Handwritten letters offer a certain charm and effectiveness that digital channels often struggle to replicate. But here at Pen Written Post, we love to combine the uniqueness of handwritten-style letters with the clever technology of gamification, to achieve remarkable engagement rates and create lasting impressions on recipients.
Our latest blog explores how handwritten-style communications and gamification can be a match made in heaven for your business!
Not another email (yawn!)
Digital fatigue is a real issue – we’re all battling bulging inboxes and millions of message notifications – but blending the tactile ‘touchy-feely’ charm of a handwritten-style letter with the dynamic nature of gamification presents a powerful strategy for driving engagement and achieving marketing success.
One of the most significant problems facing businesses is the difficulty in attracting new customers – and if you don’t stand out from the crowd, you’re soon drowned in a sea of other ‘me too’ communications that lack personalisation, focus and a clear customer engagement strategy.
And that’s where gamification comes in…
So, what is gamification?
Good question! Gamification is a relatively new tool in the world of digital marketing and customer engagement. It provides businesses with the technology to incorporate game-like elements into their communications to drive user connections and enhance customer experience.
Gamification is delivered via a cloud-based platform which allows businesses to integrate game mechanics, such as scratchcards, spin-the-wheel games and rewards, into their marketing without needing to develop these features from scratch. Give it a try now with our interactive demo!
Can gamification and handwritten-style communications work together?
Yep! Receiving a handwritten letter is a refreshing change and immediately captures attention as it’s rare and unexpected. Your target audience is more likely to open People are more likely to open and read a handwritten letter than an email. In fact, handwritten-style letters have an open rate of 90%+, while email open rates lag at just 20%.
Grabbing your customer’s attention is only of the battle. Once you’ve piqued their curiosity, you’ve got to hang onto it – and that’s exactly what gamification does!
What types of gamifications can I use?
Our favourites include:
Scratch and Win – Digital scratch and win cards mimic the experience of scratching a physical card to reveal hidden information. Customers play the game on their smartphone to “scratch” off a virtual surface. Once the surface is removed, players discover whether they have won a prize, discount, or some other reward.
Peel and Reveal – These virtual cards are designed to engage users in a fun and captivating way, enhancing user interaction, and driving engagement. The digital experience builds excitement by peeling off a digital label to reveal a prize, adding an element of surprise and anticipation.
Spin the Wheel – An interactive digital experience where players spin a virtual wheel divided into segments, each representing different prizes. The interactive and fun nature of the game captures users’ attention, encouraging them to participate and spend more time on the platform.
Slot Machine – Designed to simulate the experience of playing a slot machine, players spin virtual reels to potentially win prizes, rewards, or points. The appeal lies in their simplicity, the excitement of the spin, and the anticipation of a potential win.
How does gamification work?
Let’s take the example of a cleaning company that successfully integrated gamification with direct mail.
They sent out beautifully crafted handwritten-style letters along with a QR code linked to a Peal and Reveal game that gave winners an exclusive code.
Depending on the code revealed, it allowed customers to make savings of 10%, 25% 50% on products or entitled them to a free house clean (you set the prizes and frequency of winning codes!)
How can my gamification campaign be tracked?
You need ROI. We get it. That’s why we include a personalised dashboard with a comprehensive overview of all your campaign performance. It allows you to monitor visitor activity, geographical data, device usage, and key metrics.
Where do I sign up?
Exciting, isn’t it? At Pen Written Post, we guide you every step of the way. From creating the handwritten-style letters, generating the QR codes, writing compelling messages, and setting up the gamification tech – even buying the postage stamps – we take care of it all.
Ready to see how handwritten-style letters and gamification can work for your business? Contact us now to learn more about integrating this engaging gamification tool into your marketing strategy. Let’s make your next campaign a winner!
