Say What You Need to Say: Why a Handwritten Envelope Is More Personal
You go to the mailbox, eager to see what you received today. The anticipation and excitement start to feel like Christmas. Did anyone send you a card or a short note of well wishes?
You sort through the pile of mail; a bill, no thank you. A circular with ads, not interested. And there it is, a handwritten envelope.
Who could it be from? Personalized letters are so rare these days you open it up first and discard the rest of your mail.
Whether it’s from your great-aunt Eileen or your doctor’s office following up with you, it doesn’t matter because personalized mail is so exciting to get and to open. Unfortunately, that personalized touch has been lost in today’s digital society.
Add a Personal Touch
According to the Harvard Business Review, the US Postal Service reports that the average home receives only one personal letter every seven weeks. This is down from one handwritten letter every two weeks thirty years ago.
If you want to stand out from the crowd, then addressing an envelope by hand could get your mail opened first. Even Christmas is seeing a decline in personal mail.
According to this article in the Wall Street Journal, fewer Christmas cards are going out by mail these days as well. People are yearning for that personalized touch in their mailbox. You could be the one who delivers it for them.
Benefits of a Handwritten Envelope
If you’re a non-profit looking to increase your donors or a small business trying to survey previous customers, the difference in response rates could all come down to how many people open your mail.
Set yourself apart from the rest with a handwritten envelope. Here are 7 benefits seen from handwritten envelope addressing:
- Gets opened more often
- Boost customer loyalty
- Build your brand
- Personal connection with your consumer
- Improve customer service
- Increase repeat customers
- Most people will keep it
Handwritten envelope addressing has become a lost art. Utilize this to your advantage by making your mail stand out in a sea of junk mail.
Don’t Get Lost in the Junk
While personally writing out your message might be the most personalized, in today’s digital world computer-generated handwriting fonts are the next best thing. If you simply don’t have time or your handwriting isn’t very legible, then a handwritten envelope service could be the answer for you.
Don’t let your direct mail get lost in the junk mail. Studies show that 71% of junk mail is thrown away without even being opened. By adding a personalized touch, you could find yourself in the 29% that does get opened and read.
From text messaging to email and digital media's, we are drowning in digital communication. However, the handwritten message still stands out and is well received in a land of overly saturated marketing.
You have two seconds to make a first impression. Get your mail opened more often with a handwritten envelope. To learn more about how you can best utilize handwritten envelopes, contact us today.
Revised June 17, 2024