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A great, undervalued, and often overlooked form of marketing is personalized letter mail. Why? The power and effectiveness in marketing increases when its relevant and personal. Plus, who does not enjoy getting a personally addressed letter or offer in the mail?
Personalizing your message has been proven to increase response rates when compared to the same message send generically.
I dont believe there is a more private and personalized form of reaching a single personal than through a letter in the mail. There are so many different forms of advertising- most are directed to the masses. Even email marketing is tainted by all that spam you see in your inbox each day. Letters are extremely easy to personalize with the right data. By simply having the readers name, you have the ability to convey your message directly to the recipient.
How do you personalize a letter? The most obvious is the recipients name. Take a look at your mailing list, what types of common information do you have for each person – address, age, interests. Find a way to incorporate these into your letter. The common personalization can be produced digitally when merged by the printer (see below).
Many people still enjoying receiving mail – as long as its not junk mail or a bill. Think about the thrill that comes from an envelope addressed with your name. No one else has the authority to witness the contents of US mail except the recipient. There is a feeling of suspense towards finding out the contents of what is inside of an envelope. Even when there is a hint provided by the return address or logo on the face of the envelope, there is something inside for you!
Aside from handing someone an actual flyer or hand-out, the mail stream is the most efficient way of directly reaching an individual. Many people trust a message they can actually touch and feel over something found on an unknown website or email from an unknown sender.
There are many different ways to personally reach your audience through a letter. Below are 6 different applications many large companies use to engage with their customers and prospects.
Rewards Certificate – use the bottom third as a perforated tear-off with a scan-able barcode for a rewards program
Thank You Letter – Thank your customers for purchasing, visiting, or inquiring. Keep the letter pleasant with directions for further information.
Invitation – Invite the reader to a special grand opening, event, or other location with a date and time. There is a special feeling when invited to something.
Special Offer – provide the reader with a offer that this is not for the general public. First this will give the recipient a special feeling of authenticity as well as a unit in which to measure the success of the campaign.
Announcement – An announcement can be as general or targeted as you like. Simply remind the reader you are there and you need to visit. Direct the recipient to a website for more info, or to visit a location for any number of reasons. Updates, new products or services. Sometime people just need t reminder you are there.
Welcome Letter – Welcome the reader to a new location, a new position, or just being a new customer. This is a friendly way to get your name in front of the recipient.
Get Started
Interested in marketing with a personalized letter? Contact me or take my Direct Marketing Challenge. I work as an independent Direct Marketing Specialist and would be happy to help you get started creating your personalized marketing message.