Reaching out more to sellers

For sometime, I have tried to come up with the best way to reach out to drum up more business. I have tried many- leaving a calendar, notepads but recently I return to a more traditional method of post card mailing.  I do all the graphic designer work and as soon as I have a home listed I wait for a sale often is 30-40% off. After funding is approved I then pay for the online order. My printing cost for 250-500 cards is around 0.35 per card. If I order more the reduced cost is close to a quarter on a large 8.5 by 5.5 inch size post card.

The mailing labels are provided by the local title company with the stipulations that they go to home owners address and any homes changed hands less than last 2 years I do not contact them. Using bulk mail permit I manage about $0.30 postage cost. I make sure I remove the realtors names who are not to be alerted.  

8.5 inch by 5.5 inch glossy post cards  

Around the immediate neighborhood I walk and drop off fliers and talk to people if I see them. I like to walk around in the morning when it is cool. It is not a good idea to knock at each door especially every other home has a no solicitation sign. Today while doing distribution and jogging I saw one door saying "No realtors or missionaries!".  I excuse myself from getting into trouble with these residents.

My total cost is ~$0.65 a residence and streets where I walked was just $0.35 print cost. In addition, I get a better understanding of the immediate neighborhood ranging from upgraded home to small cottages with same if not similar design.  I also appreciated how people maintained their yard. There are several converted to drought tolerant yard. I also walked into a home newly on the market- a flip. Time to cash out equity seems stick to these people's head. This home the realtor post says "Attorney , real estate broker" and it is a flip. This is ample evidence investors are cashing out their equity as they all think home prices have maxed out. I saw one home near Santana Row, San Jose, a 1,000+ sf cottage the asking price of $1.3M seems to be steep. All my sellers this year are investors. I have been saying home prices can not go much higher for over 1 year now. Now they start agreeing and taking my advice. 

                          Housing complex to be mailed cooperated with a major mortgage lender

For a housing complex farming, I do not want to show a photo of a condo, or town homes. I use a cooking recipe. Those wanting to try a new recipe will hold on to the cards. It can be also used in more than one housing development. The chance that cards get tossed out the probability is lower with a different design each time. In this case, it is sponsored by a larger lender in the US.   At listing presentation, I also show them some the blogs I write about marketing and tell them it is available not just from my site. People appreciate what I do for them.