Yup, we said it, and we can back it up.
Real estate investor direct mail marketing has been a long standing go-to. It’s simple, reliable, and can be effective in soliciting leads. But, like all good things, it has to come to an end. Real estate investor direct mail response rates have been declining over the years. We’ve talked to some of the top investors in the country to find out why this is happening and what alternative strategies you can use to generate motivated seller leads.
More Competition Than Ever Before
Direct mail is the prized pony for a LOT of investors out there. Not only is there a lot of competition, each housing marketing requires different tactics which means a lot of time spent doing trial and error. So, how do you standout from a pile of similar motivated seller letters and postcards?
The only way to stand out is to be different, and we’re not talking about changing up the font and color of your letters.
A great way to take your business out of the pile of letters is to develop a website. A website can help differentiate you from competitors because it makes you more visible. You’re no longer a name in a pile, you’re real. You can be searched, people can interact with you, and you can’t be tossed away with the junk mail.
So, now that you’re “real” to sellers, how do you gain their trust? Establishing credibility is an important step that can often be overlooked by many investors. However, why would people do business with you if they don’t trust you? Try getting your business BBB accredited or getting testimonials from people you’ve done business with – both could be great additions to your new, awesome website.
Sellers Are Savvier Than Ever
The days of sellers checking the Yellow Pages are long gone (is there anyone even using Yellow Pages anymore?). Like everyone else in the digital age, the first place a seller is going to go for answers is the internet.
Why wait for a letter to appear in their mailbox (that they might not even use) when they can find an answer in seconds?
When someone is trying to sell their house fast, they often Google things like “how to sell my house fast” or “need to sell house quickly in X location”, that’s where your website comes in. With a little crafty SEO, your website would be the first thing motivated seller leads find in their search.
Not only can you meet savvy sellers on their home turf, you can also avoid more angry phone calls. As investors, we’ve all been there: the angry calls, the long emails, and (sometimes) the threats. People don’t like junk mail and they don’t like feeling preyed upon, two things direct mail can leave people feeling.
You’re Invisible to Motivated Sellers
“Wait a minute – I sent them direct mail, WHAT DO YOU MEAN I’M INVISIBLE?!” Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but it’s true. As we said before, taking your business online makes you real and visible to motivated sellers. How can sellers find research you further if you have 0 online presence?
Let’s look at it from a prospective a lot of us understand: online dating. When you find that 1 perfect profile that has your favorite movie quotes, music tastes, and doesn’t look like a murderer, what do you typically do before you agree to a first date? You’d be a liar if you say you didn’t Google them! Imagine that you Googled that perfect match and you didn’t find them anywhere – no Facebook, LinkedIn, proof of work, nothing. It may not be enough to decline a date, but it would definitely be a red flag.
You want to be your seller’s perfect match and you want them to “go out with” you. So, you’re going to need some sort of online presence. Google your business – do you find it anywhere anywhere? Can people find a number or email to contact you? If the answers to these questions are ‘no’, it may be time to implement a new lead generating strategy.
“Maybe you’re right, but how do I get started?”
Getting started may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Here at LeadPropeller, we make things easy for you to get your perfect website up and running in a matter of minutes. Don’t believe us? Join us for a webinar this Thursday and see how easy and effective it is to have an online presence.