Automate real estate postcards and mailers without cutting corners on client relationships

When was the last time you got an email that put a smile on your face? How about the last time you opened the mailbox and saw a personal card addressed to you?

If you’re thinking technology killed the age-old tradition of sending a personal greeting or thank you card through the mail, think again. 

A note received through direct mail is, by its very nature, personal. It gets to where you live — literally. 

And when it speaks to you and you alone, it can really hit home.

Top-performing agents know that the #1 rule of real estate is building relationships, and there’s no better way to accomplish that than by staying in touch with your customers and leads. 

But who really has time to write and mail notes to would-be clients and past clients, when you’re actively trying to show homes, get listings and close deals?

Fortunately, there’s a way to make time for both. By combining modern technology with “old school” real estate marketing tactics like sending clients branded real estate postcards and thank you notes, you can stay top-of-mind and still mind the business you have today. 😉

Table of contents

• The best times to send postcards and mailers 
• Keep your leads close and your past clients closer
• Make the biggest impact in the least amount of time
• Make every lead feel like a VIP
  

When is the best time to send a real estate postcard or thank you note?

These days, there is no shortage of ways to communicate. 

And while the right approach to text messaging and real estate drip campaigns can definitely move the needle on your business — the truth is, we’ve probably all become a little too comfortable with these more modern, less personal forms of communication.

Because when you need to show a real estate lead, client or prospect just how much you appreciate their time, trust, or effort, digital solutions aren’t always the best way to go.

So when should you send a real estate postcard or thank you note vs. just another email?

Most agents know they should send a card (or better yet, a jaw-dropping closing gift) when a deal finally closes, but the journey from lead to repeat client is packed with opportunities to send mail and gifts that resonate along the way.

Here are some scenarios where a little something special sent in the mail can speak much louder than a text or email:

• After a listing appointment
• When you get a listing (or even when you don’t)
• After meeting with a potential buyer
• After a showing
• To acknowledge something important your client shared on social media
• On the anniversary of a client’s home purchase or sale
• When a past client refers someone to you
• On special holidays
• To wish past clients and your sphere of influence (SOI) a happy birthday
• To promote yourself to sellers with expired listings or FSBOs
• At closing
  

Real estate mailers let you keep your leads close and your past clients closer

Let’s face it. The real estate game is a long one.

It can take two years or more before a lead turns into a client, and sending the same old emails with listings or market reports can get pretty stale over such a lengthy amount of time.

Brandon Grass is a high-octane agent based in Kelowna, British Columbia who has built a thriving business on the back of cold calling and is now branching out into inbound marketing.

When we sat down with Brandon in 2019, he told us:

My biggest listing this year came from a call I made on January 23rd. She initially said, 'No, we're not interested.' I went by and dropped off a simple thank you card and that changed everything.

By adding tangible greetings, thank you notes, and other personalized reminders to let your clients and prospects know you’re thinking about them, you help keep the relationship interesting and engaging, while boosting your chances of actually getting the deal.

"It's incredible how much this stuff matters right now in this age of full-on automation where you don't know if it's a robot or a real person calling you half the time." — Brandon Grass, eXp Realty

Of course, every agent’s approach will vary. Some use mailing cards to deepen connections with leads in all stages of the real estate sales funnel, while others focus exclusively on past clients and their SOI.

Hear how Renee Funk, the co-founder of The Funk Collection who also happens to rank among the top 1% of real estate professionals in the US gets over 90% response rate from her database with magic moment cards.

“We have found the most ROI when we make the investment to those who already know us,” she explains. “So we’re postcarding a minimum of 12 times a year to our previous customers and sphere of influence.”

While sending postcards to past real estate clients and your SOI is clearly a winner, sending a card to thank a prospect for a meeting can also work wonders — even when you walk away from the meeting empty-handed.

Unlike instantaneous texts or automated emails, a card or gift sent in the mail lets clients and prospects know it’s about the relationship, not the deal.

Use your real estate postcards to make the biggest impact in the least amount of time

By now, you might be thinking, “This real estate mailers stuff sounds great. But all of these scenarios require different messaging, and there aren’t enough hours in the day to write a custom mailing card for each one.”

That’s where a dash of real estate automation can help.

With the right technology, you can send personal messages for any situation without reinventing the wheel each time you send a thank you note or postcard.

For example, AMcards is a real estate postcard provider and gifting platform that matches your real handwriting style and allows you to personalize templates for single use, or send them to multiple contacts.

Broker Barry Jenkins of Virginia Beach-based Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate team Friends in Real Estate, even has an entire library of dedicated ‘dad humor cards’ set up and ready to send whenever the opportunity arises. 🤣 

You can even add a gift like delicious homemade brownies or a Starbucks card. AMcards will package it all up for you and send it with the card. 

Elevate your real estate mailing game in a few simple steps

If you’re already a Follow Up Boss user, it’s easy to start sending your postcards and thank yous.

AMcards is embedded inside Follow Up Boss, so there’s no need to switch from one program to another. You can create a whole library of mailing templates, accessible in just a couple of clicks.

Once you’ve created your card, simply click ‘Send’, and the system does the printing, stuffing, and mailing for you. 

Here’s how it works step-by-step:

You can modify any of the templates in the AMcards library, or create your own card from scratch. Once you’ve created a new template, you can save it to use over and over again.

And with a Post Close Action Plan, you’ll never forget a client’s birthday or home purchase anniversary. Follow Up Boss will take care of the reminders and sends for you.  

Pro Tip: Quicksend templates give you a blank space on the inside top of the card. You can add a photo without changing any of the other art or elements on the card. If you’re sending a card for the anniversary of a client’s home purchase, for example, you can add a photo of the home to really personalize your message. 🥰

Real estate postcards and mailers: make every lead feel like a VIP

If you’re into the idea of adding real estate postcards and mailers to your marketing mix but not sure you’ve got the time or budget, don’t be afraid to enlist a little help from technology to help make the process worth your while.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not technology that’s impersonal. It’s how you use it. 

With an intentional, client-centric plan for expressing your support and appreciation, you can treat each of your real estate prospects or customers like they’re your one and only.

No matter how heartfelt, an email or text is fleeting. But a card (especially one that’s fridgeworthy) gives your current and future clients a lasting impression that helps deepen relationships and generate referrals.

Whether you use mailing cards to show appreciation, stay top of mind, or soft sell your services, the right approach can be an invaluable addition to your business.