It’s a simple fact that handwritten mail is more tactile and permanent compared to digital outreach, where texts and Instagram posts are quickly lost under newer ones. People often keep important handwritten letters and cards because they mean so much more. In contrast you don’t print out and save your WhatsApp and text messages, because the emotion is completely different.
In the same way, businesses that send handwritten physical mail have a way of cutting through the clutter and getting attention that would be impossible with a text or email. In their 2022 email marketing statistics, Mailchimp reported that emails have a 22.71% open rate and a 2.91% click rate. In contrast, a handwritten piece of mail sent in a handwritten envelope with a real stamp has an open rate of 99%. This is because handwritten mail is rare, with the average American receiving just 10 pieces of handwritten mail per year. Similarly, Cardly sees response rates of 35% to client’s handwritten mail campaigns, which is 12 times more than the 2.91% click rate reported by Mailchimp.