Direct mail is about quantity and consistency.  200 is a little short of what's needed for success but you may get lucky.  1000 recipients once?  You may as well send me a check for whatever that would cost you --- I'll send you the same amount of $$ you're likely to make off of that, along with a deed to some land in the everglades ; )

If your only options are those listed, go with the 2nd one (or spend the money on something other than direct mail).  

it's a numbers game and the important numbers are the amount of pieces you send AND how many times you send them in a year.... 200 is a waste.... you might as well send to 10....100 times.... but what the hell do I know!!

the bottom line is not everyone should be doing direct mail marketing.... you need to spend the money....don't try to do it on a very limted budget....

I read after the 5th mailing, your results increase dramatically.  Also need to make sure your target audience is the "right" audience.  Read up on the USPS Every Door Direct Mail.  I did and found it interesting and fairly cheap to deliver using certain mail routes.

My vote is for the multiple touches.  Greater chance of getting them when they are thinking about it and it gets name recognition out there.

Follow the tried and true words of Barbara Todaro Keep in mind that many people are like me.  I sort the mail next to the recycle bin. 9 of 10 pieces of mail do not get opened.  Send postcards.  At least I see your name/logo as it gets tossed

I'd follow any advice that Barbara Todaro so kindly shares with us - she is Queen of direct marketing in my opinion!

5 touches for sure!  One touch won't do anything.  I would consider doing at least 10 touches.  Not sure that 200 is enough.  I would try for at least 500, but 1000 is better.

In advertising, it's about Reach x Frequency (often called GRPs) and you need both and if not significant, don't bother.

Do the math on the turnover of homes you are mailing too. Make sure the target is good. You need many touches and consistency.  200 homes is a very small target.

I ditto the queen of marketing Barbara Todaro ..it is a numbers game and consistent marketing over and over will do the trick!

5 touches or more. Getting one touch would unlikely bring any results. 

500 direct mail 20 times is more effective.

It depends on how many homes i'm targeting in certain neighborhood. If it's a community i like, and there are 200 or so houses, I would do 200 five times.

less targets more hits. definately.

The latter

Without a doubt.  Fewer recipients.  More touches.  

Suzanne and Tony --- I see a question about direct mail marketing and I begin to channel Barbara Todaro and I glance to the answers and see there is no reason to channel, the Post Card Princess has already responded.   

you get responses after about 8 to 12 contacts.

The more touches the better. I suspect 200 is not enough, althoug if it a specific farm it might be OK. I am no expert - Barbara Todaro is

The second choice.  Touch base with them more often.

100 to 1 odds that your return would be higher with the 200.  

But ... Barbara is right, you just can't send anything. That's what the problem is with most agent marketing. No one wants receipe cards anymore. Tell them something they might want to know 5 times.

Also, pre-investigation work needs to be done. What % of owners are moving? Pick the area with the highest return OR which area is the most popular?

Tony and Suzanne,

It depends on the marketplace...

I think whatever way you choose the message in the material you are sending must compel your audience to action and that action should be to call you. 

5X

If mobility is above 5% one time should fill your pipeline with 90 market clients.

If mobility is 3 or lower, you need to be persistent. However, I would do a 3 touch with escalating invitation and a real expiry time.

The 2nd option. Consistency is the key to success!

I think multiple touches are king - I don't do mail outs anymore, as it's a real time sink - but to each his own

You gotta try different things and see what works for you

As someone who has a backround in Marketing, I have found that Direct Mail is at best the minimum way to get business. With that said, it is known within the marketing world that at least 6 mailings for future business is needed. Social Networking is the new #1 for business,with the Cell Phone banners becoming the hit with the Millennials. Good luck....Joe 

The latter.

Multiple contacts are usually more effective.

Good morning Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers. It is difficult to track the results, you will certainly know if your results are worth continuing.

Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers - start from 1000  different pieces to 1 client - and go up from there and find the best number...

(I know it's not practical - however, you got what I want to say, isn't it?)

I like your second option.  It takes more than one time to make an impression.

Option Number 2.

The repeated touches will have more impact every time.

The latter without a doubt

It depends on who the recipients are.

I would do the 200 recipients with the 5 touches.  Make sure they are past clients or good referral sources,

If you can only choose one way, then more touches to fewer recipiets.

As the follow up would be almost impossible for a 1000; the 200!

1000 recipients 5 touches would be the best of all! ;)
If budget would only allow 200 at a time, I would choose the latter. Repetition to burn that little brand into the subconscious of the recipient.

I would probably do the 1000 with plans of hitting them again in a few months but then get so busy that I never sent out the second set of postcards

Repetition we know works...Reminders or right place right time works too. Trust your instincts and if no trust, experiment to know

This would be a great question for Barbara Todaro, but everything I have read, it takes many touches before direct marketing produces business.