Standing out online has become harder every year. Back when selling online first became a thing, eCommerce store owners could get away with fancy storefronts and novelty products that help persuade trusting customers to impulse buy. However, with Amazon and so many other reputable alternatives around, the days of simple, one-visit sales are over.
Now, customers are more inclined to shop around and do their research first before making a purchase. That means its less likely you will succeed by competing on price and shipping time alone.
That leaves just one big thing to compete on: Brand. But I’m not just talking about pretty colors and a nice logo. We’re talking about hyperpersonalization–the kind of customer experience that gets customers talking. In an impersonal world where a few big online brands control commerce but barely know their customers other than data points, it’s the most effective way to boost sales and gain customers for life.
And what’s the cheapest and easiest way to do this? Handwritten letters.
Here are some ways to boost sales and stand out with handwritten letters
- Send a letter that can grow into a living plant with Cute Root
- Include a personal note in your packaging
- Retarget your top customers with a thank you letter
- Send a holiday greetings card
- Celebrate a birthday with a special coupon code
- Notify early customers of an upcoming product launch
1. Send a letter that can grow into a living plant with Cute Root
Yep, you read that right. Your customers can literally grow a living plant out of your marketing letter when you send with Cute Root. And if they do, they will be destined to look at and care for a plant that was gifted to them from your wonderful brand. Not only is this a standout way to share personal words with your customer, but it is scalable (we do the handwriting and sending) and eco-friendly as our seed paper is made with 100% post-consumer materials from companies and schools.
2. Include a personal note in your packaging
One of the easiest ways to give a personal touch to all of your customers is through personal package notes. Comment positively on the customer’s choices, let them know you’re here for any questions or feedback, wish them a “hope you like it!”–the options are endless. That being said, if it’s not possible to write that many notes, it’s worth the effort to at least hand sign a standard, typed letter for every order. This alone will help give your brand a custom-feel and unique customer experience.
3. Retarget your top customers with a thank you letter
In marketing, there is a special type of customer that only pristine brands will ever get. They’re called evangelists. And they do your marketing for you by freely convincing others to use your product or service because it’s “that good.” One way to boost sales and influence further evangelist marketing is to send your top customers a personal thank you note. In the note, include a personal coupon code with a hefty discount as a thank you gift. Not only will it likely result in higher customer lifetime values, but your customers will probably be blown away by the gesture and share the experience with their friends.
4. Send a holiday greetings card
Holidays are the perfect time to take advantage of hyperpersonalization. They also are an awesome way to show that your brand isn’t just a heartless, soul-sucking, profit-hungry, company. With a few words and genuine tone, it’s possible to show consumers that you are more caring than 99% of competitors. As an added bonus, don’t include any discounts or sales-speak and your non-marketing efforts might actually turn into marketing efforts by not coming across as typical spam mail masquerading in the holiday spirit.
5. Celebrate a birthday with a special coupon code
One year, two of my friends who share the same birthday literally took the entire day to take advantage of popular birthday deals they knew about. If that doesn’t explain how important birthday sales can be for repeat customers, I don’t know what will. Mega-brands like Starbucks take advantage of this in full force by offering “free” drinks that bank on extra purchases (since you already made the trek there) or company that comes with you and buys their drink. 365 days of sales might not be that far away if you make a habit of sending handwritten birthday letters with special, one-time discount codes.
6. Notify early customers of an upcoming product launch
This one is more relevant to eCommerce businesses that do Kickstarter campaigns or pre-orders. By taking the extra effort to send a handwritten letter, prospect customers may feel like they are included in something special and naturally, that’s what we want as humans–social acceptance. It’s almost like letting your customers in on a secret (everyone loves secrets) and this will only help increase trust between your brand and possible customers.
Your ability to stand out will make the difference between one-time passerbys and lifelong customers
In the end, customers will buy where they feel the most loved. Faceless brands can no longer compete in the new era. That’s why at Cute Root we are working hard to hyperpersonalize customer experiences. It’s the most efficient way to build stronger brand images moving forward. Handwritten letters and notes are just the start–but they are a good start.
