BiggerPockets

I know its a broad question, based on the number of cards you wanna send, but can somebody give me a example of the costs associated with mailing and postage, etc.?

I just went to vistaprint.com and priced standard postcards. I know there are many other places, all with varying costs and quality so shop around. For regular postcards as an example, 1000 postcards is $159 and for 5000 it is $404 plus shipping. Add postage of .28 cents each card and it is obviously $280 for 1000 and $1400 for 5000. That is just to get the postcard printed and mailed.

You also have to figure who will design your card or if you will either purchase one done for you or maybe design it yourself? You have to get the lists to mail to. The going rate for lists is around $50-100 a month. Then you just have to print the labels and send the postcards out!

Really you can make this as simple or as complicated as your budget will allow. Maybe you want mail multiple times. And even then with or without different postcards.

Really, do a search of direct mail here on BP and you will get other great marketing ideas.

Troy

What type of hand written do you use? I was thinking of doing the same thing to market to people in pre-forclosure as handwritten envelope and letter are more likely to get read. How many letters do you have to send to receive a response?
Could I have a sample of what has worked for you.

I use Click2mail.com, which is partnered with the USPS and the postcards cost 31 cents each (printing and postage combined). I created several postards on their site and I upload my address list. Very simple process!

Jamie,

The best way is to see if you can get your list local from like a title company.
Major lists are
Absentee
Preforeclosure (Notice Default) Court house
Probate at court House

The other source that I use frequently is listsource.com it is free to set up an account and you can actually boil down the list from geographic to demographic.

I am a huge fan of click2mail. Been using them for the last 4-5 years. For smaller mailings I use greeting cards. But click to mail you can mail your card for .312 per copy to include postage.

Ad the cost of the name which is usually about .17 its pretty good in my book.

Post Card Mania
Vista Print

Are good sources. But with click2mail is print on demand.

Keith,

Our letters say-

" Hello __________,
My name is James Ward. I am interested in purchasing your property. If you are interested, please call __________."

That is it. Right now we are sending about 100 a week. We get about 15-20 a week. But not all of the calls qualify in our plan. Not all calls are just from that prior week.

Jaime,

Go to your clerk of the courts. Some areas have website some do not.