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Updated over 8 years ago, 07/16/2016

User Stats

42
Posts
3
Votes
Jay Luke
  • Sacramento, CA
3
Votes |
42
Posts

yellow letters

Jay Luke
  • Sacramento, CA
Posted

Does anyone have ideas on how to get th e direct mail process done faster. My partner just did 100 and it took way too long! There has to be a faster way.

User Stats

111
Posts
17
Votes
Jessica Martin
  • Real Estate Investor
  • Houston, TX
17
Votes |
111
Posts
Jessica Martin
  • Real Estate Investor
  • Houston, TX
Replied

The fast way cost a bit at yellowletters.com. Any other way is going to be very time consuming but cheaper on your pocket. We use a Template and put in owners name to personalize it. But we print them up. 

User Stats

42
Posts
3
Votes
Jay Luke
  • Sacramento, CA
3
Votes |
42
Posts
Jay Luke
  • Sacramento, CA
Replied
Originally posted by @Jessica Martin:

The fast way cost a bit at yellowletters.com. Any other way is going to be very time consuming but cheaper on your pocket. We use a Template and put in owners name tbyo personalize it. But we print them up. 

 On the template do you handwrite the names and addresses or you type them up? What do you do with the envelopes? 

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User Stats

111
Posts
17
Votes
Jessica Martin
  • Real Estate Investor
  • Houston, TX
17
Votes |
111
Posts
Jessica Martin
  • Real Estate Investor
  • Houston, TX
Replied

We type everything just personalize the name and address inside.  We use bright colored paper and fold it to the shape of an envelope.  Put a piece of scotch tape and hand write the address and return address. 

User Stats

42
Posts
3
Votes
Jay Luke
  • Sacramento, CA
3
Votes |
42
Posts
Jay Luke
  • Sacramento, CA
Replied
Originally posted by @Jessica Martin:

We type everything just personalize the name and address inside.  We use bright colored paper and fold it to the shape of an envelope.  Put a piece of scotch tape and hand write the address and return address. 

Ok. Thanks a lot

User Stats

916
Posts
190
Votes
Chaz Reid
  • Investor
  • Fayetteville, NC
190
Votes |
916
Posts
Chaz Reid
  • Investor
  • Fayetteville, NC
Replied

I've heard of people changing the settings of the printer at their home pc and printing like that. You might can toy around with that if you don't want to spend too much money @Jay Luke 

User Stats

1
Posts
0
Votes
Larry Block
  • Atlanta, GA
0
Votes |
1
Posts
Larry Block
  • Atlanta, GA
Replied

Yes there are automated services that will do your letters for you at a reasonable price. Check out www.yellowlettersandmore.com

User Stats

202
Posts
66
Votes
Rene Martinez
  • Wholesaler
  • Grand Prairie, TX
66
Votes |
202
Posts
Rene Martinez
  • Wholesaler
  • Grand Prairie, TX
Replied

Jay Luke I have been printing my own as well I just drew some text boxes in a word doc and moved them till they aligned. Now all I do is mail merge the list and hit print.

User Stats

80
Posts
10
Votes
Billy Bell
  • Flipper/Rehabber
  • Phoenix, AZ
10
Votes |
80
Posts
Billy Bell
  • Flipper/Rehabber
  • Phoenix, AZ
Replied
Originally posted by @Rene Martinez:

Jay Luke I have been printing my own as well I just drew some text boxes in a word doc and moved them till they aligned. Now all I do is mail merge the list and hit print.

 Hello Rene,

I am curious to how you could set up a word doc to be able to merge a list on to it? Sounds like a very smart, quick and cheap way to get those mailers done. Do you feel that you are loosing a little of the response rate, because it is typed instead of a handwritten look like so many people advise for the "personal touch?"

Thank you,

Billy

User Stats

3,405
Posts
2,425
Votes
Ryan Dossey
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Indianapolis, IN
2,425
Votes |
3,405
Posts
Ryan Dossey
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Indianapolis, IN
Replied

Love the guy with one post promoting a random website!!!

User Stats

202
Posts
66
Votes
Rene Martinez
  • Wholesaler
  • Grand Prairie, TX
66
Votes |
202
Posts
Rene Martinez
  • Wholesaler
  • Grand Prairie, TX
Replied

@Billy Bellhere's what I do, I draw a new text box and do the dear , format the text box to not have a color and remove the outline color too. I then create another text box with the same settings but a few "lines" down with the "body" of my letter. The mail merge is really the easiest part, just got to word, mailings, open the wizard and follow instructions. or YouTube it lol. To answer your second question no. I hand write the envelope and that gets the letter opened. The font I use is close enoug to hand writting that you would be intrigued to read it. Hope that helps. 

