Online vs. Offline Campaigns

Most Realtors practice some degree of offline marketing. Often this consists of postcard campaigns, print newsletters, flyers, etc. This issue we'll look at online and offline marketing campaigns. We'll look at some similarities, some differences, and some common pitfalls that are well worth avoiding.

What's In Common - Online & Offline:

1) Both strategies are about relationship-building. For the large majority of your intended recipients, you won't know whether they're in the home-buying market or not. And on any given day, it's a good bet that only a small percentage of them will be.

Therefore, use your marketing efforts to provide some substance to both of these groups. Granted, if someone is just getting ready to enter the market, you want to be front and center, ready to serve. But if your reader is not yet ready to enter the market (again, the overwhelming majority of your recipients at any given time) would you rather they keep and read your marketing message, or would you rather have them throw it away?

2) Each strategy is an opportunity to grow your brand. Regardless of which realty outfit you happen to be associated with, every time you send out a message you're not just representing yourself, but the whole realty company. Take a good look at each piece you send out and ask yourself: "How does this make me feel about [my company]?"

3) Finally, frequency is an issue to be considered. One of our clients began a postcard campaign by sending out two postcards per month. He was pleased with the positive response from his contact list. He then reasoned that if he was getting this good of a response from two per month, imagine how much better three per month would perform. That was a mistake. As soon as he started sending three per month, he started to receive complaints that he was sending too much stuff. The information he discovered here is valuable to us all.

Likewise with your online campaign, frequency is important. In fact, it's even more critical online. The reason it's more critical, is because as soon as one of your recipients unsubscribes, you have to honor that request. End of campaign. Therefore, do NOT send too many emails in your email marketing campaign. Once per month is great plenty. If you send more than that, you're likely to start seeing your unsubscribe rate climb.

Major Differences: Online vs. Offline:

1) Tracking. With an online campaign, you're able to determine whether your recipients receiving, opening, and responding in some way to your campaign. The information is direct and immediate. With offline campaigns there is usually no appreciable way to determine the success or failure of the campaign.

2) Price. Stamps are free online. With an email campaign, your costs for volume drop through the floor. While this may tempt you to start sending more frequent emails, resist that temptation (See item #3 above). So while the costs can be far less, look at your online campaign investment in terms of savings - you've boosted your top-of-mind awareness for less.

3) Opt-outs. When somebody unsubscribes from your online campaign, that's it. You can't send them your email campaign anymore, according to the Federal CAN-SPAM Act. But really, the feds have done us a favor. Why would we WANT to be wasting money sending stuff to people who get angry at us when they receive it? And the benefit of doing this via email is that it's easy for someone to opt-out. How often do people opt-out of your postcard campaigns? Almost never! So again, your online campaign gives you an opportunity to spend your marketing budget more wisely.

'Til Next Time

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