What's a Real Estate Recipe Postcard?
Let's start with a quick definition,
just so we're on the same page. A real estate recipe postcard is a
marketing postcard sent from a real estate agent to their audience
(usually homeowners and potential home buyers). On one side of the
postcard, there's a picture of a tasty dish with the recipe listed
out. You know, chili con carne, bananas foster ... that sort of
thing.
On the other side of the recipe
postcard, the agent will list his or her contact info with some form
of "Call me when you need help" message. The basic premise
is that the recipient likes the recipe so much -- or finds the
postcard so thoughtful -- that they dial up the agent and say, "Will
you help me buy / sell a home?"
I know, it's a bit of a stretch. But
that's how real estate recipe postcards are supposed to work. The
question is, do they work that way? An even better question is, how
do the response rates from a real estate recipe postcard stack up
against a postcard that makes a powerful offer and employs proven
strategies of direct mail marketing?
To my knowledge, there has never been
any study on the effectiveness of real estate recipe postcards (when
compared to a different form of real estate postcard). Sure, you'll
find a handful of testimonials here and there, and perhaps some "Use
real estate recipe postcards!" promotional copy on a postcard
company's website ... but that's probably it.
So here's my take on the subject, based
on my professional experience with both postcard marketing in general
and real estate marketing in particular.
Me personally, I wouldn't spend a dime
on real estate recipe postcards. And do you want to know why? Because
while a real estate recipe postcard might produce one response out of
a thousands mailers, there are ways to get much better response
rates. You know ... those tried-and-true postcard marketing
techniques, like making an offer of some kind.
There are also ways to combine the real
estate postcard with an informational website, thereby creating a
"super card" that can improve the success of both marketing
channels. In short, I believe there are much stronger approaches to
real estate postcard marketing than simply slapping on a recipe and
waiting for the phone to ring. But that's just me.
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Brandon Cornett is the author of "Real
Estate Postcard Marketing," an industry insider's guide to
success with real estate direct mail postcards. To learn more, or to
download the author's e-book, please visit http://www.realestatepostcardbook.com
