Why Handwritten Letters Need to Make a Come Back for Businesses
When was the last time you got a handwritten letter? Can’t remember? Don’t worry, neither can we. The convenience of email and social media is amazing but it’s not an excuse to be lazy. The fact that no one ever gets letters in the mail is a marketing opportunity for your business to stand out from the crowd. The two most important aspects of converting a prospect into a customer are creating an experience for your customers and adding a personal touch to that experience. From 2007 to 2013, there’s been a 21% decrease in letter volume. With our continued addiction to technology, the number of handwritten letters is dramatically decreasing, so use that to your advantage and make handwritten letters as a unique marketing tool.
Our inboxes are flooded every day with so much crap that about 80% of emails go unopened every day. But get this, according to Epsilon, 77% of people sort through their physical mail right after receiving it. If we’re being honest it’s most likely to get rid of the clutter. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that we are looking at it. How many times have you looked at your email inbox and been so overwhelmed with the number of unread emails that you don’t want to open a single one of them? If you focus some marketing resources toward snail-mail there is much less competition for attention than in emails.
Not only are you going to fight less for attention but just imagine a new client, amidst their piles of bills and magazines they receive a handwritten letter of appreciation from your company. After agreeing to work with you, this letter serves as a sign of the personal and detailed attention they will get from your company.
This strategy can be taken a step further with a “Thank you for your interest” letter. Imagine a couple planning their wedding day who is deciding between multiple companies for their wedding cake. As the owner of one of these bakeries, you send out a simple but personal letter to the couple a few days after their taste testing:
“Dear Paige and Michael, Thank you so much for your interest in Not Just a Bakery. It was such a pleasure to meet such a lovely couple. Please reach out to me with any and all questions.
Warm Wishes,
Jeremy Thompson”
This simple gesture, taking just a few moments of your time to write a handwritten note could mean the world to a potential client and be the determining factor in whether or not they choose to do business with you. The letter will serve as a reminder of your enthusiasm to work with them while they are making their decision. Not to mention an added bonus – if they choose to work with you, it is a nice little keepsake from their wedding planning adventures.