Good data is only half the job. How you contact owners decides whether they call you back, and some channels have strict rules. This is a general overview, not legal advice: check the current rules or ask a lawyer before you start a campaign.
01Letters and postcards
Direct mail is the safest and still one of the most effective channels. Owners can read it in their own time, and there are few legal limits. A handwritten-style letter with a clear, kind message usually beats a glossy flyer.
02Phone calls
In the United States, calls to people's phones are covered by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the National Do-Not-Call Registry. In short: check numbers against the Do-Not-Call list, do not use auto-dialers or pre-recorded messages without consent, call at reasonable hours, and stop when someone asks you to.
03Text messages
Texts are treated like calls, with even stricter consent rules. Mass texting to people who did not agree to it can lead to large fines. Be very careful here.
04E-mail
Commercial e-mail must follow CAN-SPAM: a truthful subject line, your real name and postal address, and a working unsubscribe link that you honour.
05Wholesaling disclosures
If you assign purchase contracts, many states now require written disclosures to the seller. Ohio has its own rules for wholesale contracts. Use a form reviewed by your own attorney.
06What works best
- Contact fewer, better owners (stacked lists) more often, rather than everyone once.
- Be honest about who you are and what you do.
- Follow up: most deals come after the third or fourth touch.
- Keep notes and stages in one place, like the My leads board in LeadCounty, so no owner gets two letters in one week or none at all.
