Direct Mail to Probate - Should I use my Company Name?

Question

Hello BiggerPockets,

I currently market for wholesale deals by sending direct mail campaigns to probate estate executors. I use my company name as the header of the mail pieces. I also have a FB page and other social media / online pages with my company name.

Unfortunately, some people get upset about receiving my letter and then they post negative reviews on my Facebook page and online sites.

How to I manage these negative reviews? Should I not be using my company name on my mailers? Should I be using some other company name on the mailers?

Your help and guidance are greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Brolin

Account Closed · Answer

@Brolin Whitaker I think the feedback you received from the letters answered your question! Some say to offer condolences, some say to keep it purely professional. To me, offering your condolences to strangers while simultaneously trying to get their house for dirt cheap comes off as insincere, bordering on rude. I dont include anything about probate/inheritance  in my mailings. I mail to them as if they're any other motivated seller. If the family wants to sell, they'll call. If they mention the death in the family when they call, offer your condolences then.

Brolin Whitaker · Answer

Hi John,

Thank you for your reply and your suggestion to use only my personal name. I have not included social media into my direct mail. But when including my company name, they look it up online and post onto social media pages. I will try some campaigns with only my personal name and no company name. Thanks again.

Rick H. · Answer

I've been on both sides of this, both as an active probate marketer for 25+ years and having been administrator of some (16) estates and trustee nearly (50) times.

Most ever "wholesaler" letter screams 'flakey.'

They are on cheap paper stock, crappy letterhead art and unregistered biz names.

Unless you show up as a professional, no one will take you se seriously.

Thus does not mean that you need to use a business name, however. However, your mail piece needs to pass the "sniff test" and look like it came from someone that has the researouces and staying power to solve a oroblem and not run.

As for people call to complain, there are several things to consider.

1) Your letter offers no apparent value either in its content, information or the proposition, or

2) The caller's emotional state is off and you are the target of the day.

Of course, there can be a myriad of other factors however you need to decide if they should, in fact, be eliminated from your marketing or if it might be a temporary situation and you are convinced that what you have to offer us something that they really need and are willing to risk further (and possibly escalated) anger.

Smart marketers know how to monetize most every lead. Your job is to get the prospect to call without misleading them or setting them up for unrealistic exoectations during conversion.

Mark Pedroza · Answer

@Brolin Whitaker How sympathetic is your wording in your introduction letter(s)?

A good example of probate introduction letters to send to PR's can be found in BP's "Tools" then "FilePlace-Free Forms and Files"- "Real Estate FilePlace". Then look for "Letters" under "eBooks". In box 4 look for "Probate Letter sent to PR", then open and download.

No, I don't use this letter as I have my own that I send to PR's.

In CA, a real estate agent while farming for listings would have to include their business information.

Good luck,

Mark (N-CA)

Sac/Placer counties....

Brolin Whitaker · Answer

Thank you, Lloyd, for your reply. I will try this.

Taverius Wilkins · Answer

How are you finding the list of Probates to mail to?

Brolin Whitaker · Answer

Thank you, Salman, for your reply. So it sounds like to you utilize a company name and address in your mailers. Do you have information in your mailers that allows recipients to locate and post on your social media and website? Do you ever get an upset response and if so, how do you handle it?

Salman E. · Answer

Hey @Brolin Whitaker,

It might be the way you write your marketing letters to the executors. You have to understand that these people that are going through probate are going through a tough time so when sending letters to them you have to be very fragile. 90% of the content of the letters that our company sends to probate leads are fully acknowledging the loss of their loved ones and expressing condolences.

Direct Mail to Probate - Should I use my Company Name?

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