Success factors

9 success factors for PENSAKI mailings

Handwritten mail can achieve outstanding results when it conveys a personal touch, expresses appreciation and uses important psychological mechanisms. A generic advertising message remains generic even when it is handwritten.

10 to 40 percent response rate possible
Up to 40x higher response than email
Can be sent without opt in
Why timing matters

Only 3 percent of your ideal customers are buying now

The central challenge in sales is that only a very small share of companies in your market are actively buying and looking for your expertise at any given time. Only around 3 percent of your ideal customers will make a purchase within the next 30 to 90 days. For everyone else, the timing is still too early. It therefore matters to create an opportunity for customers to know, like and trust you long before a specific need arises.

Response rate comparison

Handwriting outperforms email and printed mail

Response rates between 10 and 40 percent can be achieved in customer acquisition with handwritten letters when the success factors are applied.

Email
1 %
Printed mail
5 %
PENSAKI invitations
40 %

¹ 2018 DMA Response Rate Report · ² Customer statements, see

"PENSAKI invitations generate new leads for our Oracle Eloqua campaign, with a lead conversion rate of approximately 40 percent!" Michaela Seika, Oracle Germany
Legal framework

GDPR compliant B2B customer acquisition

In a B2B context, companies may be approached without prior contact where a presumed interest in the offer exists. According to the legal position communicated by PENSAKI, this has not changed under the GDPR.

Email: opt in required

Cold emails are permitted only with prior consent through double opt in. Cold contact by email or other electronic channels such as WhatsApp or SMS is excluded without consent, regardless of whether the recipient is a private or business customer.

Postal mail: possible without opt in

Postal direct mail follows an opt out approach. Unless recipients have expressly objected, direct mail may be sent. Recipients must be given an opportunity to exercise their right to object in writing.

This reflects the legal position communicated by PENSAKI and does not replace legal advice for an individual case.

Essential conditions

Factors 1 to 3

1
Personality
Successful customer acquisition does not work with generic advertising copy. Focus on enabling a first conversation rather than making one sided sales statements. Every recipient should feel personally addressed.
2
Relevance
Show the value you can create for the recipient, or focus solely on expressing appreciation. Use a landing page for detailed promotional information instead of writing a one sided sales message.
3
Keep it simple
Short, clear wording is easier to understand and remember. Avoid tired phrases, buzzwords, unnecessary English terminology and abbreviations. Use concise sentences that create curiosity rather than indifference.
The foundations

Factors 4 to 6

4
Target group definition: the ideal customer
Who exactly is your ideal customer? The more precise the target group definition, the more successful the campaign. Identify the industries, company sizes and decision makers that benefit most from your solution.
5
Data quality: complete, current and accurate
A customer acquisition letter must be addressed to a specific person and use the correct professional role. Never address it generically to "the head of marketing" or similar, because the intended appreciation is then lost.
6
Channel exclusivity
The handwritten message should not already have been sent by email in parallel. A lack of response to an earlier message cannot be compensated for by a handwritten second attempt. Keep the content exclusive.
Content matters

Factors 7 to 9

7
Personal salutation and sender
The sender should be a person rather than an organisation. People write letters; organisations send printed material. Use a personal sign off rather than a generic reference to "your team".
8
Lead with the benefit
State a specific benefit for the recipient rather than expressing appreciation only in general terms. A clearly recognisable benefit increases the probability of a response more than a friendly but non committal gesture.
9
Short texts perform better
A successful sales letter should not exceed one A4 page. Avoid buzzwords, unnecessary English terminology and tired phrases. Use simple sentences without complex nesting.
Follow up correctly

The 3 percent rule makes the difference

Even the best handwritten letter is often only the first professional introduction to a potential customer. Plan the campaign so that telephone follow up takes place a few days after dispatch.

3 %
Active buyers

Have a current need and are actively looking for providers. Intend to make a purchase within the next 30 to 90 days.

7 %
Open to change

Have a need but are not proactively searching for options. A well planned contact can be particularly effective here.

30 %
Need exists, but is not urgent

Resemble potential customers but are not ready to make a commitment. Other priorities currently take precedence.

90 percent of recipients of handwritten letters remember receiving them positively. Use this advantage and ask specifically during telephone follow up whether the letter arrived.
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