Digital marketing is noisy. Inboxes are overflowing, ads are everywhere, and your audience has developed Olympic-level skills at ignoring anything that feels generic.
So when a real, handwritten letter lands on someone’s doormat – one that looks like it was created for them, not a spreadsheet – something different happens:
They stop.
They open.
They read.
That’s the power of handwritten direct mail. And it’s exactly why more UK businesses, charities, finance companies, SaaS, tech, education and property brands are choosing Pen Written Post to cut through the clutter.
We’re proud to say that Pen Written Post is currently one of the best-rated handwritten direct mail specialists in the UK, with a growing run of 5-star Google reviews. We’re also an award-winning brand, and a finalist in local business awards, including being shortlisted for the NNBN Green Award – a pretty nice nod to doing marketing the human way and the responsible way.
Pen Written Post was founded by Daniella Paolozzi, a marketer with nearly 20 years’ experience. That matters because handwritten direct mail isn’t just about sending letters – it’s about sending the right message, to the right people, at the right time. Daniella supports clients hands-on with campaign strategy, copy direction and follow-up flows based on what consistently performs in real UK campaigns. Humanising the tone of voice is a particular focus in her work.
Let’s unpack what makes us different and why handwritten direct mail is having a proper comeback.
Why handwritten direct mail works in 2025
People don’t ignore mail the way they ignore digital. There’s psychology behind that:
- It feels personal. We’re wired to respond to what looks like genuine human effort.
- It’s tangible. You can hold it, keep it, pin it on the fridge, show it to someone else.
- It creates “pause.” A letter interrupts autopilot scrolling.
- It triggers curiosity. “Who wrote this?” is a powerful first question.
That pause is where trust starts to form.
And in sectors where trust is everything – property, finance, care, education, charities, premium B2B – handwritten mail consistently outperforms generic print and cold email.
What makes Pen Written Post the UK’s best-rated handwritten direct mail provider?
There are a few companies doing handwritten direct mail in the UK. Some are excellent. Some, well from what we have heard… not so much!
Here’s what makes Pen Written Post the one clients stay with and review with five stars.
1. We’re a specialist – not a general mail house
Direct mail companies can be brilliant at logistics. But handwritten direct mail is a whole different craft.
We don’t treat handwriting as a bolt-on service. It’s the core of what we do – from the copy, to the pacing, to the pen-on-paper realism.
2. Our letters don’t look like “handwriting fonts”
If you’ve ever received a “handwritten” letter that looks like it was printed by a polite office printer from 2008… you know the vibe.
We obsess over what real handwriting looks like:
- natural variation
- believable pressure changes
- spacing that feels human
- no identical repeats that scream “automation”
Your recipients should feel like a real person wrote to them. Because that’s when they respond.
Find out more about how they look here
3. We blend automation with humanity
Handwritten mail isn’t meant to replace your marketing funnel – it’s meant to supercharge it.
We help brands build trackable, personalised handwritten campaigns that integrate with:
- CRM and e-commerce flows
- segmented lists
- timed drip sequences
- QR codes and personalised URLs
So you get emotion + measurement, not vibes alone.
4. We take sustainability seriously (without the empty hype)
Handwritten direct mail shouldn’t cost the earth.
We prioritise recyclable, responsible materials and low-waste production choices wherever possible, and we stay transparent about what that means in real-world campaigns. That sustainability focus is also why we’ve been recognised in local business awards and green award shortlists.
No greenwashing. No magic claims. Just marketing that feels good to send and receive.
5. We’re award-winning
Pen Written Post is an award-winning brand, recognised for the quality and impact of our work. Awards matter because they reflect something reviews alone can’t: how your service stands up to professional scrutiny.
6. Nearly two decades of marketing expertise behind every campaign
Handwritten direct mail works best when it’s paired with smart targeting and proven messaging. That’s why our founder, Daniella Paolozzi, brings almost 20 years of marketing experience to every campaign we run.
Clients don’t just get beautifully written letters – they get real strategic support on:
- audience segmentation
- offer positioning
- message tone and structure
- timing and multi-touch sequences
- tracking and response optimisation
So your handwritten mail isn’t a nice idea. It’s a measurable growth channel.
