Not getting calls from mailers, PLEASE HELP!!!

General Real Estate Investing
1

Hey y’all,

I have been working on pre-foreclosures off and on for the past year. I have been sending mailers out pretty regularly for the past two or three months, but I’ve only received ONE call from my efforts. Can someone tell me what has been successful for them? My letter is a one page “flyer-like” letter. I know that people are opening and reading my letters because I have also been knocking doors a couple days after the first mailings. What does my letter need to say to get the calls?

Thanks.

2

Do you have a sample of your mailer we can look at?

3

Thanks for the response. Here is a link to my flyer http://www.defaultdoctor.com/defaultdoc_flyer.html.

I would really appreciate ANY and ALL responses. Please don’t be shy on critisizm!!! I will not be offended, promise!

Also, I would be interested in hearing on what some of you have done.

Thanks

(I am currently using my web page for an assignment in school, so if you navigate my homepage you will find stuff on Brazil)

4

I think your message is wrong.

Default Doctor, Helping owners stay homeowners.

You want to buy their house. More like “Get on with your life” or Avoid Bankruptcy/foreclosure

What is their problem and how can you help solve it.

No follow up with other mailers.

No free reports, you want them to give you their time by a phone call that you probably are in class and can’t answer. They are not going to leave a message.

Your subpoints or don’t lose your house should be your headlines.

Do they care if you are the Default Doctor or Doctor Feel Good?

5

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT. I AGREE!!!

What kind of free reports are you talking about? Where do I get a “free report”?

My thoughts were that a softer approach would be a little less abrasive, or ‘condemning’. What you’re saying is that people respond better to the more straight forward approach?

I also thought “helping homeowners stay homeowners” would give them hope, and possibly give them a reason to call ME versus a “vulture” investor (I got called a vulture last week).

You disagree?

C’mon everybody, this post has been read over 80 times, but only one person has given any critisizm. Does that mean that you all (except Bud) thought my flyer was perfect?

Thanks, your help is REALLY appreciated.

6

The ultimate answer, do not mail, call them. I talk to people facing foreclosure all of the time, they tell me as soon as their name went on the court records as a default they are blitzed by letters and postcards. I find as many phone numbers as possible and call them, of course I comply with the do not call rules. When I talk to the troubled homeowner, they tell me I’m the only one that called them versus all of the postcards and letters.

7

Bill,

I don’t know that I want to call them. Too many have an ostrich complex. I think it is more effective with your time if you can get them to call you. It indicates that they recognize they have a problem and are willing to address it. All good percentage you will not be able to find their telephone number. If they don’t respond to mailings then call or visit if you have time and money. In Tarrant county there are 700-1000 each month. You have to cull or prioritize in some way. I don’t have time to call all of them.

In states like Texas you have to modify any approach because you only have 21 days from first public notice to the foreclosure. Door knocking is more effective here than in long lead time states.

For the default doctor
Write a report “Ten Ways to Combat Foreclosure”

I am not sure whether you are trying to make money buying, loaning money or just stopping defaults. It makes all the difference in your approach. Their interest is stopping or curing the default. What can you do to help them. Design the flyer so that they will respond. Don’t stop with one flyer, post card or letter. People like Joe Kaiser have very effective multiple letter campaigns.

8

Bud,
Where are public notices posted in Texas, or is it different for every city? Also, are they posted on a certain day of the week?

9

The county commisiomers desigate where to post and where to hold the auction. Most always it is the courthouse steps or lobby. It has to be posted 21 days befor a first Tuesday. The end of the week before that 21 date is when most get posted. The foreclosure services publish after that 21 days date so you have about 19 days to find a deal.

10

Yes, the flyer is not aggressive enough. People need to be given tasks. The flyer gives them choices.

I agree with Bud, that you do need to go knocking on doors, if you truely want to get the business. Accept the rejection of the doors closing in front of you, but if you are sincere enough, they may want to listen to what you have to say.

Financial problems are not something that people like to speak freely about, but then a telephone call, scrubbed thru the do-not-call list will help them break the ice.

If you want to be successful, either go the extra step, that the other companies will not do, re-write the flyer, with specific actions for them to take, or think about something else to do.

If you want to be successful, you must do what the others won’t. And for the most part, mailers might only receive a 1-2% rate of return, if that.

Get your website up and running so people can find you, and have them fill out an on-line form, to let you know they’re interested, that way they’re not talking directly to you about they’re problems, they’re talking to the computer. Set up the site so that it’s got lots and lots of meta tags in it for people to find you. You should move your brazil project to a subdirectory, and build your site up to be professional, yet helpful. Offer them a free report on the site, after they’ve completed some basic information about themselves, so that gives you a foot in the door to call them, since they’ve initiated contact with your business.

With the website, you may obtain more information, faster, before the foreclosure notice is posted, and get more deals, with less money out of your pocket. You’re already paying for the domain, and the web presence. Use it.

11

Great stuff Kbrandau,

You mentioned lots of meta tags, thats easy. You also mentioned that I offer a FREE REPORT. Where do I get a FREE REPORT? Also, this FREE REPORT…is it truley worth reading for the homeowner? I want to offer something that is actually interesting to read.

Furthermore, I have noticed some websites that have hyperlinks to bunches of different stuff. What are some things to hyperlink to?

One more thing…concerning the flyer…do I want to PACK a bunch of info into it, or just a little?

