FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto Real Estate Board: Data Transfer Agreements should be renewed annually to maintain the flow of data. This will be requested directly by TREB from your Broker. Failure to renew the DTA may result in the cessation of data to your Automated Postcard Program account.
All Boards: a) Data is captured using the Agent ID shown in your Registration Confirmation email. This ID must be the Primary Listing Agent in order for your data to be picked up automatically by your profile. b) As soon as you enter the listing, the data is transferred to us and a postcard is created. c) Once the status is changed to 'sold', the sold card will be generated using the same photo that was on the Just Listed postcard (if one was previously generated).
Filogix Boards: At the time the listing is broker-loaded, you must set the listing to 'allow' it to be shown on a public site, in order for the data to be transferred to Colour Tech. Active data for Just Listed postcards only will be transmitted. You may submit a request for a Just Sold card by emailing app@colourtech.com
What is APP?: APP stands for Automated Postcard Program.
How do I sign up?: SIGN-UP HERE! Click on the link at the top of this page. Complete all relevant fields, and proceed to the next Step.
Do I have to sign up for both Just Listed and Just Sold cards?: You may register for Just Listed and Just Sold, Just Listed only or Just Sold only, depending on your Real Estate Board. If your board only transmits active data to us, only Just Listed postcards will be produced automatically. However, you may submit a request for a Just Sold card by emailing app@colourtech.com
I work as part of a team. Do all my team members have to register?: Listing data is captured using the Primary Listing Agents' ID. If you are part of a team, you should register as a team, however, only the Primary Listing Agents' ID will be requested at the time of registration.
Why do you need my TREB/CREA Number?: Your listing data is extracted using your unique ID. If you are a TREB agent, it will be your TREB ID. If you are a member of any other board, it will be your CREA ID. This is how we obtain the MLS#, the address and the image of the Listing and/or Sale. The ID shown in the Registration Confirmation email must be the Primary ID used to enter the listing in order for our program to capture it under your APP profile.
What is a Tagline?: A Tagline can be your slogan.... Successfully selling homes since 1983! In this field you can enter up to a maximum of 55 characters and it will appear on the address side of the card in red. This field is optional.
'Send postcards only after the property picture is available, but not longer than 10 days after the listing is taken'. What does it mean if I choose this option?: If a listing or sale is entered without a photo, the system will hold your card. After 7 days, it will automatically request a photo from you via email. If you do not respond by the date on the email, the card will be printed and mailed using the Non-Photo template.
'Send postcards immediately after the information is entered in the MLS, even if no property picture is available'.: Unlike the above situation, we will not wait for a photo, but will proceed with the Non-Photo template immediately.
What do you mean by 'Ad Partner'?: An Ad Partner would be a Mortgage Broker who can co-advertise with you on all of your postcards and also share in the expense. Samples of the templates that we offer can be viewed on our homepage.
What Ad Partner information will show on the cards, and where?: The Ad Partners' photo and contact information will show on the address side of the card.
Why does it ask me for a password?: The system asks you for a password so that you can re-enter your APP account and make any changes that are necessary.
After I've signed up, what's the next step?: Once you have signed up online, you will receive an automatically generated email with the subject line of 'Your APP User Account. The email will advise what the next step is depending on the Board you selected. Your Registration is not complete until you receive a 'Registration Confirmation' email from us. At that point we can begin sending out Listed and/or Sold cards on your behalf.
How soon after I register on-line will you send out my cards?: Once your registration is complete (i.e. you've received the Registration Confirmation email), we will begin to receive any 'new' listing data as of the next business day. Your cards will be created and will leave our building within 48 hours.
My cell number/email address has changed...I have a more recent photo of myself. How do I notify you so that the cards go out with the updated information on them?: If you are using the standard template, log-in to your APP account and update the information. We will be notified that you have made a change to your profile and will update your records accordingly. If you are using a custom template, email app@colourtech.com with the required changes. We will advise the cost and our graphics dept. will provide a proof for your review. Please note: it can take up to approx. 5 business days to make these changes. Therefore, any cards that are in the system may still go out under your previous profile.
I am moving to another company. How do I notify you?: If you change companies, you must notify us immediately so that we can prevent future cards from being processed with your old information. Send an email to app@colourtech.com to advise us. We will then cancel your current APP account. Once you receive the Disabled Account email, you may register again at our website as a new user. NOTE: DO NOT REGISTER AS NEW UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THE DISABLED ACCOUNT EMAIL.
Why do I receive numerous emails stating that you are unable to charge my credit card for a certain Listed or Sold card?: When we receive data from your Board (overnight), the system charges your credit card as it automatically creates each postcard. If the charge does not go through, an email is generated advising you as such. If your billing information has changed, you can log into your account, or contact us by phone, and provide the new information. We will then try charging your card again. If we do not hear from you, the program will try your card once a week for 20 days. If unsuccessful, it will cancel that particular card.
When I registered, I indicated 200 cards but would now like to increase/decrease that quantity?: No problem. Just log in to your account and make the change. Our system will be updated accordingly and you will receive a confirmation email. Note: Changing your quantity will only affect new listings that we receive the day after your confirmation email indicating that your account has been updated. Due to the fact that the same mailing list is used for both the Just Listed and Just Sold card (per property), if we previously sent out a Just Listed card for 100, and you change your quantity, the Just Sold card for that property will still receive 100 cards.
