How long does direct mail take to work?
By Josh MillerUpdated 4 min readCalls can start within a week of the first mailing, but the honest window before a first deal is 60 to 90 days, and plenty take longer. Owners decide over months: across 99 counties, of every 100 owners with a foreclosure filed, about 3 sold off-market in the first 3 months and about 13 by month 12.
The first month of direct mail is the hardest. You've spent real money, a few calls came in, and none of them turned into a deal. That's normal. Here's the timeline to expect, and why.
The timeline
| When | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | The first pieces land. A few calls, many of them curious. |
| Weeks 2 to 6 | Steady calls. Some conversations with owners who might sell, a few appointments. |
| Months 2 to 3 | Owners who've seen you more than once call. First contracts. |
| Months 3 and on | Deals close from calls made weeks earlier. The mail starts to compound. |
The honest window before a first deal is 60 to 90 days, and plenty take longer. Anyone who promises a deal in your first month is selling something.
Why it takes months
Owners decide slowly. Across 99 counties, of every 100 owners with a foreclosure filed, about 3 sold off-market in the first 3 months, about 7 by month 6 and about 13 by month 12. Most of the year's sellers weren't ready when the first letter arrived.
Deals take time to close. A call becomes an appointment, an appointment becomes a contract, and a contract becomes a closing after title work, typically weeks.
Trust builds with repetition. The owner who calls has usually seen you several times. How many times to mail each list.
What to watch while you wait
- Calls by list, with a tracking number per list.
- Conversations with owners who might sell, not just calls.
- Appointments. If you're getting conversations but no appointments, it's the phone, not the mail.
If after 90 days a list has produced no real seller conversations, change the list before you change the postcard. See when each list sells in your county, so you know whether it's the list or the timing.
Questions investors ask
How long does it take to get a deal from direct mail?
The honest window is 60 to 90 days for a first deal, and plenty take longer. Calls come sooner, but a call becomes a contract and then a closing over weeks.
How long after mailing do calls come in?
First-Class mail usually arrives in a few days, and most calls from a mailing come in the first week or two after it lands. Owners also call months later, from mail they kept.
Why isn't my direct mail working after a month?
One month is usually too soon to judge. Sellers decide over months, and a contract takes weeks to close. Judge it at 90 days, by list, with tracking numbers.
When should I stop a mail campaign that isn't working?
After 90 days or more on a list, if it's produced calls but no sellers, or no calls at all. Then change the list before you change the mail piece.