While the power of the pen is getting greater and greater, many businesses will only send handwritten notes on a one-off basis within highly exclusive campaigns. It doesn’t have to be this way though - why not apply a personal touch across the entire customer experience?
If increased customer loyalty, repeat purchases, customer lifetime value, customer advocacy and referrals are on your wishlist, we have a bunch of thoughtful handwritten direct mail campaigns to add to your marketing mix.
Thank new customers for their first purchase and welcome them to your community. Direct them online by inviting them to be part of the community on social or to sign up to your newsletter. Make people feel part of something, open the lines of communication and increase repeat purchases.
Alternatively, direct them to a specific page (digital or printed) for product how-to guides, product care guides or tutorials to ensure new customers get the most out of their purchase. This type of post-purchase customer care will also encourage customer loyalty and help to decrease product returns.
If you want to encourage repeat purchases, why not send handwritten notes to customers just before their contract expires, or you anticipate their product will run out and need replacing. You could even include a discount incentive to sweeten the deal. This cleverly timed nudge can dissuade them from trying out a competitor and increase your repeat purchases, while the intimate nature of a handwritten note encourages customers to feel a loyalty to your brand.
When a customer starts to show signs of lapsing by not reordering after an expected time period or cancels their subscription, contract, or membership altogether, show up through their letterbox with a thoughtful handwritten note to try and win them back. Most brands will have email automation set up for this purpose already, but while emails often go unopened, the power of a personal message with an irresistible offer can help to further reduce churn. Continuous win-back email spamming is only going to make them more likely to move to your competitor.
As loyal as a Labrador... Increase customer loyalty by sending a simple handwritten note to customers as a thank you for their custom. This builds rapport and trust while making them feel valued as a customer. You can even increase user-generated content by directing them online and by asking them to share pictures on social.
The main issue with using digital ads and emails for cross-sells and upsells is that unless that customer is in a position to purchase at the moment they see the ad or open the email, you’ve got a very slim chance of a sale. A physical notecard solves the challenges of digital when it comes to cross-sells and up-sells.
Use inspiring imagery on the back of your stationery to suggest other complimentary products or services that would be of interest to them based on previous purchases. This is proven to be more memorable, with 44% recalling a brand after seeing a digital ad whereas 75% recall a brand after receiving direct mail. Secondly, direct mail stays with the recipient for an average of 14 days on their desk, in their bag or on the kitchen counter. This means they are more likely to see it again and again, in contrast to an email which has a lifespan of just a few seconds.
If you run a loyalty scheme, send handwritten notes to customers to invite them, giving it a luxurious and exclusive feel. Alternatively, restore interest by reminding customers of the credit they have and any redemption expiry dates. The more personal a loyalty programme feels, the stronger your customer relationships.
What do all your customers have in common? A birthday! Everyone loves to receive birthday cards, so why not send customers a card to wish them a happy birthday and thank them for their custom. You could even include a special birthday discount code as an incentive. This can be really easily automated using the Inkpact self-serve platform.
If you wanted to be really quirky, you could trigger cards to be sent on customers half birthdays. You’ll definitely be the only brand doing that!
As we know, word of mouth is the most powerful channel, outweighing sales and marketing by a landslide. People lack trust in companies but they will trust your customers. Reach a wider audience by sending a handwritten note to customers with an incentive to share your brand with friends and family. Get your offer right, and you can effectively integrate a personalised referral programme across your business.
If you are a customer-centric organisation, you will understand the importance of customer feedback in informing the future of the product development and customer experience. Asking for someone’s opinion builds trust and engagement as they feel appreciated. Delivering handwritten notes to customers in conjunction with an online form (Typeform we love you) is so much more personal than email, your response rates are only going to go in one direction. Strengthen social proof by asking your happy customers to leave reviews and ratings. Adding these testimonials and reviews along the customer journey helps to increase conversions further.
There are endless options when it comes to delivering thoughtful handwritten notes to customers. The sky's the limit. But the best news is it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune or be really flashy, it just has to be creative and thoughtful to show customers you care.
Start by identifying the most important touch points along your customer journey and deciding on your message. Then sit back and relax while the Scribe Tribe do the hard work for you, knowing that your customers are being delighted. For inspiration for unplanned spontaneous customer delights, see our post on Random Acts of Kindness.