to be fresh and as engaged as possible.
In order to get the most out of your CRM, you should be consistently communicating with
your list, keeping track of unsubscribes, and giving them the chance to change their details or
preferences if they need to.
If you’re sending to people who no longer require your services, or out of date information,
you’re just going to be wasting money and not getting the best out of your campaigns.
Use multiple providers to source your direct mail
When sourcing and ordering your direct mail, it’s always best to go with one provider. That way,
you have more control about what hits your customers, and the impression they get from your
brand.
For example, with popular online print retailer, Vistaprint, you are often limited to one choice
depending on the piece you’re looking for. Then, once it is sent, it arrives with your customer
and isn’t addressed to them by name.
According to a study conducted by Aberdeen Group, 75% if customers like when brands
personalise their communication and use names, and we integrate with your current CRM
system to ensure that all of your communications address your customer by name, making
your message feel really friendly and personal.
Smart uses of direct mail you
should be doing
Go Manual
Automating your Direct Mail is easy, and it doesn’t have to be a
headache. Stats show that 63% of companies that are outgrowing
their competitors use marketing automation software (Position 2).
Here’s everything you need to know about this clever tool:
Automation 101
Quite simply, automating your direct mail means that you communicate with your customers
following key events and interactions, but takes away the step of having to remember to hit
the ‘send’ button each time. You can trigger your property brochure to arrive following your
customer’s initial registration, or your canvassing cards to be sent as often as you like. It’s just
one less thing for you to think about when you’re already swamped.
You don’t have to worry about remembering to send out each message following a significant
customer milestone or before a significant event. With BriefYourMarket.com, you can trigger
your brochures or welcome letters to be sent whenever a customer registers their details with
you, simply by integrating your CRM software with ours.
Not only will your professionalism impress your customer, but automating this process will
also save you time- meaning you can concentrate on your other marketing activities.
Not quite convinced? Here are some amazing stats about the power of automation:
 Marketing automation drives a 14.5% increase in sales productivity and a 12.2% reduction
in marketing overhead.
 75 of companies using marketing automation see ROI within 12 months (Focus Research)
Smart uses of direct mail you
should be doing
Referrals
Research conducted by Business Week shows that 70% of customers look at ratings and
reviews before making a purchase. With this in mind, your direct mail can also be used to
request testimonials from your existing customers, in order to showcase your glowing
reputation to potential prospects.
This doesn’t mean you have to trawl through your records and make an exhaustive list. You
can automate your direct mail so that it hits customers who successfully sold or purchased
their home, mortgage or [other service] with you on their first year milestone of this event.
Worried about being intrusive? Don’t be. You can also take the opportunity to wish your
customer a happy first anniversary in their new home, and remind them that you’re there if
you need anything. Make sure you also include links to your social media presence,
encouraging people to connect with you on those platforms. That way, you stand a bigger
chance of them advocating your brand and attracting their online connections.
Once you’ve received your testimonials, you can include the best quotes on your future direct
mail campaigns when you’re looking to attract new customers- making your message even
more powerful.
The ‘Reply to’ Card
Although these cards aren’t used as often as brochures and leaflets, they can be marketing
gold for when you want to interact with your customer, but want to give them another option
for responding, other than phone, email or online. Plus, if you’ve piqued their interest, but your
prospect isn’t quite ready to pick up the phone or call in to your branch during their travels,
they can fill in their reply card and post it back to you; you give them all of the communication
control, which can be an empowering tool.
Sending out a reply to card as part of an ongoing direct mail campaign, where you also test
out responses to leaflets, brochures and canvassing cards, can
be very effective, as you’re considering the personal communication
preferences of everyone you target.
Smart uses of direct mail you
should be doing
Smart Content
Once your prospect has picked up your direct mail, you need to make them want to read it.
That means crafting smart, compelling content that makes an impact.
Firstly, your message needs to be easy to read. That means avoiding intimidating blocks of
text; they will only give the reader a headache. You can break up your copy with short
paragraphs, sub-headings as well as bullet points or lists. Typically, lists are manageable, easy
to digest and can be quickly scanned, yet still effectively drives home the main points of your
message.
