No results on my Probate Direct Mail campaign

[Matt Foster]

I started a direct mail campaign for Probates about 5 months ago and haven't received one call back.  I have a Virtual Assistant who pulls Executor/PR name & address from our local Legal newspaper and puts into an excel to create a prospecting list.  I've been mailing the PR's on a monthly basis (I'm just about to mail for the 6th consecutive month).  Every month I add about 160-200 new names.  My letter is simple.  I offer condolences, let them know I'm an investor who pays cash and that I can close quickly hassle-free.  Most of the material in the letter was generated from people who post in this forum with a lot of probate experience, so I'm confident the letter is at least adequate enough for SOME results! 

I know this niche is all about consistency and time, but to not get a single call is frustrating.  I'm also marketing to other niches with much more success but for one reason or another haven't been able to produce anything from Probates.  

Anyone else with this experience?  

[Ryan Dossey]

@Matt Foster

First off.... GREAT job on having a VA dig them out of the local newspapers. That's got you 10 steps ahead of most of your competition. It blows my mind how many guys will buy these lists from a list broker when they're weeks if not months old and abused at that point.

Personally when it comes to any "niche list" you're dealing with some sort of a tragedy. I don't care if it's divorce, probate, jail, back taxes, etc. I tell people all the time... No one gets to a position where I need to buy their house from enjoyable circumstance.

With Probate you're probably going to have better luck setting yourself apart in the design or the copy. @Jerry Puckett has a great strategy which involves letting the probates "season". Basically you keep going once most other folks have stopped. 

I would check your copy and make sure you have the correct phone number... I know it sounds dumb but I've seen it
happen. 

We don't use the "I" word... (Investor.) What do Investors do?

Investor

inˈvestər/

noun

1. a person or organization that puts money into financial schemes, property, etc. with the expectation of achieving a profit.

If I'm a grieving widow/family you're coming across as a stranger who knows too much about my business and is attempting to turn a profit off of the death of grandpa. 

^
I know that sounds harsh but it's true. 

I would recommend removing the condolences and instead focusing on starting a conversation. If you haven't read How to win friends and influence people I would absolutely recommend reading through it. No one wants to get a letter from some Rando who apparently knows about their suffering. (Losing a loved one for instance). 

Lastly, 

Your sample size is relatively small. You're dealing with what sounds like around 1200 records some of which have only gotten one letter from you. Although I would have expected one call. At the very least telling you where to stick it.