Real Estate Postcard Marketing: Does it Still Work?
by Brandon Cornett

Every once in a while, a real estate agent will email me with some form of this question: "Do real estate postcards still work?" Because they use the word "still," I have to assume they feel real estate postcard marketing was more effective in the past than it is today. I usually respond in a way that is cryptic at first but makes sense eventually.

I tell them that bad real estate postcards dont work today, and they didnt work ten years ago. But good real estate postcards work as well today as they always have. You see, the medium itself hasnt become any less effective over the years ... just the people behind the medium. Many real estate agents have not adjusted their postcard marketing approach to keep up with the times. Trust me on this one -- I worked in the real estate postcard industry.

Real Estate Postcards Today
While the real estate postcard medium has not really changed, the strategies behind the medium have changed a lot. Sure, you can "still" use real estate postcards to help you grow your business, even in this modern age of web communication. I know agents who generate a lot of business on a regular basis, mostly through the use of real estate postcards. But you have to go about things differently than a postcard marketer from ten years ago.

Postcard Marketing Needs an Offer
To achieve success with real estate postcard marketing, you have to boost the incentive on your real estate postcards. "Call me for a free consultation" does not cut it anymore. You need to give people a good reason to contact you, or to respond in whatever way you seek. Actually, this is true of all marketing ... not just real estate postcards. In marketing terms, this is known as the offer. And you have to offer something on your real estate postcards in order to generate a response.

You have to motivate your readers toward action. Because if you fail to motivate them toward action, the laws of physics will take over. A body at rest will remain at rest until some force is imposed on it.

Real Estate Postcards and the Web
Real estate postcard marketing has also changed because of the Internet. The agents who do best with real estate postcard marketing know how to incorporate their websites and/or blogs into their postcard marketing strategy. They realize that modern consumers are inclined to learn more about things online, so they focus on that.

These savvy agents create high-value websites with plenty of useful (and interesting) resources, and they point people to the website with their real estate postcards. They motivate them toward action. And then, if theyve built some form of lead capture into their website, they have a steady stream of inquiries that can become clients some day.

So in this regard, yes, real estate postcards work as well as they ever have. You just have to go about it differently than agents did ten years ago. You have to be unique. You have to offer something. And you have to incorporate other marketing channels, like your website.

By the way, If youd like to know how to do all of these things, refer to the book mentioned below.

If you like the kind of honest, nuts-and-bolts advice contained in this article, youll love the authors book on Real Estate Postcard Marketing. Agents -- increase your postcard marketing IQ today by visiting: http://www.realestatepostcardbook.com/top-ten.php

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