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All Forum Posts by: McKinley Crowley

McKinley Crowley has started 154 posts and replied 360 times.

Post: Open Letter Marketing direct mail... Hear from our customers :)

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

Hey BP!

Our mailers stand out from the competition and beg to be opened by homeowners.

What's the difference? Among other things, our stylized envelopes and premium paper provide a strong first impression that lasts.

Our envelopes are bright, friendly, and inviting - not sleazy or salesy.

But don’t take my word for it! Let me share with you what some of our own customers have to say, starting with J Scott, host of the BiggerPockets Business Podcast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnCYWQfHoS0&feature=youtu.be

If you have had a positive experience with Open Letter Marketing and would like to share please feel free to send your testimonials to [email protected]

Cheers!

Post: Need help creating a yellow letter

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

@Jessica Holman I agree with @Colby Hager. Yellow letters arent performing as well as they used to. I can message you some alternative direct mail options that are more modern. I will also send you template options. As Colby mentioned it is a lot about the envelope so using an envelope that will stand out is half the battle. Ill be in touch :) Cheers. 

Post: Tips to Help You Create a Strong Multi-touch Direct Mail Campaign

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150
Tips to Help You Create a Strong Multi-touch Campaign

A single mailer in your direct mail campaign may provide results some of the time, but often it will just get tossed in the trash if not followed up. Even a second mailer may not yield the desired results you’re looking for. Statistics show that it can take four, five or even more mailers before a prospect will contact you. However, a strong multi-touch campaign can help you turn prospects into sellers.

Set Your Goal

You know your end goal is to get homeowners to sell their houses to you under market value, but what is the exact purpose of your marketing campaign? Are you trying to get them to pick up the phone and call for more information, email you, or take some other action? Know your goal as you design your campaign, so that you can channel your message to focus on one goal and your targeted call to action.

Have a Complete Marketing Plan

A single point of contact rarely creates any results. It takes multiple touches and reminders to get people to trust you enough to do business with your company. You need to decide how you will reach out to them and how often. Many people incorporate online and offline marketing as part of their strategy. Perhaps you can add email messaging and ringless voicemail to your direct mail. Everything you do should be part of an overall plan.

Timing is Everything

You must determine how often you want to follow-up with your leads. Too frequent and you risk becoming a nuisance. Not often enough and they forget about you. When searching for real estate leads, it’s important to note that selling a home is a major decision that someone may not make for several months. It is all about timing and circumstance so you want to continue mailing so that when they are ready to sell you are the first person to come to mind. The frequency we recommend is sending a new mailer once every 4-5 weeks. This is the direct mail sweet spot and it can all be automated for you.

Tip: Subtly refer to your previous letter in your follow up “Hi Sarah, I am still interested in purchasing your property” This reminds them that you have mailed to them before and helps them re-engage with your mailer.

Always Have a Call to Action

Even if you’re just touching base and not trying to oversell your services, you need to include a clear call to action. It might be something as simple as “If you have questions about the process of selling your home, give us a call.” It’s valuable to provide helpful information, but your goal is to convert your leads. Don’t let them get lost in a maze of information without reminding them of your business. You can also let them know to hold on to the mailer if they may be interested in selling in the future.

Tip: Make sure to use one clear and concise CTA so that they aren’t left with too many decisions. Read more about call to actions here!

Change up Your Mailers

You don’t want to send the same mailer for your multi-touch campaign over and over again. Instead, it’s a good idea to change up the type of mailer you send out. Otherwise, the recipients may just toss out the second and third mailers, thinking they are the same thing. For instance, you could send out a handwritten letter in the beginning and switch to a professional letter for the second touch. Some people will respond better to one type of mailer which makes it easier for you to reach more demographics and cover all of your bases.

To take a look at our tried and tested multi-touch campaign sequences give us a call at (978) 269-0245 or email at [email protected].

Post: Logo or no logo on your direct mail?

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150
Should You Use a Logo On your Direct Mail Letters?

It’s surprising the number of businesses that don’t have a logo for their marketing campaigns. They may use a generic look for ads. Maybe they’re hoping to save money or they just haven’t been inspired to come up with an idea that represents the company.