What will 'my' Just Listed/Just Sold card look like?: On the APP Home Page, you can view our templates. The design that you choose during registration will be used for all of the cards we mail out for you. Your Name, Title, Agent Photo and Tagline (optional), along with (up to) 4 lines of Contact Information will replace those on the sample. There is no additional charge to use our standard templates.
The standard template doesn't work for me. Can I customize the look?: Certainly! For an one-time set up fee, we can customize the front side of the postcard and the left half of the back. You can include specific logos and awards, graphics, individual agent photos (for teams) and also a larger image of yourself as an individual agent. This can also be useful if you have a team photo that doesn't work well in the standard template. Just check off the Custom Design box at sign up.
What if I want to use my own designer?: No problem! However, please note that there are strict guidelines that accompany this process if you want to use a designer other than Colour Tech. Please refer to the following Adobe Photoshop templates and the APP Design Specifics PDF:
APP Design Specifics,APP Front Template (.psd),APP Back Template (.psd)
I want more/different information on my card? What can I change on the standard template without going custom?: You can change the Just Listed and the Just Sold text, however, there are some important points to keep in mind when doing so: Since the Just Listed text will appear consistently on every card we send out for you, the wording cannot be property specific. The same applies to the Just Sold wording. You will not be able to choose fonts, italics, bolding, etc. The APP program is not set up for text formatting. We recommend that the character count stay as close as possible to the default to avoid space issues.
How is the address printed on the card?: Your Just Listed postcard will be automatically printed with the data gleaned from your listing as transmitted by your Real Estate Board (the address is not printed on Just Sold cards). While we make every effort to notify you of an address with obvious spelling errors, this is an automated program. The ultimate responsibility lies with the agent to ensure the listing address is entered correctly.
Property Photos: The property photo that will be printed on the Just Listed card is the Primary photo that accompanies the listing. If you change the property photo and want the cards to go out with the updated photo, you can email it to app@colourtech.com. In the event that the cards have not been printed, we will replace the file with the newer photo. The Just Sold cards will be printed with the same photo that was printed on the Just Listed card. NOTE: For optimum results, we recommend that all photos be landscape.
Why is there so much white space at the bottom of the cards?: This area has to remain blank due to a requirement by Canada Post and will show the same way on both standard and custom templates. If you choose to customize, you have the option of changing the white to a lighter tone of the main colour you use for your background so that the white does not stand out quite so much.
If I send out a Just Sold card, doesn't that violate the Privacy Act?: The Just Sold cards that we create show only the Property photo, not the address, unlike the Just Listed card. On our site, you will find a document titled 'Marketing Consent Form' for your convenience.
What is a Radial Search?: A Radial Search is a listing of names, addresses and telephone numbers of residences surrounding the Subject Property.
How will I know when my cards have been sent out?: Each time we deliver your card to Canada Post, we will send you an email that includes the property address and whether it was a Just Listed or a Just Sold. In that email you will find the following as attachments: .jpg images of the front and back of the card and a .txt file containing the mailing list, along with the phone numbers.
When will I receive the Mailing List?: The mailing list is included in the email informing you that your cards have been mailed. It is sent as a .txt file as an attachment.
How do I Open the Mailing List in Excel?: 1. Right click on the txt file and copy and paste it to your desktop
2. Open a blank page in Excel
3. File, Open (change Files of Type to All Files)
4. Select the txt file you pasted to your desktop and Open
5. File type should be Delimited
6. Click Next
7. Uncheck tab and check comma boxes
8. Click Next and Finish
Will I receive a copy of the card in the mail?: Yes, your copy will be mailed to your office address.
Will a card be sent to the owner of the listed property?: A postcard will be sent to the owner of the listed property as long as the address is captured during the radial search. If the address is incomplete in any way, outdated, or marked as non-solicit, it will not be captured.
Will my cards be delivered to Condos/Townhouses/Apt buildings?: When sending out Listed and Sold cards for Condo listings, the cards are mailed to single family dwellings in the area. Due to the small percentage of unit numbers associated with many addresses, our Radial Searches exclude Condos and Apt buildings. This cuts down on mail that is deemed undeliverable due to incomplete addressing information. Freehold Townhouses that have their own separate address (as opposed to those that are listed under one main address) may be captured.
Vacation Properties - How can I exclude cards from being sent to those addresses not occupied on a year round basis?: Unfortunately, there is no way of excluding these addresses from being captured in the radial search. Therefore, if you list in these areas, it is entirely possible that a Just Listed or Just Sold card, sent on your behalf, will be directed to one of these homes and may or may not be deliverable by Canada Post.
Will a card be mailed to an RR# address?: Many RR (Rural Route) addresses are being converted to civic addresses. Canada Post will not guarantee that mail will be delivered if a Rural Route # is used for a property that has been converted. Because of this, Rural Route addresses are not captured in our radial searches.
