All Forum Posts by: Eric H.

Thank you @Gina Ruff  That's gold!

Welcome Hector, I'm pretty new too but if I can help you let me know.

Thanks @Mark Broganfeels good to get some approval, haha. It's a standard size post card so I thought it should be as annoying to look at as possible without being ugly. Do you think it will drive more calls or more web traffic?

Last chance to make changes before my first 1000 go out what do you all think? 14 pt color and gloss front and back. What do you like? What do you hate? and why? Thanks in advance!

@Simon Shih

That's awesome that you closed a seller on your first campaign, and from overseas no less! what are your plans: fix and flip, fix and hold, or wholesale?

Also why do you think your seller responded? Was your marketing content compelling to him? Was your list criteria such that he would have responded to anything? Is your website particularly efficient at driving conversion, or do you think the strength of your campaign is something else?

Lastly what will you change between now and your next mailing?

Thanks again for your reply, stay safe abroad brother.

Eric

I've heard from a few sources that a niche mailing list is key in competitive markets like the ones we have here in Texas, I think I've drilled that downdown (crossing fingers). What sort of response rate are you all getting from direct mail postcard marketing campaigns assuming the list isn't over saturated, and what are the percentage breakdowns of your responses between phone calls and web leads? If your postcards do drive web leads are you using a on carrot site, a lead propeller site, a squeeze page, or something else?

All input is welcomed, even if what you have to offer is a tangent. I don't know what I don't know. I'm very interested in hearing from direct mail marketers in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas / Ft.Worth, Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Charlotte and other similar cities.

Long question, I know. Thanks for reading, and thank you in advance for your responses.

Eric

@Phil GearhartBingo, we insure what we cannot afford to lose. deductibles should be at the upper limit of our retained risk tolerance and in so doing we are best utilizing insurance to meet our needs. As you have rightly said though insurers know the odds as they pertain to large segments of the population and they wager in a way that they rarely are unprofitable.

Great discussion all parties. @Lindsey Leavitt @Roy N. @Tim Shin @Derek Lacy and company

Sound advice above. Workers comp is what I'd be most worried about, you need an attorney and a comerical insurance broker. On the bright side I thought this thread was going to be about a workers comp claim where no policy was in force, you don't want those problems.

Good luck.

@Lindsey Leavitt, You said the houses are worth 100k to 150k is that market valuevalue (ARV) or estimated replacement cost (ERC)?

An entry level 5 year old 1200 sq ft 3/2 in a mostly renters weak school district neighborhood might have a market value of 75k and a replacement cost 100k that same house in a hot neighborhood with good schools might have an ARV of 135k. In either situation the 2% deductible would be 2% of the replacement cost. Unless your replacement cost is much higher than 100k-150k (which would give us a 2k-3k deductible) you might consider raising the deductible if you intended to self insure for fair rental.

@James I. That's a question of actuarial science, you would look at how many perils could cause that type of loss and calculate the probability of each. Fire, internal explosion, wind and hail storm are the most common but there are other hazards regional and neighborhood specific. You'd look at historic patterns and owner/occupant profiles, we don't have enough data points to figure the probability but 1.2% of profit is an acceptable known risk by most standards. 

 That sounds like a well considered option with your numbers in mind. As you know self insurance has a quantifiable cost even if it doesn't show on the ledger. What cash reserves must be on hand? How dose that effect the velocity of revenue in your business? Must you borrow to bridge the gaps? Etc... It works for your numbers. In the example presented by the OP it doesn't. I was actually trying to be respectful inspite of your original condescending remarks about my "station" and your "success". At any rate we've heard your point which by your own admission doesn't apply to the situation of the OP.