BEST Cost-Effective Marketing

Please share your all-time moment when you made the minimal investment and max’ed out on your return. Your experiences will indeed help us all grow and innovate in our quest for market brilliance. Please share…

Here’s mine:

Two years ago I was starting my own website business. My first choice of advertisement with this business was a dilemma for me. I had to choose between advertising in the main local Sunday papers for $100/1 day or place a banner at a fence where a popular freeway off-ramp ended. I had noticed that the fence had a few banners of local businesses strapped to it for months without removal. I then decided…

I decided on spending the $50 for the banner, which proved to be cheaper approach than the 1 day exposure in the Sunday papers for $100. To make a long story short… my banner hung on that fence for a strong year, facing cars that exited. I received over 40 businesses that year from it, that closed – my return was abundantly gratifying. It was a moment for me to really respect that being simple and thinking out side of the box creates avenues that others have yet to explore.

I find putting bandit signs in people yards has worked well for me. I typically meet people at the coffee shop and then talk to them and get to know them for a while. Then I ask them if they would mind a sign in their yard and 9/10 they say sure. I have received many deals from these because they have a comfort level with the neighbor and there is a level of trust.

Hey,
Am having a 9% response rate to a very specific targeted postcard mailing through USPS - will figure ROI after I turn some deals. The USPS has a neat calculator that will make it easy to figure ROI on mailings. Website is usps.com.
Peace,
Richard

Hey Rich, you seem to be having a very good response from your postcards. How do you word the message on the cards? And what types of sellers do you target? Also, I’ve heard a couple complaints from other investors that the cards from USPS are too plain. Check out the website below. They have a good selection of postcards and other paper products that you may be interested in.

http://www.paperdirect.com/

kjb,

It all depends on what you have to spend and what market you’re going after. If you are mailing to foreclosures you’re competing against 30-100 other mail pieces depending on your market. Where as if you mailing to absentee owners it doesn’t really matter how fancy it is. No one is going to read you card and say “Hey I wasn’t going to sell this property but WOW this card is so good I think I’m going to.” Another strategy I use a lot is to put a P.S. at the bottom asking that they hold on to the card in their house file. Letting them know they may not need my services now but it would be a good resource to have if they did in the future. Now I’ve had people that have saved 7-13 mailings from me all in their file just because I asked them to. Also, I mail a letter to pre-foreclosures first and then follow with post cards every two days delivering them some value and help educate them on the foreclosure process. You’d be amazed how many people have no knowledge what is involved, they’re just getting letters and in the dark. So educate them with short hits on postcards. “Did you know …?” I’ve been to houses with letters piled on the counter never opened so I always do a two pronged approach. Good Luck!

A postscript like this?:

P.S.- If you do not need to sell your home without delay, but you might in the near future. Keep this card.

Hey,
The cards are 4x6 glossy black with fluorescent colored pouty faces over the front. Text says “Hello, Does being an out-of-town landlord make you sad? Maybe I can help, etc.” They are effectuve becayse I am pretty sure I am the only one targeting this market in this manner. I get my info from the tax ofice. It is time consuming to go through each listing of addresses but if I turn a couple of deals my ROI will bd bgreat.
Peace,
Richard

P.S. If you don’t need to sell your house fast now I invite you to keep this in your mortgage file in case you or someone you know does needs to down the road!

Don’t know the exact wording, because I’m traveling, but i use but it’s something like that

Please keep us posted of the ROI from USPS postcards. Thanks for your insight.

marketing towards out of town owners is brilliant. Maybe I should try a mailing, anyone wanna share their success rate?