What you can use handwritten direct mail for
Handwritten mail is weirdly versatile. Clients use it for:
Customer retention
- Customer thank-you journeys
- High value client letters
- First-order “welcome to the family” letters
- Subscription renewal nudges
- “We miss you” win-back letters for lapsed customers
- Birthday / anniversary surprises
- Post-purchase check-ins (“how’s it going with X?”)
- Referral requests that don’t feel pushy
- Customer feedback / review-request letters
- Apology / service-recovery letters after an issue
Lead gen + sales outreach
- Warm lead generation to priority prospects
- Re-engagement of cold leads who went quiet
- Account-based marketing (ABM) for key B2B targets
- “We don’t want to break-up letters” to stalled deals
- Intro letters to decision makers (CEO/FD/Director level)
- Prospecting sequences paired with email/LinkedIn
- Follow-up after a demo, call, or proposal
- “Shortlist” follow-up to people who browsed/bid/queried
- Cross-sell / upsell to existing clients
- Territory expansion outreach
Care homes, healthcare, wellness
- Care home & healthcare outreach
- GP / clinic partnership introductions
- Private healthcare patient follow-ups
- Optician/dentist/physio recall reminders
- Community health programme invites
- Wellbeing / mental health service awareness
- Family-decision-maker outreach for care services
- Occupational health B2B partnerships
Education (schools, colleges, training)
- School admissions and bursary appeals
- Open-day / taster-day invitations
- Parent engagement / trust-building letters
- Alumni fundraising or engagement
- Sixth form / college recruitment
- Apprenticeship & training programme recruitment
- Donor stewardship for school foundations
- Tutor / mentoring programme recruitment
Charities + fundraising
- Charity donor re-activation
- New donor welcome packs
- Major donor cultivation sequences
- Legacy giving / in-memoriam campaigns
- Volunteer recruitment drives
- Event sponsorship asks
- Corporate partnership outreach
- Donor thank-you + impact updates
- “You made this happen” story letters
Property, estate agency, land + construction
- Estate agent / property sourcing campaigns
- Landowner “right to buy / sell” outreach
- Vendor acquisition letters
- Off-market property opportunity letters
- Lettings landlord recruitment
- Mortgage broker / conveyancer partnerships
- New development launch invites
- Investor updates and deal sheets
- Neighbourhood farming for high-value postcodes
Premium retail, hospitality, lifestyle
- High-value customer invitations
- Personal shopping / concierge outreach
- Hotel guest win-back letters
- Spa / retreat loyalty drives
- Restaurant VIP nights & soft launches
- Luxury membership programmes
- Seasonal gifting campaigns
Events + communities
- Event invites that actually get opened
- Speaker / VIP invitations
- Sponsor outreach (that doesn’t feel templated)
- Member renewals for associations
- Community-building notes for clubs/networks
- Post-event thank-you & follow-ups
- “Save the date” mailers that get kept
Professional services + high-trust sectors
- High-value B2B partnerships
- Financial adviser / wealth management intros
- Legal services client development
- Accountancy firm referral programmes
- Recruitment firm client acquisition
- Consultancy retainer renewal letters
- Insurance broker renewal / cross-sell
Internal culture + employer brand
- New-hire welcome letters
- Employee appreciation notes
- Work anniversary recognition
- Culture / values reinforcement campaigns
- Internal referral pushes
- “Thank you for your extra mile” letters
Basically: if your goal involves trust, warmth, or a relationship, handwritten mail belongs in the mix.
Real proof: it’s not just pretty letters
We publish campaign results because clients don’t need another fluffy marketing promise. They need outcomes.
Across sectors, handwritten direct mail repeatedly delivers:
- higher open rates than digital outreach
- improved reply rates versus generic print
- warmer conversations with better lead quality
- stronger long-term customer loyalty
When a message feels human, people behave like humans – they reply.
How to choose a handwritten direct mail company in the UK
If you’re comparing providers, here are the non-negotiables:
- Does it look genuinely handwritten?
- Can you personalise properly (not just name inserts)?
- Do they provide QR or delivery tracking options?
- Are they a specialist, or a generic print-and-post shop?
- Do they have real case studies and strong reviews?
