Handwrytten’s 185 robots hold ballpoint pens to craft and automate the mailing of more than 15,000 pieces of mail a day.
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Handwrytten is an automated direct mail provider.
Platforms: Web; iOS; Android
Ideal for: All agents and brokerages
Top selling points:
• Cards physically written by robots
• 185 robots in-house
• Scalable, customizable
• Large array of templates
• QR-code based recipient tracking
Top concern(s):
Handwrytten can curry a great deal more favor with the industry by integrating directly with at least a few more real-estate specific CRMs to more tightly marry direct mail with existing databases and marketing campaigns. For now, it works with Salesforce and Hubspot. It does offer a Zapier connection.
What you should know
Handwrytten is a direct mail company that uses 185 robots to “hand” write postcards, notes, letters and all forms of mailed marketing collateral. It sends more than 15,000 pieces a day with written envelopes, QR-coded trackers and in any size or format for any type of marketing campaign.
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In both mobile and browser environments, customers are offered an administrative experience that reflects modern UI design trends, fast to react and easy to step through. There’s a template library for lead-generation campaigns, just sold announcements, open house promotions, birthday recognition, and just about any other reason to send something to an existing contact or potential lead.
Users can design their own mailing campaign, filter recipients using their own database or through a national data partner that Handwrytten uses to build lists. Logos, images, and visual assets can be added as needed and saved for ongoing use, such as quick resends should a campaign’s reach want to be expanded to more streets or communities, for example. The software also has a smart address suppression feature to ensure some on your list don’t get a repeat mailing of the same campaign.
The robots can be directed to write content in a number of naturalistic fonts, and they use actual ink pens. They also translate users’ typed text onto paper and can mimic your actual signature.
If I wasn’t clear, the backend is terrific. This isn’t what you might expect from your direct mail partner. It functions like most modern CRMs or marketing platforms, allowing users to log in, build out a campaign or execute a few tasks, and rest assured it’ll be carried out.
I suppose a byproduct of having robots handwrite mailings is that it also leads to better automation on the customer-facing side of the business.
Users are presented with simple breakdowns of each campaign’s cost, volume and logistics before hitting the purchase button. It’s monumentally less vague than a lot of paid social media experiences I’ve seen.
Handwrytten provided me with a consumer survey they had conducted on their behalf about direct mail’s impact in marketing. I wasn’t surprised by the results. Only 1 in 5 rely on handwritten notes for daily communication. No surprise there. But when it comes to marketing? One in 3 said “they would be the most surprised to receive a handwritten note or card.”
The survey also found that only phone calls outweighed handwritten letters when it comes to being “most meaningful.” Again, makes sense to me.
Any of my readers who have been reading my work for a while know that I’m a strong advocate for direct mail. It should be part of any strategic marketing campaign and is even more effective when connected to other media types, such as landing pages and email.
My career started in marketing for real estate companies, and it’s always been my experience that direct mail is more consistent in its impact than robo-calling, AI texting and, by all means, purchased leads. It undercuts the digital noise, spam regulations and lack of attention given to inboxes, and it never comes with a “report to spam” option a mere click away.
Robots are here, people. We might as well put pens in their hands.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe
Craig C. Rowe started in commercial real estate at the dawn of the dot-com boom, helping an array of commercial real estate companies fortify their online presence and analyze internal software decisions. He now helps agents with technology decisions and marketing through reviewing software and tech for Inman.
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