It’s a fair question and one we are asked quite often.
Let’s start by taking a look at how direct mail and handwritten letters are received in the home.
Engagement with direct mail is on the rise…
97% of mail is engaged with in the home – and it’s been consistently like this over the last four years. With so many
people working from home these days, the arrival of the post is a reason to take a break and see what’s in the mail.
According to a survey by WARC, the effectiveness of marketing campaigns increases rather impressively when direct
mail is in the mix:
This is all great news for anyone considering adding a personable handwritten-style letter into the marketing mix,
and it’s all very well boasting that people are engaging with direct mail.
But do the recipients take any commercial actions?
Well, yes, they do, and on average 33% of those who interacted with a piece of mail in 2022 and 2023 acted.
Mail creates commercial actions
Breaking this down even further, the commercial actions taken as a result of receiving direct mail are:
- 16% discussed the content of the mail piece with someone
- 11% visited the sender’s website
- 8% made a purchase
- 5% looked up the sender
- 4% searched online for more information
- 3% called the sender
- 3% used a voucher/discount code
- 2% visited the sender’s shop or office
Tracking the success of handwritten-style letters
OK, so we’ve convinced you that people do enjoy receiving and reading direct mail, but we’re guessing that you’re
more interested in tracking the success of your campaigns, and not just hearing the statistics…
With digital marketing methods every click, like, or follow is tracked and reported on and it’s easy to gauge the
effectiveness of the campaign. But how on earth can you track a posted letter?
It’s easier than you may think.
At Pen Written Post, we encourage our clients to include unique trackable telephone numbers and landing page
addresses that are then reported back enabling data-driven decisions and easy measurement of the campaign.
The addition of a QR code that links to more information is also a neat way to track who is reading your carefully
crafted letter and taking action.
So, there you have it. ‘Snail Mail’ is not a dinosaur – providing you create a compelling message and make it
personable and relevant to the recipient.
From capturing attention and forging emotional connections to driving customer loyalty and brand advocacy,
handwritten mail offers a range of benefits that digital channels struggle to match.
Looking to include handwritten communication in your marketing strategy? Then get in touch with the
people at Pen Written Post and we’ll send you a sample pack of our eco-friendly handwritten letters and
chat about your next campaign.
