Call tracking numbers on mail: how to know which piece called
By Josh MillerUpdated 4 min readGive each list you mail its own phone number that forwards to your phone, so every call shows which list it came from. Local tracking numbers cost a dollar or two a month each from most call-tracking and phone services, and they're the only way to know which list is producing sellers instead of guessing.
If every piece of mail you send has the same phone number, every call is a mystery. You don't know if it came from the expired listings, the foreclosure letters or the tax list, so you can't tell which list to keep and which to drop.
How it works
- Get a separate local phone number for each list you mail.
- Forward every number to the same phone, yours or your call team's.
- Print the list's number on that list's mail.
- When a call comes in, the number dialed tells you the list.
Most call-tracking and business phone services offer local numbers for a dollar or two a month each. Many also record calls and log the caller's number, which saves you from writing it down.
What to track per number
- Calls
- Calls from an owner who might sell (not tire-kickers or "take me off your list")
- Appointments
- Contracts and closed deals
Divide what you spent mailing a list by the deals it produced. That's the list's cost per deal, and it's the number that decides what you mail next month. Work out yours.
What you'll find
Usually that a list that brings fewer calls brings more sellers. In the county records, owners with a recent filing, like an expired listing or a foreclosure, sold off-market at 12 to 13 of every 100 within a year, and free and clear owners at about 1.5. Tracking numbers let you see that in your own mail, instead of taking our word for it.
Keep it local and simple
- Local area code. A toll-free number looks like a call center.
- One number per list, kept for months. Sellers call back from old mail; don't recycle numbers too soon.
- Answer it live. Tracking tells you where the call came from. It doesn't help if nobody picks up.
Questions investors ask
How do I track direct mail calls?
Use a different phone number for each list or campaign, forwarded to your phone. The number the seller dials tells you which mail piece reached them.
How much do call tracking numbers cost?
Local numbers from phone and call-tracking services typically cost a dollar or two a month each, plus a small per-minute charge on some plans.
Should each mail piece have a different number?
One number per list is enough for most investors. A number per piece type (letter vs postcard) on the same list tells you which piece works, if you mail enough to see a difference.
Should I use a local or toll-free number?
Local. A number with the local area code looks like a neighbor, which is the whole point of investor mail.