Want to reach the people who might actually need what you do?
How about some good ’ol fashioned snail mail?
I know. In a world of email, social media, digital ads, and overflowing inboxes, sending something through the mail might seem a little old-fashioned, but that’s part of the appeal.
Snail mail is tangible. It gives us something to hold onto and encourages us to pause for a little longer than we might when scrolling past something on a screen. And when it’s thoughtfully designed, it can be a great way to get someone’s attention and send them back to your online world.
In a 2024 survey of 2,000 consumers, Lob and Comperemedia found that 55% of people who had taken action after receiving direct mail visited the brand’s website.
That’s what I find so interesting about handmade marketing. The physical piece doesn’t have to replace your digital marketing. It can give people a reason to engage with it.
But before you can send anything, there’s another question to answer:
Who do you want to reach?
A Real-Life Example
Let me introduce you to my client, Danielle.
Danielle Tait is a talented portrait photographer in western Massachusetts. Danielle cares deeply about helping people feel comfortable in front of the camera and creating photographs that feel like them. She takes the time to get to know her subjects and understand what they want their images to communicate.
Last spring, we talked about what she wanted to focus on next in her business. She decided to hone in on booking more Headshot Day events. These events are a great fit for organizations that need new or refreshed photos of their staff, leadership, boards, or other team members.
Over the summer, we got to work on a direct mail campaign. I designed a printed mailer Danielle could send to local organizations that we thought would be a good fit for Headshot Days. We also designed the piece with flexibility, so the format could be easily adapted for other offerings/future mailings.
The goal wasn’t to send something to everyone. It was to put something thoughtful in the hands of the right people.
Make It Memorable
We knew the piece needed to be different enough to catch someone’s eye and I knew Danielle had this great photograph of herself behind the camera, so I designed the mailer to look like one.
The front featured Danielle’s photo, logo, and website. When the recipient opened it, the accordion fold created two places to explore.
One side featured a gallery of Danielle’s photography and a testimonial. The other included a brief letter from Danielle explaining Headshot Day events, along with a pop-out checklist to make the process of setting up an event with her feel a little easier.
Every part of the piece had a job.
The design was there to get noticed. The photographs showed what Danielle could do. The testimonial offered reassurance. The checklist gave the recipient something useful to interact with. And the website gave them an easy way to learn more.
It was a thoughtful introduction and a path to the next step.
Be Intentional About Who You Reach
Creating a great mailer is only part of the equation. You also need to know who you want to send it to.
Have you ever come across a business or organization and thought, They could really use my services. Or maybe, They would be a great referral partner. I should reach out to them!
Maybe you jot the name down somewhere. Maybe you add it to your to-do list. And then…nothing happens.
For Danielle, we created a simple system for capturing those ideas.
While we were working on the design, we started gathering a list of businesses and organizations that could potentially be a good fit for Headshot Days. We used a Google Form to collect the information and automatically build a spreadsheet we could sort and organize for different mailings.
Now Danielle has a list of organizations she intentionally wants to connect with, a memorable way to introduce herself, and a simple system for keeping track of those relationships.
So, How Do You Reach Your People?
Maybe the answer isn’t another social media post. Maybe it’s a postcard, a handwritten note, a small package, or a beautifully designed mailer. Or maybe it’s simply creating a system for keeping track of the people you’ve been meaning to reach out to.
You don’t need a complicated marketing system to be intentional about reaching your people.
Start by noticing those little moments when you think, I should connect with them. Write it down. Keep track of it. Then find a thoughtful way to reach out.
Your people are out there. Let’s create meaningful ways to connect with them.
If you’d like some help, please reach out! I offer digital strategy and handmade marketing services for small businesses and I’d love to help you, too. Book a time to chat and let’s get the conversation rolling.