Good Marketing Letters are Not About YOU
If you own a home, you’ve probably received real estate letters suggesting that you list it for sale. And in all probability, most of them began with one of two words: “I” or “We.”
This is the number one mistake made by marketers of all kinds, and real estate agents are at the top of the list of offenders. But they’re not the only ones. Marketers in all kinds of professions make the same mistake.
There’s some kind of misguided notion that the person receiving the letter wants to know about you – who you are, how long you’ve been in business, how proud you are of your new facilities, etc.
They don’t want to know. They don’t care in the least.
And that’s why a letter that’s all about you is on the fast lane to the round file… or the junk folder on the computer.
Those folks want to know two things:
- you recognize their problem
- you can help them solve it
Whether it’s finding the perfect new home or creating a beautifully landscaped yard, or assuring themselves that they have proper insurance coverage – they want to know what you’re going to do to help them reach their goals.
There are only two places where you should be talking about you: The “About” page on your website and your personal brochure. Other than that, everything you say should be about your prospects and their concerns.
A good letter takes a bit of time and thought – because you do have to weave your offers to help into the copy, and you do have to show that you are the person who will keep your promises, show up on time, charge a reasonable rate, and generally solve their problems.
One way to put yourself on the right track is to write a rough draft before you try to write the actual letter. In that rough draft, begin each paragraph with the word “You.”
You’ll probably have to come back and edit and remove some of those “you’s,” later, but beginning with that word will move your focus to your clients – and their wants and needs.
When you need a good marketing letter and don’t want to write it yourself, get in touch!
Posted: September 1st, 2010 under marketing, marketing letters, real estate letters.
Tags: maarketing letters, marketing, marketing copy, real estate letters