Newbie Alert: Need Advice on Direct Mail / Contacting Investors

[Jordan Alexander]

Well friends, I'm in hot pursuit of my first deal (looking to house hack / turn into a rental, SFH or Small MF). So far I have made 5 offers in the past couple weeks but have gotten outbid every time. I live in rural Oklahoma and would like to invest close but am really struggling with MLS deals right now. There's not a lot of prospects on the market right now and most agents I've found really don't understand what I'm trying to do. Lately I've shifted focus to driving for dollars and gathering contact info from other investors in my area.

My question is this: What is the best practices for using direct mail? Also, what is the best way to contact other investors about whether or not they might be looking to sell some of their portfolio? And lastly, am I missing anything as far as generating leads in a small town? 

Thanks for your input in advance, I value it greatly! 

I'm ready to get my foot in the door, literally!

[Sharon Vornholt]

You might check LoopNet for multi-family properties.