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Auction Invitations, Just Sold and Just Listed cards are staples of any decent property marketing campaign. 

They’re invaluable when it comes to generating foot traffic at opens and auctions and boosting perceived demand. Feeling bewildered about how and when to use these cards? Here’s how to put them to use for maximum impact.

Stay on message

The script can vary, but a Just Sold card should basically say, ‘We’ve recently achieved a fantastic price for a home in this area. Every successful sale affects the value of your property. Get in touch for a free market appraisal.’

For maximum impact, include a quality photo of the property and the price. If it sold especially fast, or went for more than the reserve, make that part of the message (‘Sold in just one week!’) 

Just Listed cards and Auction Invitations will run a little differently. ‘A property near you has just gone on the market. See it for yourself and find our how it might affect the value of your home.’

As well as the message, these cards should display the dates and times of the open-for-inspections, and probably the auction too.

Keep your message simple and direct, and include a clear call to action. The purpose of these cards is to get people to make contact – or even better, actually turn up to an open. 

Timing

The time between a property hitting the market and a Just Listed card appearing in the neighbouring letterboxes should be minimal. Just Sold cards, same deal. Start raising awareness and generating buzz ASAP. 

Actual demand vs. perceived demand

You want to serious foot traffic at open-for-inspections and buzzing crowds at auctions. Not all of these people are going to be genuinely interested in buying the property – but you don’t need them to be. With Auction Invitations and Just Sold cards, you’re angling to attract the interested neighbours. Most likely, only a fraction of these people will seriously consider buying the property. But by bringing in the crowds, you create the perception of demand.

When you attract more people to your listings:

• The property is seen as in-demand;
• The suburb and its lifestyle appear more desirable;
• The value of the property is perceived to be higher.

Creating competition among buyers is crucial, because a single buyer negotiates the price down – but multiple buyers negotiate up.

Letterboxing vs online

Obviously, online listings are vital for generating interest in a property. The difference is that the people searching for properties on the internet are largely serious buyers, on the hunt for their dream home or a great investment opportunity. Casual real estate observers and nosey neighbours probably aren’t browsing Domain on the off-chance that something interesting is happening down the street.

You can bet on people being stickybeaks. The neighbours probably already take the occasional glance over the back fence or through the front window; they’ll jump at the opportunity to actually see inside, compare to their own property, try to gauge what it might be worth in comparison. 

These are the people you’re reaching out to with your Just Listed and Sold cards. When the neighbours grab a card out of the letterbox, it raises their interest even if buying or selling isn’t on their mind at the moment. Of course, there’s every chance the cards will snare a genuine buyer. About 65% of buyers purchase property within a 10km radius of their current home

Stay top of mind

Another benefit of generating all this local buzz and hosting so many overflowing opens and auctions means that, next time one of those interested neighbours becomes a genuine buyer, you and your business are the ones they think of first. They already know how active and successful you are in the local area – so who else would they call?

What tips and tricks do you have for maximising the results you get from your Just Sold and Just Listed cards? Share your thoughts in the comments.