So many real estate teams and agents are eager to put most of their theoretical eggs in the email marketing basket when they want to reach prospective clients. Although email marketing has advantages, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the only strategy that agents should follow.
In fact, there are three key reasons that direct mail can be just as effective when it comes to reaching prospective clients. In this article, we will provide more information regarding why the combination of direct mail and email marketing campaigns is a worthwhile real estate marketing strategy.
Direct Mail Cannot Be Filtered By Spam or Secondary E-Mail Folders
Just about every free and paid email service provides more than the simple Inbox folder nowadays. For example, Gmail includes Promotions and Social folders, while Outlook has Focused and Other folders.
These folders act as filters and will route certain categories of emails into a specific folder. For example, Facebook notifications will usually end up in your Social folder. As a result, unless your mailing list sifts through every folder and sees every email, the chances of your emails being seen decrease.
The same cannot be said for direct mail postcards. Since direct mail can be intermingled with important mail, most of your postcards will, at a minimum, get a brief glance. It still may end up in the trash, but it’s better than never getting seen at all.
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This visibility difference makes direct mail postcards a surprisingly resilient real estate marketing strategy, especially in an era dominated by digital strategies. In fact, the tactile nature of direct mail can trigger a stronger emotional response than emails, which are often glanced at for a few seconds on a digital screen. This physical interaction with a postcard can leave a more lasting impression on the recipient, increasing the likelihood of your message being remembered.
The physicality of postcards means that they are not subject to spam filters or algorithms that bury messages in seldom-checked folders. This direct-to-hand delivery ensures that every piece of mail has its moment, however brief, in the recipient’s attention span. Consequently, some REALTORS find that integrating direct mail with their digital efforts leads to a higher overall engagement rate, as they complement the strengths and weaknesses of each platform.
To capitalize on these advantages, agents might consider tailoring their direct mail campaigns with eye-catching designs and clear, compelling calls to action. Personalizing the content to reflect the recipient’s interests or previous interactions with the agent can also increase the effectiveness of this marketing approach. In this way, direct mail postcards are not just surviving in the digital age—they are thriving by offering a tangible touchpoint in a predominantly virtual world.
Direct Mail is Tangible and Can Be Shared Personally
About 30 years ago, email chains were incredibly popular. If someone found an email to be particularly interesting, they would simply forward it to a friend, and that friend would forward it to another, etc.
In 2024, however, email chains are all but non-existent, and forwarding an email seems archaic in a world of text and instant messaging. The advantage of direct mail is it can be physically handed to someone who might be able to use it.
As an example, let’s say an agent mails a Quarterly Market Report to their prospecting area. One of those prospective clients may be interested in listing their home, and that informative real estate postcard can be attached to the refrigerator or handed to their spouse for further consideration.
This physical sharing is an element of tangibility that digital messages simply cannot replicate. When a postcard or brochure is present in a home, it becomes a constant reminder of the sender’s message, increasing the probability of follow-up action compared to an email that might be quickly opened and just as quickly forgotten.
The appeal of direct mail advertising goes beyond just the ability to hand someone a piece of paper; it’s about creating a sensory experience. The texture of the paper, the quality of the print, and even the choice of colors can make a substantial impact. These sensory experiences can help cement a brand’s image in the recipient’s mind. In today’s world, where people are bombarded with digital ads and emails, the lasting nature of a physical piece of mail stands out.
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Direct mail allows for creativity and customization that can directly target the recipient’s interests or needs. Whether it’s a cleverly designed Just Listed postcard, a convenient Automated Home Valuation postcard with a QR code, or a beautifully designed brochure, these elements can significantly enhance the recipient’s engagement. This thoughtful approach to marketing can often lead to a deeper consumer connection and greater brand loyalty, which are invaluable in today’s competitive market.
Despite the fact that most of our lives are spent utilizing digital mediums, people still appreciate the tangibility of direct mail as long as it aligns with their desires.
Direct Mail Produces Results With Less Competition
Statistics show that Direct Mail is far from dead. In fact, recent research shows that direct mail produces a higher return on investment (ROI) than paid search and has a significantly higher response rate than a standard email campaign.
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One reason direct mail tends to still be effective is its scarcity. In the late 1990s, mailboxes were filled with a variety of direct mail from just about every industry imaginable. Today, mailboxes are considerably less empty, and the companies that do produce direct mail have a much better chance of standing out and being noticed.
Share Your Experience Using Direct Mail Versus Email Marketing
What has your experience been using direct mail versus email marketing? What have you found to be the most effective real estate marketing strategy? If you haven’t tried direct mail marketing, Wise Pelican offers direct mailers with no minimum order. Browse our professionally designed Real Estate postcards.