When it comes to online or offline advertising, you may wonder how important a logo really is to your message. Here are some ideas to help you decide if you want to include a logo in your direct mail, email marketing or other advertising resources.

The Answer is “Yes”

In most cases, the answer to whether you should use a logo is “yes.” It has been proven that people remember images more easily than names. So using a logo on your mailers will ensure that you are remembered when the time comes for them to sell their house. Remember that your company isn’t the only one sending marketing material to your potential audience. All the information starts to run together unless you can make it stand out. One way to accomplish this goal is to add a logo to all of your marketing.

For example, say you want to invest in a six-mailer campaign. You include your logo, which will tie all of your mail pieces together. By the time the person sees your fifth or sixth mailer, they recognize the logo and it sticks in their mind. It also ensures you stand out from other mailers that may not even be a competitor, except for the fact that they are direct mail advertising going to the same address.

When is the Answer “No”?

The only time you may not need a logo is if you’re looking to sell your services as person-to-person rather than under a business name. Normally this occurs when you are investing as a small business or a family owned operation. In this situation, you can use the space for a logo to place a photo of yourself or your family. Let people know you’re a real person even though you’re running a business. Eventually I do recommend getting a logo that still has the authentic feel of your business but adds an image to the name.

While a photo isn’t the same as a logo, it can act in the same way to increase brand recognition. The point is to not leave that part of your campaign design blank.

Cost and Where to get a logo?

“It costs too much money.” There is no additional cost on our end whether you send a mailer with or without a logo. You can go online to Fivvr or Upwork and hire a graphic designer for minimal investment. They can create a simple, straightforward logo which you can include in all of your marketing. There are also websites like 99designs where you can have a number of designers create a logo and you can choose which is the most suited to your brand and company.

Don’t pause your marketing until you have a logo, but begin planning for it now. Once you have one you can tie all of your branding together with a logo, whether it’s online or offline.

If you haven’t been using a logo, it’s never too late to start. Contact us to determine which marketing tools are best for your goals while you work on developing a logo which fits your brand. To learn more about our services and how we can set you up for success contact us at (978) 269-0245 or email at [email protected].

Post: I purchased my ListSource list. Now what?

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

@Teonia Riley I will send you a message now :)

Post: Business name vs personal name on postcards

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

@Daniel DeSurra I recommend using your personal name on the front of the envelope and then use your business logo inside of the envelope. People are typically more likely to open a mailer from a person. The logo on the inside lets them know you are reputable and also helps with branding when you send follow ups. 

Post: Direct Mail marketing

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

Hey @Gary Gristick I will message you a recommendation :) Let me know if you have any questions once I do. 

Cheers!

Post: Yellow Letter: Non-Profit

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

@Jacob Weiler This is a really cool and unique proposal. I think it will capture a lot of attention. A couple thoughts I had when reading were 

1. Don't use a "yellow letter" this is a positive and professional inquiry and should be treated as such. I would recommend a more professional style (I can message you details). 

2. I would make sure you merge the property information if you have it for example " I am interested in your property at {123 Main Street}" rather than "I am interested in your property"

3. I would make the how you can help them portion a bit more clear. Donation makes it sounds like you are asking something of them when really you are trying to add value so maybe tweak the wording there a bit?

4. You dont have an actual Call to action at the end it just says you can reach me here____ So I would change that to be more action driven like Call me if you would like to discuss your options at XXX-XXX-XXXX

I hope these help! Please let me know if you have any other questions I am always happy to provide input when it comes to direct mail :) Cheers!

Post: "Yellow Letters" Direct Mailing In Southwestern Ontario Canada

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

Hey @Richard McCorkle I would recommend you don't send the typical "Yellow letter" mailer. That tends to get tossed really quickly these days because they are overused. I will message you some information on where to go :) Cheers!

Post: Skip Tracing current lead list?

McKinley CrowleyPosted
  • Specialist
  • Lawrence, MA
  • Posts 365
  • Votes 150

Hey @Brendan Moehn You dont have to rerun the list I will message you some info :)

Cheers!