"A burglary happens every 30 seconds" next to a masked figure. Homeowners toss it, and it makes local companies look like the door-knockers.
Security play · Postcards
Home security postcards that build trust instead of fear.
Most security mailers lead with crime statistics and a $0 install gimmick. Spur writes a calm, local card for each home, whether it's a new owner, a 15-year-old keypad, or a neighbor of a recent install, prints it, mails it first-class, and alerts you when the owner scans.
Free forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
USPSFirst-Class
Gary Whitlock1814 Oak Run PkwySan Antonio, TX 78258Scan to book a free system check
Gary W. scanned your system check card · 8 min ago
AI-written for this owner · Mailed in 2 days
1 cardper home: new owner, older system, or install neighbor
QR per houseso every scan has a name and address
2 daysfrom approval to USPS first-class
The problem
Most security mail sells fear, and homeowners have learned to ignore it.
A new owner with no system, a family with a 2008 keypad, and a home with a new doorbell camera all get the same "free install" offer.
Without tracking, you can't tell which card or street produced the calls, so the next mailing is a guess.
How it works
From list to mailbox in one workflow.
Five steps from a blank card to a booked security assessment.
app.usespur.com
See it in Spur
Who gets which security postcard
A sample San Antonio list split by situation, so each home gets the right card. Names are partly masked.
Zip 78258Single-familyOwner-occupiedValue $350K+Exclude customers
- Gary W.1814 Oak Run PkwyBuilt 2007 · owned 15 yrsSystem check cardOlder system likely
- Alicia & Ben T.2302 Evans RdSold 24 days agoNew owner card
- Ramon S.1909 Oak Run Pkwy0.1 mi from a recent installNeighbor card
- Pamela K.21107 Encino RidgeBuilt 2004 · owned 18 yrsSystem check card
- Will & Joy H.2410 Evans RdSold 41 days agoNew owner card
AI draft for Gary W. · 1814 Oak Run Pkwy
IS YOUR 2009 ALARM STILL TALKING TO THE MONITORING CENTER?
Hi Gary, many alarm systems installed before about 2015 used 2G or 3G cellular radios to reach the monitoring center. The major carriers shut those networks down, and some panels stopped reporting without any warning on the keypad.
We'll test your system for free, check that alarms actually reach a monitoring center, and tell you honestly whether it needs a new communicator, a new panel, or nothing at all.
Scan the code to pick a time. We're a local San Antonio company, and there's no contract required to get the check.
Lone Star Alarm · TX Lic. B12087 · (210) 555-0181
Sample data for illustration. Your results depend on your market and filters.
Playbook
What makes a home security postcard work
Security is a trust purchase. The homeowner is deciding who gets the codes to their front door and who answers when an alarm goes off at 3 a.m. Cards that lead with crime statistics feel manipulative, and homeowners group them with high-pressure door-to-door sales. Calm, local, specific cards build trust.
Give each home a reason. New owners don't know who has the old codes and often inherit a system they can't use. Owners who installed a system 10 to 15 years ago may have a panel that can't communicate. Neighbors of a recent install have seen your truck. Each of those is a different, honest message.
The network shutdowns are a real, useful hook. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile shut down their 3G networks in 2022, and 2G service ended earlier. Alarm panels that relied on those radios may no longer reach a monitoring center. A free test is a valuable offer, and owners who learn their system is silent are ready to talk.
Show who you are. Your state license number, a local address, and UL-listed monitoring belong on the card. If you don't require long contracts, say so. It's the most common objection to security systems.
Use a QR code for every household. A scan tells you who's interested and which card they got, so you can call back the same day and see which messages work. Follow up three to four weeks later with a new headline, and stop mailing anyone who books.
Test the reason, not just the design. With a QR code per household, you can see whether new owners respond better to a code reset or an assessment, and whether older homes respond more to a communicator check or a camera offer. After two or three mailings, keep the strongest message for each group and retire the rest.
4×return on a year of Spur Team from one install plus a year of monitoring
One monitored install pays for a year of postcards.
- Spur Team: $49/mo billed annually = $588/yr
- 1,000 postcards on Team at $0.94 each = $940
- One $1,800 install + $45/mo monitoring for a year ($540) = $2,340 in year one, about 4× your subscription, plus recurring revenue after
Example math. Install size, monitoring price, and account life vary by dealer. Run your own numbers →
One tool, not four
Spur vs. the usual security marketing
What you needThe usual waySpur
A card per home and situationOne "free install" flyer✓ Built in
Calm, local copyCrime statistics and fear✓ Built in
Owner's name on every card"Current Resident"✓ Built in
Scan alerts with name and addressWaiting for calls✓ Built in
Automatic follow-upRebuilding the order by hand✓ Built in
Postcards by the numbers
Why older systems are a real opportunity
2022
the year major U.S. carriers shut down 3G networks, cutting off alarm panels that relied on them
5%+
many insurers discount homeowners premiums for burglar alarms, more for monitored systems
4×
return on a year of Spur Team from one install plus a year of monitoring
FAQ
Home security postcard questions
What should a home security postcard say?
One honest reason this home should talk to you (a new home, an older system, or a nearby install), one offer such as a free assessment or system check, your license number, and a QR code to book.
Should security postcards use crime statistics?
We don't recommend it. Fear-based cards feel manipulative and get thrown out. Calm, specific cards build the trust a security purchase needs.
Do old alarm systems still work after the 3G shutdown?
Panels that relied on 2G or 3G radios may no longer reach a monitoring center. A free system check is a useful, honest offer for owners who installed before about 2015.
How many security postcards should I send?
Enough to reach each target home at least twice. A focused list of 500 to 1,500 new owners and older homes usually beats saturation mail.
Keep exploring
Related plays and guides
Start in minutes. No card required.
Send a security card homeowners trust.
Pick the homes, give each a real reason, and let Spur write, print, and mail the cards. Free to start.
Find homeowners who need security — freeFree forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
Prefer a walkthrough? Book a demo