Funny how the oldest strategy in real estate always finds its way back.

While everyone’s chasing the next big thing like AI cold calls, text blasts, and digital ads, direct mail has quietly stayed one of the most dependable and legal ways to find quality off-market land deals.

And now the data’s catching up.

Even if overall mailing volume dipped a bit, deals per campaign are going up. Mailing volume has quietly dropped about 44% since January, but that dip is not a bad thing. In January, the average campaign generated around 1,600 deals across the platform. By October, that number climbed closer to 2,250, which is a big jump even with fewer mailers going out.

Rising postage costs have made some investors pull back, and that’s actually good news for the consistent ones. Less mail going out means less noise in the mailbox. The ones still mailing are the ones who’ve built real systems, so response quality is climbing while competition drops.

That says a lot. Mailing isn’t dying. It’s evolving.

Consistency Wins Every Time

Mailing isn’t about quick wins. It’s about rhythm: send, wait, follow up, repeat.

It rewards the kind of patience that builds a real business, not just a streak of lucky deals.

“I always tell new investors, stop changing your strategy every two months. Mail works if you actually give it time to work.”
– Kay Walker, The Land Investing Business Podcast #136

For Kay, who’s coached dozens of land investors, mailing is more than a marketing move. It’s discipline. It’s showing up even when you’re not sure it’s working yet, because it will.

The Quiet Advantage of Mail

Every few years a new marketing fad takes over. Texts, RVMs, AI callers. They sound exciting and promise speed, but they also bring noise, competition, and compliance headaches.

Mail doesn’t care about any of that. It just keeps working.

Another underrated advantage of mail? People keep it. Weeks, months, sometimes even years later, sellers dig up old postcards and call back. No text or email can sit quietly on someone’s counter that long.

“Mail is best for us. It’s the easiest, most tried-and-true channel, the one that always keeps my phone ringing. I’ve done deals through every marketing channel, but the one that never breaks is mail.”
– Scott Morongell, The Land Investing Business Podcast #143

He’s right. As inboxes overflow and calls go ignored, a letter still lands.

“I’ve gotten deals from texting too, but if you’re asking me which channel I prefer, I prefer mail all day. It’s just a higher-quality lead. When someone calls from a letter, they already saw your offer and they’re ready to talk.”
— Vikram Kalsi, The Land Investing Business Podcast #149

His point hits home: the quality of leads from mail often speaks for itself.

Mailing volume across Pebble users from January to October 2025 shows a steady decline, but deal rates have remained strong, signaling higher quality and less competition.

When other investors pull back, the consistent ones quietly scoop up the best leads.

Creativity Counts More Than Ever

Example postcard sent through Pebble. Each letter includes a unique mailer code so owners can reference their property quickly when they call back. All the details are pulled in automatically, making every message feel custom without the manual work.

Mail doesn’t have to be boring or predictable.

The best campaigns right now are personal and a little human.

A handwritten note. A small map with a circle around a property. Something that makes the reader pause.

“What surprised me most was how creative I could get with mail. I started adding hand-drawn notes, and people called just to tell me they loved the card.”
– Hunter Pogatchnik, The Land Investing Business Podcast #139

That’s the charm. The right kind of mail doesn’t just get opened, it starts a conversation.

And those conversations lead to the best deals.

What the Data Tells Us

Looking at Pebble’s numbers, a few things stand out:

What the Data Shows
Even as mailing volume (blue line) steadily declined over the past 18 months, deal performance (yellow bars) climbed. The “Deals to Mailings” ratio shows that investors are getting more efficient, closing more deals from fewer campaigns.

“Fewer mailings mean stronger results. Consistent investors are closing more deals from every batch they send.”

Rising postage costs may have pushed out casual senders, but that’s made room for the consistent investors who treat mailing like a real business, and they’re reaping the rewards.

If mail volume is down but success rates are up, it’s a sign of a healthier, more focused mailing landscape with fewer distractions, higher intent, and better results for those who stick with it.

The Takeaway

Mailing is making a comeback, not because it changed but because the market did.

People still open mail. They still respond to something that feels real and thoughtful.

And in a world full of automation, that kind of connection matters more than ever.

Pebble’s data simply reflects what many investors already know: mailing remains one of the most reliable ways to keep your pipeline full.

Not flashy. Not instant. Just steady.

Because mailing isn’t old-school, it’s timeless.

💡 Mailing isn’t dying, it’s evolving. And the investors who stay consistent are the ones proving it.

👉 See how Pebble helps you send thousands of custom mailing in under 5 minutes