So, it shouldn't surprise you when I say my success as a real estate sales person was largely due to my letter writing campaigns. But success wasn't instant. In fact, it took a year or so to incorporate all of the elements that good letters should have.

Next, it took me a while to develop the rhythm of when to mail, what to say, how long my letters should be, how often to mail and other things like that. But once I figured out the dos and don'ts my results skyrocketed! At my peak I averaged 2 plus listings a week!

After all, if the key to selling real estate is location, location, location the key to getting prospects to sell real estate to is contacts, contacts, contacts. The more contacts the more prospects, and the more prospects the more real estate you'll sell.

Sounds simple enough, but writing good letters can be difficult and time consuming. Go ahead, try it right now and I can almost assure you that the blank computer screen in front of you will get bigger and bigger the longer you sit trying to hack out a good letter.

Sometimes just completing the first sentence is a major accomplishment!

However, when you know the 4 elements of writing a good letter they become just a tad easier to write. Specifically, your letters should:

1. be short, sweet and to the point- preferably less than a page long.

2. have lots of white space; short sentences and paragraphs that are only 2-3 sentences long.

3. spell out the benefits of doing business with you.

4. have a call for action telling the readers what you want them to do after reading your letter.

Still, writing dynamic letters that get results is easier said than done. I actually got to a point where I avoided writing letters (maybe that's why some agents never get started) until I discovered something better ... prewritten letters and ghost writers.

Prewritten letters are just what they sound like; letters written by others that you buy for your own use and signature. They're fairly inexpensive, easy to find and the best part is that you own them as though you actually wrote them.

As for ghost writers, they're writers you hire to write letters for you…for a price. While this strategy can be a little pricey it can be well worth the cost if you hire really good ones. Personally, I hire ghost from time to time and will continue doing so as I build my real estate marketing website businesses.

Summarily, good real estate letters can help you increase your business and put money in the bank. If you don't have the time or inclination to write your own letters ghost writers and prewritten letters can be great alternatives.


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Lanard Perry is the owner of Real Estate Marketing Talk, a web site dedicated to providing money making tips, tools and resources to agents, buyers, sellers and investors. You can find ghost writers at www.elance.com and www.guru.com.