Secondly, you need to ensure the benefits are the focus of your message. To do this, simply
appeal to emotion first, then reason afterwards. We are an emotion-driven species, prone to
reacting strongly to messages that, for whatever reason, feel close to home. Once interested,
we then justify our feelings with logic, e.g. “Registering with this estate agency would be
beneficial to me, because ...”
Your copy should follow this formula. Instead of immediately jumping in with the features of
registering with your estate agency, and buying or selling with you, describe the core benefits;
these are what your customer really wants to know about. Is it great value for money? Peace
of mind? Will you help them find their dream home?
The core benefit will be what initially jumps out at your customer and hooks them. Once
you’ve done that, you can reel them in with details of your best features, such as the high level
of support you offer- and then seal the deal.
Lastly, feature attractive images/graphics to break up your copy and make your direct mail
look visually appealing. Whether this is an image of the house you just sold, the interior of one
of your best properties or a stunning landscape, make sure your images enhance your
message and complement your text.
Smart uses of direct mail you
should be doing
Brochures
A picture is worth a thousand words, so imagine the impact when you use lots of them!
Exhibit all of your properties in one stunning place with a brochure. Not only are these
literature pieces great for making your house, flats and apartments stand out beautifully, but
they’re also so simple to create.
Just select one of our templates, add in your images and your accompanying text, and you’re
away!
Letters
Get truly personal with your mail by sending letters to your potential customers. Whether
you’re inviting them to an open house or auction event, sending a confirmation of their
upcoming valuation, or forwarding an invoice, you can really make an impression when your
message arrives in an enveloped, addressed to your prospects by name.
Choose from a wide range of paper and finishes in order to get your message just right, and
make a memorable impression.
The Follow Up
Your follow up is crucial. Many of the people who didn’t respond to your first campaign may
show more interest after your message is communicated for the second or third time. This is
because your brand will become more familiar to your prospects at this point, and they will
therefore feel more trusting towards you and hopefully more willing to hear what you have to
say- so don’t give up after just one try. Whether you’re sending out another Direct Mail
campaign or following up via telemarketing, make sure you commit to a strong follow-up
plan.
How can the
BriefYourMarket.com Direct
Mail feature help your estate
agency?
If you’re now convinced that direct mail is not dead – and rightly so – why not talk to us about
launching your first multi-channel campaign?
Here’s what we can help with:
 By accessing our data module containing over 20 million pieces of consumer information, you can
target your campaigns with pinpoint precision and get really creative with them, in order to
generate the results you’re looking for.
 BriefYourMarket.com offers a full suite of direct mail pieces, including leaflets, canvassing cards,
brochures and letters, so you can choose what works best for your business, or the theme of your
campaign- whether that’s “Looking to buy? Here are some of our best properties” or “We just sold
this house on your street- and we can sell yours, too!”
 Our targeted direct mail enables you to unobtrusively speak to your customers within their own
environment, whether that’s at the kitchen table with a coffee or in the warmth of their living room.
 Sending direct mail with BriefYourMarket.com couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is choose
from one of our personalised range of online templates, add your contact details and the message
you wish to convey and send – all with no need for a designer! You can make it more relevant to
your target market by changing the images so it becomes bespoke to your branch. Alternatively,
you can upload your own templates/branding and still have the ability to edit online.
 We have a low minimum print run of just 25 canvassing cards – a brilliant way for you to create
small campaigns with impact. Our studies show direct mail has the lowest cost per lead, compared
with tele-marketing to prospects, so you can make your marketing budget go so much further.
 Before we print, stamp, address and post your created pieces, we even check all your existing data
against the Royal Mail database so you can ensure that not a single piece ever goes to the wrong
place or gets lost in sending.
 We even let you allow different branches to control their own direct mail campaigns, and you get to
give the word of approval before anything is sent out.
 You get to choose whether your created mail arrives at your office, for hand delivery, or directly to
your customer’s door once you’ve hit ‘send’. The power is in your hands.
Get in touch
If you want to know how direct mail could work for your estate agency, drop us a line. We’d
love to hear from you!
T:
+44 (0)344 800 8424
E:
[email protected]
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www.briefyourmarket.co.uk
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