If you’re running handwritten direct mail campaigns with Scribeless, odds are you want more than just “it looks nice.” You want real results—more replies, more sales, more whatever-you’re-after. But tracking and improving those results isn’t always obvious, especially if you’re used to the digital world where clicks and opens are easy to measure.
This guide’s for marketers, growth folks, and small business owners who want to get serious about understanding and improving their Scribeless campaigns. If you want practical steps, honest takes on what’s worth your time (and what isn’t), and zero fluff, you’re in the right place.
Step 1: Know What You’re Actually Measuring
Before you dive into spreadsheets or analytics dashboards, get clear on what “good” looks like for your campaign. Scribeless is all about sending personalized, handwritten mail at scale, but the way you measure success will depend on your goal.
Common direct mail goals: - Get replies or inbound calls - Drive website visits (with a unique URL or QR code) - Get people to an event - Generate sales or demo bookings
Pro tip: Pick one main outcome. If you’re chasing too many numbers, it gets muddy fast.
What to ignore: Vanity metrics like “number of letters sent” or “how cool the cards looked” don’t move the needle. Focus on actions that matter to your business.
Step 2: Set Up Tracking Before You Send
Handwritten mail isn’t digital—so you need to get creative about tracking responses. Don’t skip this, or you’ll just end up guessing what worked.
Ways to track Scribeless campaign responses: - Unique URLs: Set up a custom landing page or use a unique URL in your letter. Bonus points if you use a simple, memorable address. - QR codes: These work well, especially if your audience isn’t tech-averse. Make sure the QR code goes to a trackable page. - Dedicated phone numbers: Use a call tracking service (like CallRail or Twilio) to assign a unique number to the campaign. - Promo codes: If you’re offering a discount, make the code unique to this campaign. - Ask people to mention something: (“Tell us you got the blue letter for 20% off.”) It’s old-school, but it works.
What doesn’t work: Hoping people just “mention the letter” without prompting, or expecting everyone to type a long URL. Make it effortless.
Step 3: Track Delivery and Timing
Scribeless handles the printing and mailing, but there’s always a lag between “sent” and “delivered.” Timing matters, especially if your offer is time-sensitive.
What you can do: - Ask Scribeless for delivery estimates: They can usually give you a window. Mark this on your calendar. - Send to yourself first: Nothing beats proof. Mail one to your own address and see how long it takes to arrive. - Batch by geography: If timing matters (say, for an event invite), group recipients by region to minimize surprises.
Pitfall: Don’t assume all mail arrives at once. There’s always a few stragglers.
Step 4: Measure Your Results (Honestly)
Once your letters are out, it’s time to see what actually happened. Resist the urge to declare victory after the first reply—wait for the full response window (usually 2–3 weeks for direct mail).
Metrics to track: - Response rate: Replies, calls, web visits, etc. divided by total letters sent. - Conversion rate: How many responses turned into actual business (sales, bookings, etc.). - Cost per response/conversion: Total campaign cost divided by results. This tells you if it was worth it. - ROI: If you can tie revenue back to the campaign, do the math. If not, at least know your cost per lead.
How to track: - Use Google Analytics for web visits. - Track calls and emails using your unique info. - If you’re using promo codes, count redemptions.
Don’t fudge the numbers: It’s tempting to count any uptick as a win, but unless you can directly link it to your campaign, it’s just noise.
Step 5: Analyze What Worked (and What Didn’t)
Now for the fun (and sometimes painful) part—figuring out why you got the results you did.
Questions to ask: - Did certain segments respond more than others? - Did your call-to-action actually get followed? - Was the offer compelling, or did it fall flat? - Did people mention the letter in replies, or did they ignore it?
How to dig deeper: - Break down results by audience type, geography, or message variant if you ran an A/B test. - Look for spikes in web traffic or calls that line up with delivery dates. - Read or listen to actual responses. Are people confused? Delighted? Annoyed?
What to ignore: Over-analyzing tiny differences. Direct mail response rates are almost always in the low single digits—even a 1–2% shift can be real.
Step 6: Make Smart Tweaks for Next Time
Here’s where the real optimization happens. Don’t try to change everything at once. Tweak, test, repeat.
What to try: - Change your offer: Sometimes, a better incentive is all it takes. - Tweak your call-to-action: Make it clearer, simpler, or more urgent. - Test different audiences: Maybe your list needs a refresh. - Change your timing: Try a different time of year or week. - Experiment with creative: Sometimes a different design or message stands out more.
How to test: - Run small batches before going big. - Only test one variable at a time if you actually want to learn what caused the change.
Don’t: Fall for the “spray and pray” approach. If you don’t measure, you’re just guessing.
Step 7: Get Feedback (But Don’t Overthink It)
People love to give opinions—sometimes useful, sometimes not. After your campaign, ask a few responders (or even non-responders) what stood out.
Ways to get feedback: - Quick follow-up email or call: “Just curious—what made you respond to our letter?” - Ask your team: Did anyone hear casual feedback from customers or sales reps? - Look for patterns in comments or replies.
Don’t: Get bogged down in trying to please everyone. Aim for insight, not consensus.
Step 8: Keep Good Records for Next Time
You’ll thank yourself later if you keep a simple record of what you sent, when, to whom, and what happened.
What to log: - Date mailed - Audience/segment - Message/copy version - Offer - Response and conversion numbers - Cost
A basic spreadsheet works fine. Don’t rely on memory.
What Actually Moves the Needle (And What Doesn’t)
Here’s the straight talk:
Usually worth your time: - A strong, specific offer that’s easy to redeem - Tracking responses with unique URLs, QR codes, or phone numbers - Testing small before you go big
Usually not worth your time: - Over-designing your card - Sending to very broad, untargeted lists - Worrying about the perfect font or color
Direct mail is a game of relevance and timing, not perfection.
Wrap Up: Don’t Overcomplicate It
Analyzing and optimizing your Scribeless campaign is mostly about being clear on your goal, tracking responses in a way that makes sense, and making small, real changes based on what you learn. Don’t let fancy dashboards or “best practices” distract you from what matters: did people take the action you wanted?
Keep it simple. Test one thing at a time. Iterate. And if you’re not sure what worked, ask your customers—they’ll usually tell you straight.
Now, go run a campaign you can actually measure (and improve).