For many real estate investors finding the right deals to invest in can be the biggest challenge, that’s right even more so than finding the financing. A successful tactic used by many are “bandit signs.” These are those signs you see on the side of the road stating “I buy homes!” or “Sell your house today!” Some have so much success with these that they even wholesale many of the properties.
So let’s jump into the top ten mistakes investors use when making these signs:
1. BREAKING THE LAW – Common sense, huh? Always know your city’s policy on bandit signs. If they’re illegal, then well… they’re illegal. As real estate investors many already have a negative connotation so don’t feed it by breaking laws.
2. SIZE – Make sure your signs are large enough (and writing is bold enough) that people passing by will notice. I’ve seen some that were on 12×18 board, while these are cheaper you may be wasting your time as it’s pretty difficult to read a 12×18 sign zipping by in a car. Spend a few more dollars and purchase larger more noticeable ones. The cost will be more than the smaller signs but you can lessen the burden by buying bulk. Not only are larger signs easier to spot, you also have more space for your message.
3. TOO WORDY – I know you have a ton to say and even more to offer, but at the end of the day this is a sign, not a book. You need your message clear and short enough that someone driving by can read it in a couple seconds. Try using one liners or incomplete sentences.
4. WRONG MESSAGE – Most of the time I see the tried and true “We Buy Houses” message on signs. How many times have people seen these and how does that make you memorable? Try some of these:
- (A Couple Messages for Sellers)
- Sell Me Your House Today
- Need To Sell? I’m Buying
- (A Couple Messages For Buyers)
- Help! Buy My House
- Tired Homeowner Sale
5. PLACEMENT – If people are driving by the odds are that they won’t turn back around to read your sign or take down your number. For this reason, always set your sign by a traffic light where people will be stopped and able to act on your message.
6. NO NUMBER – This should be self-explanatory but it happens too often. Always leave a reliable number so your potential seller can contact you.
7. OVERKILL – Investors, especially beginners, tend to do this. Avoid becoming the person who places a sign every 10 yards. Instead target a specific area and place five to ten signs at a time. By targeting specific areas at a time you can better track your leads and learn that area, as an added benefit you avoid receiving calls from areas you aren’t interested in.
8. COLOR – What would catch your eye when stopped at a traffic light? White with black Sharpie? Maybe not. Experiment with this and find what catches the most attention.
9. FALSE MESSAGE – We’ve all seen signs stating “I’ll close on your house today” and other similar statements. If you don’t perform as promised word will travel fast and leads will dry up.
10. NO MARKETING – How can you expect to find leads if you aren’t telling people you’re looking for them! Get out there and find what works best for you.