Why Are Real Estate Postcards Still So Effective?

In the digital age, when most people spend more time staring at their phones than they do making eye contact or reading books, postcards may seem like an antiquated marketing strategy. On the contrary, postcards in some niches are capable of generating incredible results.

This is true for real estate agents, especially. Postcards in the real estate industry have the capacity to reach practically any audience and generate a sufficiently high return on investment (ROI). But what is it exactly that makes real estate postcards so effective?

The Formula for Marketing Effectiveness

First, how do we define the effectiveness of a given marketing strategy? Is it about the number of people you reach or the persuasiveness of your message?

In some ways, yes. But the most consistent and objective standard for measuring the effectiveness of a marketing strategy is probably ROI. In other words, how much value does this strategy generate compared to how much it costs?

Real estate postcards tend to have a high ROI, especially when compared to other marketing approaches. There are many independent reasons for this, some of which arise from the relatively low costs of this strategy and some of which arise from the potential impact of it.

Why Real Estate Postcards Are Still So Effective

These are just some of the reasons why real estate postcards remain one of the most effective marketing strategies for real estate agents:

•       Targeted distribution. One of the biggest advantages of real estate postcards is that they can be distributed in a targeted area with immense reliability. If you’re trying to reach every resident of a specific neighborhood, Facebook ads aren’t going to get the job done; you have no way of knowing whether all the people in that neighborhood are even on Facebook. But with an appropriately planned real estate postcard distribution campaign, you can feasibly send your messaging to every home in the neighborhood. If you’re targeting very specific demographics, you can reach them – with little to no waste.
•       Minimal costs. It’s easy to have a high ROI when the costs are so ridiculously low. The cost of your real estate postcards will depend on several factors, including the size, the paper stock you choose to use, various print options, and the quantity you order. Still, you can often count on purchasing real estate postcards for less than a dollar each. Even if your postcard campaign has a minimal impact, it should more than pay for itself.
•       Multiple purposes. There are many ways to use real estate postcards. For example, you could send out simple market update postcards, keeping your clients and prospects apprised of the latest developments in the local market. It’s an easy way to build familiarity and trust with your target audience. You could also send out “Coming Soon” postcards to inform your audience of upcoming properties or developments, or holiday postcards to keep your brand top of mind. In fact, some of the most successful real estate agents are ones who use multiple types of postcards in coordination with each other to build even greater brand visibility and awareness.
•       Strong visuals. Postcards are a highly visual medium, and they offer practically unlimited creative potential. If you want to step up your personal brand, you can include a professional headshot and help establish rapport with some of your new clients. If you want to show off the beautiful types of properties you typically sell or advertise a specific property, this is the perfect chance to do it. If you’re willing to experiment, you’ll likely find visuals and layout options that immediately grab a person’s attention – and make a big impression on them.
•       Tangibility. Digital ads can be effective, but they also tend to be transient. A postcard, in contrast, is tangible and semi-permanent. If your postcard has an interesting opportunity on it, or if it has practical information printed on it, recipients may post it on the refrigerator, keep it on the counter, or even give it to a friend. This staying power has the potential to keep you top of mind long after the initial receipt of the postcard.
•       Personalization potential. Real estate postcards are also capable of being highly personalized. If you want to stand out from all the other advertising messages each prospect is likely receiving, this is your chance to do it.
•       Nurturing and familiarity. The best real estate postcard marketing strategies integrate many different forms across many different campaigns. In other words, you can send your audience postcards regularly, gradually nurturing them and breeding more trust and familiarity.

There’s nothing wrong with digital marketing and advertising. In fact, digital strategies are usually a valuable addition to your marketing strategy portfolio. But for real estate agents, it’s hard to beat the ROI and consistent reliability of real estate postcards.