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Blog> Sphere of Influence
5 Reasons Real Estate Agents Should Send Holiday Cards
Strengthen Your Relationships with Past Clients
By Addressable
Published May 16, 2022
Last Updated September 26, 2022
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

Picture this: It's a crisp winter evening, you've just finished up a long day of holiday festivities. You pick up the mail on the way into the house, and immediately notice a handwritten envelope addressed to you.

To your surprise, it's a thoughtfully handwritten card from the real estate agent who sold you the home you’re standing in. Unlike other cookie-cutter cards you received from businesses around the holidays, this one stands out. The front of the card is a lovely photo of your city covered in snow.

You can't help but admire the photo on the front of the card and decide to hang it on the fridge. It’ll be your friendly reminder to call the agent once the holidays are over and give them an update on your home.

Now, wouldn’t you like to give that experience to your clients?

As a real estate agent, holiday cards are a great tool for continued touch marketing. And when done right, your clients will love receiving them. Let’s run through five reasons why you should send out holiday cards every year, as well as best practices to do it right.

The 5 reasons to Send Holiday Cards

1) To strengthen and maintain your relationship with past clients

Your past clients don’t have to stay in the past—sending out holiday cards strengthens the relationship so they always have your name in mind. Hearing from you during the holidays (and throughout the year in general) makes the relationship personal, and shows them you’re invested in maintaining it.

2) To share any successes in your business

Holiday cards are a great way to give a rundown of news from the past year. Did you sell a great home in their neighborhood? Add to your staff? Move to a new office? Use the annual holiday card to update clients on your successes—and remind them why you’re a great agent to work with.

3) To share any changes happening in the New Year

If there are any changes coming in the New Year—whether for your business or yourself personally—you can share them in your holiday card. On the business side, perhaps you’re expanding your service area or hiring more agents for your team. You can also share personal news if you choose to (e.g., if you’re getting married).

4) To check in on their home

Holiday cards can also be your annual check-in on the home you sold them or the home they moved to after a sale you worked on. This reminds them of your involvement in the process of getting them into their home, and associates those good feelings with your business.

If there is anything that’s not going well with their home, it can also open the door to conversations about selling.

5) To remind them you’re there when they’re ready to buy or sell

Overall, holiday cards are perfect for reminding clients and your sphere of influence that you’re available whenever they’re ready to buy or sell. While these cards shouldn’t be a sales pitch, they can fit into your continued touch marketing strategy (i.e., continuing to pop up and remind people you’re there).

Best Practices for Holiday Cards

Now that you’ve decided to send out holiday cards to your clients and sphere of influence, there are some best practices to keep in mind. Your cards should:

  • Be handwritten – Bulk greetings are a turnoff and will just end up in the trash. Handwritten cards show that you put time and effort into contacting them, and clients will appreciate the gesture.
  • Use inclusive copy – Your clients may not all celebrate the same holidays, and you might not know each one well enough to say with certainty which ones they observe. It’s best to use inclusive copy instead, such as “Happy Holidays” or "Season's Greetings."
  • Be sent on time – Make sure your cards are sent in a timely fashion. Many people take vacations over the holidays and there are often postal delays during this time. Earlier is better.
  • Use festive imagery – Make sure your holiday card cover catches their eye when they open it, so your card stands out.

One thing your holiday cards should not do: Ask for referrals. This is not the time or place—everyone is busy around the holidays and no one wants to receive a card that is asking for something. Let your holiday card strengthen the relationship and remind them your business exists, and save the referral requests for another time.

Addressable Can Handwrite Cards on Your Behalf

Don’t get stuck scrambling to get your cards out this season. With Addressable, you can schedule everything in advance and have your personalized cards set to go out in time for the holidays. We offer a wide variety of seasonal cards to choose from, and everything we do creates the impression that you personally sat down to write the card.

Why Top Agents Use Addressable Year-round

Top producers leverage our handwritten cards throughout the year to get more calls for listing appointments. We test everything to increase your results—from what imagery to use on the card cover to the message to say inside—and we track and measure the success of your Addressable campaigns. Schedule a 20-min consultation to learn more.

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FAQs

Do people really think these are real?

Yes! In a 3rd party blind study, participants were presented several cards. Some messages were written by our robots, some by humans. Participants were unable to identify which handwriting was done by a robot.

How does Addressable work?

With our proprietary technology, an actual ballpoint pen is pressed to heavy card stock using a realistic human font. Our end-to-end process is carefully designed so that there are no marketing “tells or tip-offs.” Each homeowner who receives a card will believe you took the time to write it.

Can I test a small number?

We’ve learned through testing that the minimum sweet spot for generating listing leads is 1,000 cards. Less than that won’t deliver the results you want . Our goal is to set you up for success and demonstrate clear value with every dollar you spend on handwritten cards.

Why are handwritten cards better than post cards?

Most of our agents have the option to use brokerage postcards for free or low cost. Agents choose to use handwritten cards because we get them listing leads. Brokers want their logo going out—it’s a branding play. In reality, they don’t really help your business. Postcards focus on the brokerage. Handwritten cards focus on building rapport with the homeowner and how you can be of service. Postcards often don’t make it in the door. They typically go directly into the homeowner’s recycle bin. Postcards are mailed in bulk. The USPS discards undeliverable postcards. They kind of go into the void. And you don’t get confirmation when they actually drop in the mail. Postcards are visually overwhelming. There’s no clear message why someone should pick up the phone and call you.

How do you differentiate from other handwriting companies?

Addressable provides an end-to-end solution. When we produce a handwritten mail campaign for you, our goal is to generate listing leads for you. We help you stand out—and differentiate yourself—in a competitive market. Our experts craft the message, target the right homeowners, and track your results.

Can you tell me all the agents you work with?

Nearly every individual agent or team we work with does has $20+ million in production, and they're very private about their marketing programs. They consider Addressable part of their secret sauce. Check out our top clients that have found success with us.

Can other agents mail to my area?

Nope! As long as you are actively mailing to an area, no other agent may mail to the same addresses.

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