First Direct Mail campaign - Failure

[Kim Handelman]

Hi All,

I recently sent out my first DM campaign. 374 pieces to absentee and out of state owners with 60-100% equity. It hit homes on 11/17. I have had NO responses. I know the whole idea of having to hit people with multiple touches before they call but everyone else I have talked to has received at least 5 or 10 calls on numbers like this. I know my message is good because it is in line with many others out there. Just wondering what I'm doing wrong. I'm sending to the CT shoreline and the towns are fairly affluent but houses here are sitting on the market for 120 days or more so I really expected a better return. Also, I received 9 postcards back. Out of 374 is that an average undeliverable adddress or should I be worried that the lists are not up to date (I used ListSource)? Thanks so much, -kim-

[Jon Gillman]

@Kim Handelman , Don't get discouraged after your first mailing.  

I believe there are several other factors to consider, the time of the year, is a big one, also you are in the marketing business not the re investor business now and you have to think like that.

Yes you are an investor but to me that comes second, now you have to become a marketer in order to be an investor!

Here are some of my most recent experiences; I mail to probates, a very targeted list that I create myself, up until July I was receiving, on average, about a 10 to 12 % reply on all my mailings of about 250 to 300.  Then it just stopped.

Nothing changed, list was the same, campaigns were the same, etc.  I kept mailing.

Then last week I did a drop of about 130 and I have received about a 3% call, all great properties that will more than likely turn into deals.

Again..nothing changed.

But if I would have stopped, then I would not have deals ready for the first of the year and starting off 2015 in a great direction.

This is a fickle business, don't get discouraged, stay the course!  

You have to if you want to succeed in this or any business.

Some are fortunate to get calls off their first mailing others are not.

I have found that it usually takes about 4 to 7 mailings to get my phone to ring and that is mailing every 30 days.

I hope this helps and feel free to ask any questions, I will help where I can.

Jon