It seems there are many options for Direct Mail Marketing. One is you buy the list from a list source and you can either have them mail it if they have that type of service, or there’s the option of finding a direct mail fulfillment center and having them send out your list. Or there’s the other option of making your own mailers and then mail merging the list yourself. And then there’s REI software like realeflow and other sites similar that can basically do all of the above on their site. So my question to you is what works best for you in sending out mass mail ie...postcards,yellow letters? Let me know a good system that works for you. Because I would like to hear what works the best.

@Jesse R. Great question! So here's my take. We do all of our stuff in house but I wouldn't recommend it for most people. The cost to get the equipment, maintenance, running it yourself (or hiring staff), and the learning curve are NOT worth it for most people. 

While I love the simplicity and integration of something Real E Flow I feel like you're losing out on a few things. 

When you work with  a mail house you're getting access to that person as well. When I was getting started @Jerry Puckett was the defining piece of my success. He's remained a great friend and mentor ever since. 

You also miss out on their expertise. They've sent more mail than you'll do in your entire life. This is where it comes to trusting the experts. Being able to get advise on lists, design, copy, frequency, etc is HUGE. 

In my opinion the trade off (cost) for their expertise and availability is WAY worth it. (Not to mention the time savings!) If you haven't stuffed and sealed thousands of pieces of mail while binge watching netflix I can tell you it's not fun. 

Personally  I don't like postcards. They end up in the trash of most sophisticated investors. Whatever you do... Do something different. Whether it's in your design or in your copy you want to stand out. 

@Jesse R.

The answer is, 'it depends' on your situation - your time, your goals, your budget. If you are a new investor that is cash strapped, then printing and doing your own mailing may make sense if you know how to get deals on postage and materials and have lots of time to spare. 

If you're an investor with even a moderate amount of savings or are cash flow positive with at least $400/month, it makes much more sense to create your list yourself and use a service that you can upload the list and they create professional postcards/letters for you. Good services will offer you proofs, coaching, and other tips that you wouldn't know. If you did it yourself, there is a common mistake that most newbies make that costs them thousands. 

You also have to think long term as well when it comes to scalability. Doing things in-house does make sense if you're going to train and hire people and do 20000+ mailings a month.

If you want free templates to do your own mailings, a checklist of things you need to prepare BEFORE you start mailing, or scripts on how to process calls from the sellers, just shoot me a PM and I'm happy to share.

Best of luck.

Hi @Jesse R. !  Of course, you'll get lots of different answers.  However, I think it really depends on what you're trying to accomplish.  What kind of tech skills do you have (ie, do you know how to complete a mail merge)?  What is your style?  What is your budget?  Do you like where you're sourcing your data, or do you need help with that as well?

Once you've answered those questions, check out your options.  Look at their websites, see examples, check prices -- and call or email if you have questions.  Best of luck!