Real estate postcards are a fantastic way to test the sales waters in your area and expand your circle of potential clients. It can also improve scalability, ROI, and other data, which is essential for sales.
Not sure how to get started? We have a quick guide to getting started with real estate postcard marketing the right way!
What is real estate postcard marketing?
Just like those bite-sized photos you received in the mail from a friend’s beach vacation, postcards for real estate show off your services as opposed to a tourist attraction. Postcards are also brief and only need a small amount of information, making them quick to churn out.
When done correctly, postcard marketing for real estate agents is the perfect way to make a sustainable, long-term business strategy.
Why should real estate agents use postcards?
Effective real estate postcards are personable and a fairly inexpensive real estate marketing strategy. It’s a great way to test a neighborhood or keep in touch with your networking circle. And any mail that isn’t a bill is a winner in everyone’s mailbox.
While you can use letters, postcard postage costs 16 cents less than a letter to mail at a mere 44 cents. So if you want to try direct mail marketing, a postcard is the perfect way to start.
Real estate postcard marketing can also help you target a specific zip code, such as more rural areas that don’t have many agents. Some of those communities can be like untapped oil, often overlooked in favor of densely populated cities where the competition is fierce.
Real estate postcards that work
Looking for real estate postcard ideas that work? We have a few ideas to get you started. No matter which idea you choose, don’t forget to include a good headshot and your contact info so you can establish potential leads.
Also, remember to send them out in a strategic and timely manner. For seasonal postcards, send them right before or during the beginning of the season. If showcasing an event, get them out well before the date.
Home valuation
Most homeowners want to know how much their home is worth. Offer a link or QR code leading to software that can estimate their home value if they put in their email or other contact information.
Follow up with those who use the software to start a more accurate and productive conversation about the amount they could sell their home for with your help.
Food and drink recipes
Recipes are a fun and useful tool for any homeowner to have around. If it’s a good one, expect the recipient to keep it in their recipe box or even posted on the fridge as a reminder to actually make and try it out.
If there’s a holiday coming around, why not mark the occasion with a fun recipe? For the summertime, use a recipe for a fruity cocktail or a slushie recipe perfect for the whole family. For autumn, include a recipe perfect for the upcoming holidays. Repeat for other holidays and seasons as you see fit, especially if you get great results from sending out the recipes.
Market update
Have impressive real estate stats to share? Let the whole town know! Include how many listings you have available, the average days your listings spend on the market, average listing and sales prices, and other relevant info.
If you’re sending postcards to multiple areas, use the most relevant info for that neighborhood or zip code. Even if the postcard recipient isn’t interested in buying or selling, they may know someone in their circle who is ready. (Psst…that means referrals for you!)
Open houses and events
Have an upcoming open house or another lead-generating event? Make sure to include details about when and where. Send it to residential addresses nearby to entice potential buyers to check it out.
Don’t give away too much information! Make it enticing with pretty pictures and a couple of bullet points highlighting the event or listing.
Get the community involved
Showing up at a local fair? Maybe you’re holding a social media contest? Do you have something fun to offer, like a mini coloring page or maze for kids? Show that you know your community by providing them with something relevant to your audience.
Newly added or sold listings
Did you just sell or add an impressive listing? Why not show it off and associate beautiful homes with your name? Use gorgeous photographs to demonstrate to leads how great their listings could look if they work with you.
First-time homebuyers
Looking to help out first-time home buyers with their search? Why not showcase your specialty of helping them find the perfect fit? If you have an event, such as an in-person class or a webinar on how to start the homebuying process, ensure recipients can easily access the event.
These postcards are especially great to send to current renters tired of paying a landlord each month. Highlight the pain points of renting versus buying to drive fence-sitters or curious leads to your inbox. Choose only the most important issues; you don’t have that much room on a postcard!
Get ahead with Virtuance
Looking for a real estate photographer to make your real estate pictures pop? Virtuance offers professional real estate photography for agents looking for quick services and quality photos that catch the eye of potential clients.
Schedule your shoot in your city today!
FAQ
It depends on your client base and your commitment to the strategy. But remember, it’s incredibly easy to delete an email. With mail, recipients have to see and touch it first. It’s guaranteed to be seen, even if only briefly.
Many real estate agents believe that snail mail isn’t an effective marketing strategy. However, since postcards go directly to current and future homeowners, it’s an underrated lead-generating method.
