I wanted to share a strategy that I’ve been using for quite a while that has gotten deals pouring out of my ears, :biggrin
It’s called the Yellow Letter Effect… It may sound a little cheesy but this stuff works. Basically, what I do is nab me a list of foreclosure leads from the county website and hand write a very warm, yet professionally striking message letting homeowners know that good ol’ Brandon is here to bail them out of pre-foreclosure.
I say something to this effect:
Dear John and Jane Doe,
I would like to talk to you about your pending problem with your property. I’m a former loan officer that assist people that may have received a notice of default from the mortgage lender.
I may be able to help you before this issue grows into a serious probelm.
If you will, allow me to advise you on some of your options. I can help help you by:
Getting a loan.
Marketing your property.
And even buying your home.
It’s critical that you know what options are out there for you. I know how you are feeling right now because I once experienced the same thing several years ago but I listened to some options that was once given to me. Go ahead and give me a call on my mobile so we can talk about how I can help you. I want you to know that it’s okay.
Thanks,
First Name Last Name
Phone #
** Now listen up. Everything I write in my yellow letter are experiences that I have encountered. Please be truthful. Don’t make up stories about yourself; these are real people we are dealing with.
Good luck to all and I hope this helps your marketing strategy.
Brandon - thank you for sharing. I got an uneasy feeling when I read the part where you state that you are willing to advise them on their options. I would never be bold enough to write this to someone in trouble. I do understand where you are coming from and appreciate the fact that you are being truthfull about your capabilities and experiences. But you may be putting yourself in a difficult position. Your statement may be taken out of context and you may end up in trouble. I would tweak the message a little bit and take out any reference to “advise”. Why don’t you simply state what you can do for them? Good luck!
This is a great technique. Yellow letters work great for direct marketing because they look personal.
Here’s a tip for you if you are sending out 10,20,50,100 or even 500 yellow letters. If you are sending out a lot of yellow letters, it can take up a lot of your time.
What you can do is download a handwritten font from the internet onto your computer. Write your note in word. When writing, add personalization tags within it such as "Dear [tag for first name]. (I’m not sure what exactly the tag is but if you search help in word, it will tell you.)
Now, import your names into word and personalize your letter. Then, all you have to do is print it out. You can even use a blue color for your ink.
I know that this isn’t 100% personal letter but it speeds things up. If you can find a really good handwritten font, you’ll be pretty close.
Thanks to all for your advice. I’ll take “advise” out of my letters. Actually, I was using my son who has excellent hand writing to write the letters for me. Ha ha ha… I know what you’re thinking, child labor laws right? Nah, I feed him dinner everynight! :biggrin
Anyways, I’ll try the method that RealEstateBlackBook suggested.