- Are the materials aligned with your brand values?
Pen Written Post ticks those boxes in a way that’s both human and scalable – which is why we’ve earned our reputation as one of the UK’s best-rated providers.
What are people saying about Pen Written Post – The best rated handwritten marketing company on Google Business?
Alexis Delannoy – Pen Written Post Five Star Review
‘Francesca and her team went above and beyond to deliver us a perfect batch of hundreds of personalised letters.
The communication was smooth and she suggested improvements on the formatting to make sure all letters would look flawless.
I cannot recommend their services enough!! Thank you!’
mark stewart – Pen Written Post Five Star Review
We’ve been working with Pen Written Post on several campaigns targeting directors of new businesses in the accountancy sector. Over the past two years, we’ve been split-testing two approaches – a “spin the wheel” gamification campaign (recommended by their team) and an eBook download offer.
Both have performed really well, achieving around a 5% response rate. What’s surprised me most is how often people comment on how much they love receiving the letters – something I didn’t expect when we first started!
I’d highly recommend Pen Written Post to other accountants looking to stand out and engage new clients in a more human way. We’re already looking forward to collaborating on our next campaign in the coming months.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Megha Singh– Pen Written Post Five Star Review
We’ve had a fantastic experience working with Pen Post. Their team made sending handwritten letters effortless specially Francesca has been handling everything with care, efficiency, and great attention to detail. They’ve been incredibly supportive throughout the process, quick to respond, and always willing to go the extra mile. Highly professional service, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a personal yet scalable way to connect.
Gemma Vernon-Lee – Pen Written Post Five Star Review
Honestly, working with Daniella was just brilliant! She and the team were so on top of everything, and we smashed that deadline. Plus, that handwritten touch? Genius! It really connected with people, and we ended up with over £250k in sales. I’m so grateful for their hard work
Adam Stephenson – Pen Written Post Five Star Review
We worked with Pen Written Post on a letter campaign and the experience was excellent from start to finish. Their handwritten approach helped us triple our reply rate, and the feedback from recipients has been overwhelmingly positive. The team were incredibly helpful throughout—offering strategic input, sharing their expertise, and working closely with us to craft a beautifully personal and high-impact campaign. They also offer a variety of options at different price points, which gave us the flexibility to tailor the campaign to our needs. Based on the results, we’ll now be using them going forward as part of our outreach strategy. Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking to create meaningful, standout communications.
miteki Degawa – Pen Written Post Five Star Review
We used Pen Written Post a few months back and Jonathan and the team were amazing. The service was great, prompt and professional and the products were excellent quality. Would not hesitate to recommend!
Tony THIP – Pen Written Post Five Star Review
We run a home improvement company and started with Pen Written Post in the summer as a test with a trial of 5000 letters. It took about a week to get them delivered but I had leads coming through every day and a good amount of enquiries. We managed to convert 9 of these, bringing us 68k in business revenue. We now use these guys monthly and honestly no complaints our side. It’s a bit pricier than the usual direct mail but the personal touch is worth it in our industry and we get far more with this than the usual flyers meaning the return on investment is much much higher.
Rachael Marking– Pen Written Post Five Star Review
Daniella and her team are clearly very passionate about what they do and this comes across every time you speak to them. They have a great product which is ethically sourced and very reasonably priced compared to their competitors. I will definitely be using Pen Written Post again!
Kaif Ali Perwaz Pen Written Post Five Star Review
Excellent Service – I would highly recommend!
Felix Lienau Pen Written Post Five Star Review
Daniella & her team are constantly going above and beyond to deliver exceptional services and results for us. The quality of the work in terms of output is amazing. We are happy to be working with them
Simon Thorley Pen Written Post Five Star Review
Excellent, speedy service from start to finish.
At the time of writing this on the 24th of November 2025 – We have all 5 star reviews and way more than our head to head competitors on Google!
Ready to send mail people actually want to open?
If your brand is tired of being ignored online, this is your sign.
Handwritten direct mail works because it’s the opposite of everything your audience is trying to avoid – it’s personal, tactile, surprising, and considerate.
And if you want to do it properly (not cringey handwriting-font properly), we’d love to help.
