Maximizing Word Of Mouth With Beautiful Handwritten Notes To Delight

“Satisfaction.” Mick Jagger couldn’t get it, but your customers can.

Yet, in today’s market climate, a satisfied customer actually might not be enough. In a technological world, awareness and loyalty are built through authentic, human-to-human connection—like handwritten notes.

Here are some important concepts and proven techniques to give customers what they want.

It’s not you, it’s them

No matter how well-priced your service is, and no matter how incredible your product’s features are, human beings purchase emotionally. Your brand identity must empower their personal identity. If it doesn’t, a customer will never be a loyal one.

Moreover, it’s not that they don’t like you. It’s that they don’t love you. They’ll buy your product, but the best litmus test is this: Will they tell others to buy your product?

“Indeed, word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20 to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions.” Jørgen Vetvik, McKinsey (A new way to measure word-of-mouth marketing | McKinsey)

Research by McKinsey reveals that word of mouth is the primary factor responsible for 20% to as much as 50% of all purchasing decisions. A word-of-mouth referral indicates an emotional bond with a product or service. That is, the customer or client is putting their own reputation on the line. And in this context, something simple as a handwritten note can go a long way.

Engaged is a code word for valuable

Research shows that emotionally engaged consumers buy 90% more frequently and spend 60% more per transaction. The emotional connection to a particular brand means that a customer is five times more likely to purchase from that brand long-term. And here is the kicker, all that engagement triples the value to the brand over the course of a year.

“Highly engaged consumers are worth significantly more to the brand; specifically, they spend more and will continue to do so in the future.  60% more spent in each transaction + 90% more frequent purchases + 3x annual value per year”
Source: Customer Engagement from the Consumer’s Perspective (2014) ﹒Rosetta Consulting

With the huge cost of acquisition and fierce marketplace competition, loyalty is more important than ever. The more you can do to turn satisfied customers into raving fans, the more sustainable your business becomes. And though you can’t expect to turn every customer into a brand ambassador, you can’t afford to just blend in.

In a saturated global world, normal is clutter.

How to turn your customers into devoted customers

1. It’s all in the delivery

First of all, deliver on your promises. Don’t mislead or allow room for doubting that your brand is anything but stellar in its integrity. If you promise overnight delivery, make it happen. If you advertise your service as the solution to a problem, it better be true. Delivering on your promises is the foundation of trust and without trust, loyalty is impossible.

2. Location, location, location

With the expansion of the digital world into handheld devices, customers want to be able to contact you using their medium and platform of choice. Being unable to contact a company by their preferred means probably isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s enough frustration to stop someone from becoming a recurring customer.

Your customers are looking for a consistent multichannel experience. So it’s especially relevant to note that 70% of companies ignore customer complaints on Twitter. A study by Mckinsey found that improving the customer experience from “average” to “wow” over multiple brand interactions led to a 30–50% increase in value. Reaching out to your customers, through various channels is important. The more personalized the communication, e.g. with a bespoke handwritten note,  the better.

3. More than a number

One of the biggest opportunities to build that connection with your customers is to add a personal touch, such as handwritten notes. You probably remember the feeling of connection you experienced when you received handwritten notes from relatives. Postcards from friends overseas perhaps made you feel similarly. Handwritten notes make people feel like the sender was truly thinking about them.

With 80% of consumers stating they feel brands don’t understand them as individuals, the impact of personalization can be huge. This goes beyond a cookie-cutter birthday email or a [First Name] tag in your newsletter. It is about connecting with your customers on a human level.

As the industry pushes for widespread automation, we run the risk of losing the personal touch. Automation may be scalable but personalization brings depth and connection. It helps to build a deeper emotional connection with customers, a connection that increases loyalty and profits.

4. Different, not derivative

The biggest reason customers become indifferent is that their expectations are being met, and that’s it. Your brand has become derivative.

Starting up an emotional connection requires going over and above. It demands being memorable, and remarkable. With the huge volume of digital communication, something as simple as putting pen to a page can do just that.

When Hex sent 13,000 handwritten notes, they were doing something different. They took the time to zig when the others zagged and they stood out because of it. And standing out leads to real results. In another example, customers who received handwritten notes—like a personalized thank you card—spent $16 more per month and returned 33% less merchandise. The message here is clear. Therefore, doing something different and engaging with customers on an emotional level has a real financial impact.

Put the pen in Pensaki

Pensaki’s mission is to create emotional connections with your—currently—mostly indifferent customers. Though nothing can beat the personalization of an individually crafted note, we can be the next best option. We take the load off your shoulders because handwritten letters should never be a “Beast of Burden.”

Start connecting with your customers by connecting with us today.