My Little Direct Mail Campaign

So after my first deal, which can be read in grand detail, here How I got my first deal.... I've struggled to find properties with value add opportunities in the area I purchased my deal in and am concentrating in.... Clifton/Corryville near the University of Cincinnati for any locals reading. It's a great renters market... a growing student population(50,000 +) and limited amount of space with most homes being built pre-1900.... so I know there are plenty of homes in the area that have yet to be restored to their former glory. So, instead of checking the MLS and craigslist once every waking hour, I've decided to begin my little direct mail campaign. 

So after edumacating myself on the whole direct mail deal through blogs, podcasts, etc, I decided to target absentee owners(age=over 55, and having owned it for at least 7 years) in my select zip codes that I want to invest in. A lot of what I read on direct mail seemed to spray and pray to me... really targeting no one and hoping to get their hands on whatever they can. I want to focus on a select area(parts of 3 zip codes) and create more personalized letters to not seem so corporate and dry as most direct mail I've seen. 

So I went to staples and purchased a book of card stock with designs/pictures, visuals that would look good on a fridge/corkboard. I got a bunch of 3.5x5 envelopes in different colors. And I decided I would do 100 of the 1500 or so properties on my list to start. 

Now I have no idea if this will work, but I basically scrolled through my entire list and began identifying all of the Edna's, Gertrude's, Ethel's etc.... this may be stereotyping, but I tried to find the eldest sounding names of properties with only a female on the deed. Hopefully this doesn't come off as disrespectful, I just felt these may have higher rates of motivated sellers. I also began to identify couples who lived in retirement havens(FL, CA, AZ, etc) with an address like 123 Main St, unit 5c, hoping these are people living in retiree type environments.... again, simply basing that off living in a complex of some sort. 

I sent them out this past Sunday, only 100, but they're all handwritten and I'm hoping if they're not selling now, they'll stick my postcard on their fridge, corkboard, or in a drawer somewhere for when that day comes. 

Again, my strategy is super concentrated, I only want to buy in this select area, so I'm not expecting 10 call backs, and I plan to change it up throughout the mailings. But, I wanted to share my quazi strategy and I'll keep you updated as my results do or don't materialize. 

Any critique, advice, suggestion is much appreciated. Also, I've attached some pictures of everything below. 

Cheers, 

jake