Do Personal Cards Still Work?
We all know how important mailings are to a solid marketing plan. From “Recently Sold” cards to seasonal mass mailings, keeping your name and brand image in front of potential and past clients is important. But what else can you do to set yourself apart? Many agents find success with taking a two-pronged approach, with one part focusing on quantity and another prioritizing more personal interactions. Handwritten, personal greeting cards can play an important role in the latter.
Greeting cards at first glance can appear passé. You might think of the birthday card your great aunt still remembers to send, or the once-a-year winter greeting cards that get lost in the holiday shuffle. With so many other forms of communication, from email to social media, it’s no surprise that greeting card usage has fallen out of fashion. Year after year, the number of greeting cards sent out gets smaller and smaller, according to a 2022 IBISWorld Industry Report. What may be bad news for this industry is actually great news for agents.
Greeting Card Occasions
While homeowners are inundated with emails and overwhelmed by the billions of options social media presents, physical mail has become a less cluttered environment for getting your message across. Below are a few ways to take advantage of this medium with a handwritten, personal card or note.
As an Introduction
If you’ve received the name of someone that might be interested in your services, why not send a personal note of introduction?
To Solidify a Relationship
Maybe you’ve already had an initial meeting with a potential new client; a personal thank-you card can demonstrate your attention to detail.
To Celebrate a Milestone
Whether it’s your client’s recent closing or an anniversary of their home purchase with you, recognizing these events can show your thoughtfulness and sincerity.
Greeting Card Best Practices
- Strategically choose a limited number of recipients to send personal cards to each month. Since these are time-consuming cards to write, limit your total send to no more than a dozen or so each week.
- Always handwrite and personally sign your cards. Yes, this is much more time-consuming than simply printing out cards or stamping a signature … but that additional effort is what makes this type of communication stand out to your recipient.
- Use a seasonal stamp and skip mass-mailing postage for personal cards.
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With more than 25 years of experience, Todd Lebowitz is CEO and owner of My Marketing Matters, which he runs with his business partner Ram Devaguptapu. Together, they have grown the company to be a recognized leader in real estate marketing with more than 20,000 clients locally, regionally, and nationwide.