yellow letters and direct mail solicitations

[Jay Hinrichs]

As an active investor in 11 states I get yellow letters and all sorts of solicitations every week. From those that wholesale and want to add me to the buyers list ( as they can see I pay cash) To do you want to sell your asset  ( they can see I don't live in the asset and my address is in Oregon).

Well about once a month I will decide to call a few back.. there was one in particular in a State I am keen on and they just flat out said they were the biggest and best.

I called twice this week left name and number and never got a return call.

I find this to be the case in at least 80% of these things I get and call back.. Because yes I want to look at new deals. Never know where a good one will come from.

Just wondering why folks go to all this time trouble and expense and then don't follow up.

Is it because the call back rate is so low they just figure it did not work. Is it some kind of premeditated way they handle the call IE if someone does not call back 3 to 5 times we are not going to answer..

I find it strange... Now I do my own version of a mail compaign when I am looking for something specific its not anything like what is talked about here on BP its my own custom method.. But it also works.. I usually get one deal per 100 solicitations. And 3 or 4 leads to the data base to drip on.

I know how I handle the calls which is the opposite of what I have experienced.

Just curious to hear back from those of you that do this and get your SOPs for when you actually get a call

[Joseph Ball]

Hi Jay. I don't know about that, but I have similar experience with real estate agents. (Full disclosure: I am a licensed agent.) As I drive around, I often see a For Sale sign, with an agent's name. I call and simply say, "I am interested in the property at 12345. Would you please call me?" To date not one has ever called me. I do not say I am an investor-just want to get information.

I have a waterfront lot for sale in Lake Placid, Florida. Last week, I called an agent who is supposed to specialize in that area. In my voice mail, I said "I want to list my waterfront lot for sale. Please call me." No call. 

I don't understand how real estate agents make money, if they don't return calls.