I had dinner with a friend on Saturday night. We were at my favorite restaurant (Celina's in Northfield, NJ...If you can get there, you've got to go...the food is FABulous!).
My friend has started a new career -- as a real estate agent -- and sent me her first sales letter to review. We were meeting to discuss changes I think she needs to make in it.
I get one of these types of letters or postcards a week from real estate agents. They're some of the worst promotional materials around. I can't imagine why they continue to use them, especially since real estate is so incredibly competitive. There must be thousands of agents competing for a limited number of listings. Very few of these agents rise to the top and make lots of money. Most of them barely squeak by and many, many of them give up in frustration. I don't want that to happen to my friend, Barb, so here's the tips I gave her...
1. Focus on the reader. The more you can think like the prospect, the more you can tailor copy so it touches the person in an emotional way.
2. Have a clear objective. The people who have been training Barb have told her she needs to "get her name out there." What's it gonna do for her? If you're spending money on a mailing, you've got to have an objective, otherwise you're wasting money and wasting the postal worker's time in delivering it.
3. Pick a good mailing list. Barb is going to be given her mailing list. OK, she can't pick it. I asked her what details she knows about the people who'll be getting the letter. Nothing. I told her what to look for. Assuming you're renting a list, make sure you get one that's going to reach your target and will have details the designer and copywriter need to create a promotion that will drive the target to action.
4. Benefits not features. Everybody dials into the same radio station each morning...WIFM. What's in it for me...Barb's letter focused on her because she felt she didn't have anything else to write (like I said, she's new to the business and hasn't sold a house yet...no testimonial to use). You've got to tell people how they're going to benefit from what you're offering or your mailer is going right where it should go...in the recycling.
5. Have a call to action. There's GOT to be an offer. Only your child's school should be sending you general announcements (school will be closing early...that sort of thing). Business mailings should all have an offer, even if it's "come save $$ at our sale." And make it time sensitive so there's a sense of urgency about it. "Call me when you decide to sell your house" isn't a call to action and there's no urgency.
So check your promotional mailings against these 5 "must have's". There are lots more things that go into an effective mailing but these are the minimums.
How do yours stack up?
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