User Stats

80
Posts
10
Votes
Billy Bell
  • Flipper/Rehabber
  • Phoenix, AZ
10
Votes |
80
Posts
Billy Bell
  • Flipper/Rehabber
  • Phoenix, AZ
Replied
Originally posted by @Rene Martinez:

@Billy Bellhere's what I do, I draw a new text box and do the dear , format the text box to not have a color and remove the outline color too. I then create another text box with the same settings but a few "lines" down with the "body" of my letter. The mail merge is really the easiest part, just got to word, mailings, open the wizard and follow instructions. or YouTube it lol. To answer your second question no. I hand write the envelope and that gets the letter opened. The font I use is close enoug to hand writting that you would be intrigued to read it. Hope that helps. 

 Great tip Rene! You may have just saved me a couple hundred bucks so many thanks for the quick reply!!! I really just wanted to use yellowletters.com cuz it takes like zero time at all and doesn't give me any chance to procrastinate or anything like that! Haha

Thanks again!

Billy

User Stats

202
Posts
66
Votes
Rene Martinez
  • Wholesaler
  • Grand Prairie, TX
66
Votes |
202
Posts
Rene Martinez
  • Wholesaler
  • Grand Prairie, TX
Replied

No problem @Billy Bell! Btw I still use larger print houses to send my large lists but use this procedure for smaller scale stuff like driving for dollars, code violations, pre foreclosure etc. I have just tried out a new print house at Yellowletterhq.com they mail for $.51 per letter. You do have to mail 1000 prices or more though. Good luck! 

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User Stats

92
Posts
84
Votes
Jason Pritchard
Pro Member
  • Investor
  • Clovis, CA
84
Votes |
92
Posts
Jason Pritchard
Pro Member
  • Investor
  • Clovis, CA
Replied

@Billy Bell check out this link on how to create DIY yellow letters from home with a handwritten font. 

https://strugglinginvestor.com/2009/08/how-to-do-it-yourself-yellow-letter-marketing/

Once you get everything set up correctly it only takes me about 15 minutes to print up approximately 500 letters.  The time consuming part is stuffing/stamping all the envelopes but you could always pay someone to do that.  I just sent out my 3rd batch of letters yesterday and my response rate has been good, averaging 12% call back rate for every 500 letters I send out.  

User Stats

194
Posts
121
Votes
Carlos Coppin Jr
  • Wholesaler
  • Plantation, FL
121
Votes |
194
Posts
Carlos Coppin Jr
  • Wholesaler
  • Plantation, FL
Replied

@Jason Pritchard

 12% response rate?  what in the world is your secret?  I just sent out 500 yellow letters last week and got a whopping 0 calls.

I'm targeting high equity owners that purchased their homes in the 80's.  Might be time for me to target absentee owners like everyone else.

User Stats

726
Posts
284
Votes
Shane Woods
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Weatherford, TX
284
Votes |
726
Posts
Shane Woods
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Weatherford, TX
Replied

Creating your own handwriting font is cool. Most of them say use a fatter tip pen, but I disagree. I have good luck with a black g-2 gel pen.  Just Google create handwriting font and have fun!

Also wanted to throw out http://marketlikeawholesaler.com.  Great yellow letter company.

Side note, when I do my own small batches of letters  locally in my smallish town of 25,000, I have a response rate of 10-20%. Not many people are doing mail where I live.

User Stats

726
Posts
284
Votes
Shane Woods
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Weatherford, TX
284
Votes |
726
Posts
Shane Woods
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Weatherford, TX
Replied

Double post

User Stats

92
Posts
84
Votes
Jason Pritchard
Pro Member
  • Investor
  • Clovis, CA
84
Votes |
92
Posts
Jason Pritchard
Pro Member
  • Investor
  • Clovis, CA
Replied

@Carlos Coppin Jr There isnt any secret, I just took the information that I've found off of BP and applied it to my DM campaign.  I've sent out 3 rounds of yellow letters to the same list and the response rate has gone down but overall quality of the calls have gone up.  I'm yet to close a deal off of my mailings but fortunately I was able to put a property under contract that should be closing tomorrow that called me after seeing one of my bandit signs.  I've committed to hitting this list once a month for the rest of the year and will be using a postcard on the upcoming round of mailers in July.  

I'm actually going to be increasing my volume of letters to get me up over 1100 this month by adding a list similar to yours for the zipcodes that I'm targeting....hopefully I can get a better response....lol.  Good luck with everything you're doing.  

User Stats

194
Posts
121
Votes
Carlos Coppin Jr
  • Wholesaler
  • Plantation, FL
121
Votes |
194
Posts
Carlos Coppin Jr
  • Wholesaler
  • Plantation, FL
Replied

@Jason Pritchard Thank you for replying and good luck to you as well.  I planned on dropping 25 - 50 bandit signs in my city this Friday night as I'm tired of the response rate I've been getting with yellow letters.  Good luck closing that deal I'm rooting for you!  

User Stats

17
Posts
2
Votes
Carla Harris
  • Washington, DC
2
Votes |
17
Posts
Carla Harris
  • Washington, DC
Replied

Question - We are having students fold and stuff envelopes; we will hand write the envelopes, but is it best to add the name and address?  That will take a very long time; we have about 1000 addresses and have created a series of 7 letters to send to the 1000 addresses.  

Any thoughts would be great.

thanks!