Still effective, especially when combined with integrated digital campaigns, direct mail remains an ideal opportunity for agents looking to build local awareness.
Have suggestions for products that you’d like to see reviewed by our real estate technology expert? Email Craig Rowe.
MailMatic is a direct mail service for real estate agents.
Platforms: Browser
Ideal for: All agents and teams
Top selling points:
- Longstanding direct mail company
- Different collateral every month
- High-touch personal service
- Flexible mailing list demographics
- Largely hands off
Top concern:
As with all direct mail efforts, results are traditionally not as easy to measure as today’s digital marketing tools. It’s most effective when integrated with an omnichannel marketing campaign.
Note: MailMatic is technically not a software product, but the company leverages browser software for its primary form of interaction with clients and for creative campaign approval.
What you should know
I remain a champion of direct mail, especially for new agents or those who know how to complement it with a strong digital presence.
If you’re not leveraging direct mail in this “stay-at-home” business environment, you’re choosing to forego a valuable way to passively strengthen your database and establish neighborhood recognition.
MailMatic by The Mailworks, like ProspectPlus, can take over your mail marketing programming with only a small amount of upfront work. In a 30-45-minute meeting, a company representative will walk you through the creative options for an entire 12-month campaign.
Each month, on your behalf, MailMatic will send a different form of collateral, ranging from simple 6-by-9-inch postcards to folding, poster-sized market reports. There are brochures, holiday greetings and even recipe cards.
Content for each mail piece can range from why it’s the beneficial to work with an agent to client testimonials.
Using an account login once set up, the agent reviews each month’s card and content to initiate approval or implement any changes before launch. And the agent profile you create is then used by designers to include your headshot and contact information on each mailer.
Office branding and franchise colorways can be included, too.
One thing that stood out to me is the approach the company takes to determine what tone of campaign is best for each agent.
In the same way a financial advisor asks about your tolerance for risk, MailMatic wants to know if you consider yourself, “caring,” “aggressive” or “knowledgeable.” In other words, what most defines your approach to business? I think this is a smart way for the company to classify agents and better suggest content. I’ve met and worked agents who successfully fit into each of those silos.
Mail lists can be purchased by carrier route, ZIP code or according to socioeconomic demographics such as age, income, net worth or family status, among others. Your CRM’s list can be used as well.
There is an extra fee if you want to update a monthly piece with just-listed or sold content.
However, that kind of marketing information is best left for digital means, anyway. Direct mail is often most effective as a long-term awareness tactic and as a tool for driving recipients to the web.
Once set up, agents can let the campaign work on their behalf. Account volume ranges from 500 a month to up to 10,000 — a number likely suited to large suburban-area brokerages.
MailMatic has been in the mailing business for some time, only recently starting to work with agents. They’re quite efficient at it, often sending more than 1 million pieces of mail per week for clients in the hearing aid industry.
The company also sells a “digital bundle,” which is a service for creating and publishing social media and email content for mailing customers. It includes Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn promotion.
I had two different phone calls with MailMatic, with two different representatives, and for what it’s worth, I found them both to be marketing-savvy and very attuned to the needs of the real estate industry — which is impressive, given their short tenure in the space.
The prices are reasonable, the creative is topical, and the fulfillment process is proven. I’d give them a call.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe
Craig C. Rowe started in commercial real estate at the dawn of the dot-com boom, helping an array of commercial real estate companies fortify their online presence and analyze internal software decisions. He now helps agents with technology decisions and marketing through reviewing software and tech for Inman.
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