Will a card be mailed to a PO Box address?: A significant number of addresses have not been updated by mailing list providers to include the required PO Box number AND the civic address. Incorrectly addressed postcards may not be processed by Canada Post and could possibly be discarded. We, therefore, do not capture addresses that merely show the PO Box.
I often re-list properties but I don't want a second or third set of Just Listed cards to be sent out. How can I stop these cards from being processed?: All of your listing data will be sent to us automatically by your Board. However, our system is designed to catch re-lists by recognizing duplicate addresses. Therefore, if the address is exactly the same each time, when the re-list comes through our program will flag it. We will then cancel the Listed card if we have already processed one within the last 12 months. In the event that the address is not exactly the same, a postcard may certainly be created since it will be considered a new listing.
I sometimes co-list properties. Will the cards go out under my name?: It all comes down to how the listing is Broker-loaded. If a listing is posted under both Agents' individual ID's, and both Agents are registered for APP, we would receive the data and the cards would be created using the first listing Agents' profile. If the first listing Agent is not registered for APP, we would not receive the data.
How do I submit a postcard cancellation request for a specific listing?: Send one email to app@colourtech.com and include 1) MLS#; 2) Full address of listing, including city and postal code; 3) Stop Just Listed or Stop Just Sold. If the request is received prior to postcard creation, your credit card will not be charged. If the request is received after the postcard is created but before it is printed, the card will be skipped and a refund generated. If the radial search has already been purchased, the applicable amount will be deducted from the refund. All requests to stop a card will be responded to via email. No assumptions should be made that the card will be stopped because a request has been submitted. While we try our best to accommodate these requests, this is an Automated Program and no guarantees will be made.
Do I have to contact you every time I get a listing or make a sale?: Absolutely not, no and never! Your data will come into us automatically each time your listing is uploaded to your Board.
Exclusive/Private listings - can you send these cards out for me?: Just Listed or Just Sold cards can be done manually, upon request, for an additional fee.
Rural Listings - Automated Users: Listings with a Rural Postal Code (0 as the first numeric) are not processed by the automated program. This is because some rural addresses captured in the radial search do not include the required PO Box or RR# which results in the postcards being discarded by Canada Post. However, some agents have contacted their local post office and have been informed that a PO Box or RR# is not required in the area of their listing. If this applies to you, you may certainly email us and ask that we un-skip the card and process it for you as usual.
Rural Listings - Manual Users: At this time, we are reluctant to accept requests for listings with a Rural Postal Code (0 as the first numeric). This is because some rural addresses captured in the radial search do not include the required PO Box or RR# which results in the postcards being discarded by Canada Post. However, some agents have contacted their local post office and have been informed that a PO Box or RR# is not required in the area of their listing. If this applies to you, we will gladly process your manual requests.
Mobile Homes: If Property type=Mobile, our system will automatically filter the data sent to us from your Board so that a postcard is not produced. If Mobile is not indicated as the type but the property photo indicates as such, we will try our best to manually filter them out. Colour Tech does not guarantee that these will be caught, nor will we refund any costs associated with producing and mailing the postcards.
Vacant Land: If Property type=Vacant Land/Lot, our system will automatically filter the data sent to us from your Board so that a postcard is not produced. If Vacant Land/Lot is not indicated as the type but the property photo indicates as such, we will try our best to manually filter them out. Colour Tech does not guarantee that these will be caught, nor will we refund any costs associated with producing and mailing the postcards.
Commercial Listings: If Property type=Commercial, our system will automatically filter the data sent to us from your Board so that a postcard is not produced. If Commercial is not indicated as the type but the property photo indicates as such, we will try our best to manually filter them out. Colour Tech does not guarantee that these will be caught, nor will we refund any costs associated with producing and mailing the postcards.
Rentals and Leases: Data for Rentals and Leases will not be sent to us provided it is specified as such at the time the listing is entered.
Removing A Name/Address From A Mailing List:: Neither Colour Tech, nor our Radial Search supplier, is able to remove people from mailing lists since they are compiled from what is known as 'public forum data'....basically the White pages. Our supplier recommends that the recipient of the unwanted card contact the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA). All Database Compilers must scrub their data against the Do Not Call/Mail List. Their phone number is 416.391.2362.
National Do Not Call List (National DNCL): Radial Searches/Mailing Lists provided by Colour Tech may contain telephone numbers that are registered on the National DNCL. The responsibility lies with the Agent to ensure they do not place calls to those numbers by registering themselves as a Telemarketer with the National DNCL. For further detailed information, please call them directly at: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782) or visit their website at: www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/index-eng
What is a Data Transfer Agreement (DTA)?: The Data Transfer Agreement is a document, authorized by your Broker, which gives us permission to access your listing and sold data.
What is a Marketing Consent Form?: The Marketing Consent Form covers the issue of Privacy with regard to sending out APP Just Sold cards. It is strictly for use between the Agent and the Seller and, therefore, should be retained by said persons. Any copies of this document received by Colour Tech will not be kept on file and will be discarded.
How do I obtain a receipt for each card that goes out?: A receipt can be found at the bottom of the email that we send you indicating your cards have been mailed. Monthly or quarterly statements for taxation purposes will be issued upon request.