Again, I would like to thank ALL of you that have replied…your insights are invaluable.

Default Doc

12

The free report can be something that you author like a newsletter, or you can download lots of free reports from http://www.Realtor.com or http://www.texasrealtors.com save the report to your site, and once they fill out the required contact information you’ve asked for, then the report will start downloading, or pop up for their viewing. But you want to pick a report that speaks to their financial situation, or the foreclosure process in the state of Texas, which you might be able to locate from some lenders, or financial sites. Just remember to give them credit for their works.

I understand you’re in school, but you need to develop your website to get your business started. People who are in financial distress do not want to ask for help, but they will seek it from the internet. And if you’ve got the right meta tags inserted into your webpages, it’ll pop up in the search. So find other sites that are in the same line of business as you are in collect their source code containing the meta tags, and get yourself a good collection of them for both the description and keywords. I bet you get allot more responses than sending out flyers…

Offer your site visitors with financial calculators, which can be downloaded free from Microsoft Office templates.

Make yourself appear as you’re the expert and you really do want to help them. And when they’ve provided you with their contact information from your site, give them a day to digest your report, and then give them a call to find out if it was informative enough. And now your foot is in the door, providing them with more details, and then you’ve got the business.

13

Kbrandau,

Thanks for the awesome information. How much do I owe you for the consulting?

Really, thank you very much. I am in the beginning stages of becoming a pre-foreclosure guru. I’ll be graduating with a bachelor’s in Business Admin. in May. I can’t wait to hit real estate really HARD.

HERES ANOTHER QUESTION…How much is a fair price to pay a website ‘specialist’ for creating a website for me? I anticipate an expert can do a way better job than I can, but how much is his expertise and skill worth?

Thanks again,

Default Doc

14

D-Doc,

I’m sorry, I don’t know what webmasters charge, I build my own sites, it only takes a little while to learn, as long as you’ve got the aptitude for putting together a good presentation, and a little coding experience, but it really is easy to get a grasp on it. I’ve learned more in the last couple weeks, than I’ve learned in the last 13 years of working on the web.

If I were to create a site for you, I’d probably charge you about $1000, and have it completed in about a week. But there’s people all over town being charged $thousands$ to have an all in one website put together in the Real Estate world.

If you’ve got MSpublisher or MSfrontpage it’s really not too hard. All the information you need to be successful is either in the help menu or on the internet.

Don’t worry, I’ve got my degree in business as well. It really comes in handy, but these days I always recommend a degree in engineering. Then go for your MBA, and then they’ll possess a winning foundation for the Austin needs.

But for a website, you’ll need to sit down and set up a structure and content, so that you provide the answers to their questions, a one stop shop for the answers they’re in search of. Speak to the issues that the individuals and families are going through, and what is happening, what they’re going through, and some sollutions, and as a last resort to contact you for your help, and you swoop in and save the day.

If your site doesn’t provide them with answers, they’ll move on to another site.

As far as those “free reports”, the best way to capture more accurate information is to require them to fill out a request form, that requires a valid email address, so it will be emailed to them, at least you’ll know that this data is accurate… They don’t always give accurate info, when filling out those on-line forms, unless they’re REALLY SERIOUS, if they’re still shopping around, they may give incorrect data so you can’t contact them.

Advice is free!

Taking my advice will of course cost you, either money or time.

I don’t mind giving up some of my time to give some helpful advice.

But like everyone else, I don’t any money unless I’m doing deals.

Let me know what else you need to know.

15

Hey guys those are all great ideas! Has anyone tested sending postcards with a 800 Avoid Bankruptcy Free Information RECORDED MESSAGE HOTLINE! That tracks the calls coming in! That way you know who to call or what door to knock! I did this for Bad Credit loans in SD and it worked! :wink:

16

Hi,

Just as a brief editing kind of point. In the first area of your flyer you refer to “you” as singular. …"call me… I will let you know…’ but in the 2nd part, it suddenly becomes “we”. That may be confusing to someone not knowing if they’re dealing with an individual or a corporate group.

In my opinion, I’d be focusing in on the problem from the potential client’s perspective. Eg… Losing sleep wondering how to protect your credit rating while facing foreclosure?? Tired of stalling your creditors??? Don’t know how you’re going to make it through another month?? which would address the emotional impact of having problems with paying the bills. Then, if you give them a simple one step “Call us, we work to assist families just like yours”. Often when people are stressed and tired of dealing with things, they need to first sense the person they may be dealing with can understand and empathize with what they’re feeling and thinking. Because they’re often overwhelmed, just a simple “Call us, …” with the number directly after is enough for them. Simple, to the point and not too much information.

You’re right in appearing not vulture like.

Suzy

17

Sista Spin Doc Suzy,

Thank you very much for the feedback. That was VERY helpful.

ANYONE ELSE???

18

One thing you might consider in your post card is asking a couple of questions that will get them to think of consequences if they don’t take action, then mention your 800 number or website with questions and answers with a PS: If this doesn’t answer your questions then leave your number and I will call you back personally.

Best,
John Young

19

ON the subject of using a website form. Does anyone have any suggestions for meta tags or local adwords to use on google?

20

entAssume

For a website form, the metatags should address the subject, or topic that someone would search for to find this form, using basically all aspects using keywords to capture the searcher, to locate your sight.

Do you want everything pointing to your form, or to your site?

Good Luck!

Kirk