It should be from someone who uses that person.

Where buyers/tenants can view dozens of properties in a day to screen out less desirables then schedule with a real agent to see the home in person!

If you close with a conventional loan, it will need to be in your personal name.

The answer to this question is really a personal one. 

My personal preference for a buy and hold would be an already established area (or an area that's still gentrifying, but has already seen significant progress). 

Are you looking to just put the money to work or looking to be personally involved in getting, rehabbing, and dispo of deals?

My wife and I plan to purchase a few properties ourselves, but with the lead generation strategies I’ll be implementing, I expect to come across more deals than we can personally handle.That’s where you come in!

.: My question is… Do people promote buying rentals due to some sort of  personal benefit/conflict of interest?

I personally haven't sent postcards, I've had good luck with PPC and Video ads. 

I personally walked and researched every property prior to investing to understand what I was buying, what could be done to add value and what I should expect in cash flow and appreciation.Learning what makes a good investment for you is absolutely necessary.