Dynamic Marketing Communiqué

Afraid that your email won’t be read? Try a handwritten letter! It could be worth the time and effort. [Tuesdays: “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]

September 22, 2020

When was the last time you received snail mail?

10 years ago?

5 years ago?

A year ago?

In a time when sending a message is just a click away, we tend to forget the importance of a handwritten letter.

According to the research conducted by Radicati Group Inc. on email statistics for 2015-2019, an average person sends and receives over 122 business emails daily.

Since that many emails is too much for us to go through in a day, most of those messages are either ignored or sent to the spam folder.

As a business owner, that’s one of the things you wouldn’t want to have―your client or prospect disregard your carefully crafted email.

Why not try other methods?

When appropriate, write a handwritten letter to send or get your message across.

Handwritten letters or notes have become so uncommon nowadays that it is hard to imagine how it can be used to the benefit of your brand or business.

Just as a simple “thank you” note can go a long way for the person who’s reading it.

A handwritten letter can set you apart from other businesses due to how rare they have become in the digital age. They can also do wonders in building good relations with your clients or prospects.

Here are reasons why you should consider putting in the extra time to craft a handwritten letter:

  • Handwritten letters show investment.

    Unlike the daily emails that a person receives each day, a handwritten letter is rare and stands out from the rest of the messages he or she receives.

    Handwritten letters are also personal and show an investment of time from your (the sender’s) part―and your clients or prospects know that.

    Unlike email messages and typewritten messages that can be easily printed out, each handwritten letter is almost 100% unique because you’re writing with your own hand.

    You can easily type your messages to hundreds of people, but writing the same message by hand to even just 20 people in the same period could already be a feat in and of itself because of how tired your hands will be from all the writing.

    Lending a part of your time to carefully craft your letter sends a message to your recipients that you value your business relationship with them.

  • It increases customer loyalty and confidence.

    Whether it is a simple “thank you” note or a very detailed letter, there is an added personal touch to it, which thoughtfully connects your customers to your brand.

    Expressing your gratitude to your customers through handwritten letters can make one feel special, enabling them to see your brand in a positive light.

  • Handwritten letters can increase productivity in your business.

    Who says you should only give out handwritten letters to clients? You can also write a few for your employees!

    After all, they’re also the ones who help you run your business.

    Think of all their hard work and contributions to the brand or business. More than anyone else, they’re the first ones who deserve to be recognized and appreciated.

    A simple note of gratitude could go a long way!

    It may even encourage them to work harder for the success of your business.

  • It leaves a lasting impression.

    Not all business owners take the extra mile to send a personal note or letter to their clients, prospects, customers, and business personnel.

    Aside from that, an emailed message doesn’t have the same impact on its recipient and can get deleted in an instant.

    A physical note is more likely to be kept or displayed. It can even brighten up the recipient’s day!

Here are a few types of relationship-building letters that your business can benefit from:

  • Thank you notes for purchases.

    You can place a “thank you, come again” sticky note on top of the product your customer has purchased so he or she can immediately see it.

    Imagine the smile on your customer’s face once he or she reads your handwritten note!

  • Notes to loyal customers.

    Writing notes to your loyal customers shows they are more than just a number to you.

    Keeping in touch with your customers will encourage them to continuously avail of your product or service, as well as share more about your business to the people they know.

  • Holiday greetings and promotions.

    A holiday greeting note is a great way to welcome new customers.

    You can also accompany it with a promo voucher to increase the chances of converting these people into loyal customers.

  • Congratulatory notes.

    Sending a congratulatory note to a new business partner or employee is another way to connect. It can also strengthen ties and relationships with the teams and colleagues you work with.

Here are examples of brands that send handwritten notes to their customers along with the products they purchased:

FENDI

The renowned Italian luxury brand has taken the time to make sure their customers feel all the love and appreciation.

Silvia Venturini Fendi, the Head of Accessories of Fendi, insisted that the company’s “Peekaboo” bags (which were produced as requested by the customer) will be delivered with a handwritten “thank you” note.

The note, which also includes the customer’s name and a personal message for him or her, shows that Fendi values its customers, INDIVIDUALLY.

HEX

This American niche online shop that specializes in stylish accessories for high-tech gadgets is another example of personalized thoughtfulness.

Since HEX is a startup business, its founder Richard Heart knew that it can’t immediately compete with the marketing budgets of already established brands.

In order to differentiate itself and to stand out from the rest of its competitors, HEX asked its employees to handwrite 13,000 “thank you” notes and give it to anyone who buys a product from their shop.

With the help of these notes and a few friendly conversations with its buyers, HEX managed to convert buyers into regular customers.

YUPPIECHEF

This South African online retailer of kitchen and homeware products was founded in 2006 by Andrew Smith and Shane Dryden.

The business was one of a few experimental e-commerce projects Smith and Dryden initiated when they were running a web development agency at the time.

When Yuppiechef received its first order, its founders were so glad that they also sent out a handwritten letter to the buyer, thanking him for supporting their young business.

The buyer who received the handwritten note appreciated it and has been a regular buyer since then. He also recommended Yuppiechef to the people he knows.

Since that simple note became a hit for Yuppiechef, the company has decided to always include this level of personalization with their customers.

The next time you have something important and meaningful to say, try creating a handwritten letter.

It not only makes an impact on the recipient but also on you and your brand.

Step away from your computers, phones, and tablets once in a while. Write a letter, note, or message using a pen and paper.

Try something different, impactful, and something nice that your customers least expect.

Sending handwritten letters could even help you gain more loyal customers or a new business partner, further strengthening your business relationships with current clients and customers!

About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Tuesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”

Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?

In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.

However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!

When you write a copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…

…to get people to remember.

Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or to avail of your service.

And when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is a great copy!

Every Tuesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.

Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.

Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.

Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.

Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”

Cheers,

Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
Powered by Valens Research
www.valens-research.com

This content is used with permission from The I Institute and The Business Builder Daily.

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