Handwritten Envelopes vs. Printed Labels
When planning a direct mail campaign aimed at increasing response rates, most business owners choose handwritten mail and handwritten envelopes. The effect of handwritten envelopes on response rates has been proven to be beneficial to companies, regardless of their industry. Statistics have shown that hand-addressing envelopes in a campaign can increase open rates by 300%.
Keep reading to learn how handwritten envelopes in the below studies affected their response rates and how you can use this form of handwritten mail in your next campaign.
Research shows that Handwritten Envelopes Increase Response Rates more than Printed Labels
Handwritten envelopes are a great way to make a positive first impression with your customers. This is an important first step because handwriting on an envelope gets the right attention and holds it long enough for your offer to be seen. Envelopes that contain handwritten addresses are considered to be personable and helps your envelope stand out in a pile of mail. In a study that appeared in a Simon Ruda presentation, when letters were sent in white handwritten envelopes, 35.4% of participants responded versus the 32.5% who received standard envelopes.
In the same study, handwritten envelopes and standard printed envelopes were sent to participants to test the effectiveness of both envelopes. The reason for sending the letters was to remind participants to file their taxes. The handwritten envelopes, which also had a handwritten message on the face of the envelope, resulted in 78.2% of participants filing their taxes versus the 67.4% who received standard envelopes with no handwritten message.
In an ebook titled, Research and Evaluation in Education and Psychology: Integrating Diversity with Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Methods, the author Donna Mertens compares the success of response rates using print and web direct mail. She explained that “handwritten mail seems to attract more attention now than computer-generated address labels.” The reason handwritten envelopes work with increasing response rates is because they don’t look like your usual mail. When the average person receives letters in the mail, their first instinct is to toss it to the side to read later or to throw it away. So it is important to get their attention the moment they get your mail from the mailbox.
How to use Handwritten Envelopes in your next Campaign
Before sending out handwritten envelopes, it’s vital that you create a targeted mailing list. Make sure you are sending your handwritten mail to individuals who will be interested in what you offer and can enjoy your products or services.
In addition to using handwritten envelopes, you should pair your mail with live stamps. Studies confirm that live stamps are more effective and convincing than envelopes that have metered stamps. Last, to make your envelope catch the attention of your target, include a handwritten message. Just as shown in the study in the Ruda presentation, handwritten messages act like teaser copy and gives your recipient an idea of what’s in the envelope. Personalizing the message by including the recipient’s name in it will also help increase the open rate.
Do you need help with creating handwritten envelopes for your next direct mail campaign?
Hand-addressing envelopes require time to complete and Letter Friend can help. Our staff of writers will get to work, creating handwritten envelopes that will get your client’s attention and get the response rates you deserve.
To get started, fill out this Free Quote and we will reach out to work with you today.