Hot Dope #1) The more that your potential customers see your name in front of them, more likely they are to call your number (and not someone else’s) when they need services you offer.

Many marketing efforts go unrewarded, not because they were off target but simply because they weren’t given enough of an opportunity to work. Showing your TV commercial one time, running an ad in newspaper once, or doing one mailing of postcards may not be enough to grab and keep audience’s attention.

Get your name out there, do it on a regular basis and people will remember you when they need someone in your line of business. Actually, this particular “Hot Dope” cannot be stressed enough – and failure to adhere to it is #1 reason new businesses fail.

You should also know that taking time to really see which pieces will generate response you want will pay off. Don’t just totally give up when a response is low – persistence is vital.

Hot dope # 2) Measure your Return On Investment (ROI) in terms of actual MONEY not response rate. An advertising vehicle is working when MONEY that it brings in has more value than MONEY and time that is spent on marketing.

The next step is to put together a direct mail campaign to keep these customers thinking about you when they think about mortgages. It is often years between times when each customer needs a mortgage professional, and it takes far less than that for them to forget your name. As well as fighting time, you are fighting indifference. Customers who get great service are often reluctant to pass that information along, while customers who feel they have gotten poor service will tell everyone. Most of time good customers need to be reminded of their experience. By following up with each customer on a regular basis you will not only stay in front of their mind but you will also start to build a reputation as a solid and responsible business.

So how do you get started? Below are a couple of most frequently asked questions when starting a campaign to keep in touch with past clients.

What Type of Direct Mail Piece Works Best?

There is a great debate amongst Mortgage Professionals about what type of direct mail will work best for getting new business. Many swear by letters for their appearance of professionalism, while others like low cost and high visibility of postcards. Overall, both seem to work adequately for bringing in new business. You just need to find which works best for you personally.

For keeping in contact with past customers, however, way to go is postcards. This is due to fact that if your customers are not currently looking for a mortgage for themselves, they are far less likely to take time to open a letter. That causes most of your "keep in touch" promo that is in envelopes to get thrown out before it ever gets read.

Since goal is recognition and not direct action you only need to get them to read message. Postcards have message visible when mailed, which means that while your customers are deciding what to read and what to throw out, they are already being exposed to your message.

How Often Should I Send Promo?