If you’re running handwritten direct mail campaigns, you’re probably doing it because you want to stand out—and because you think it’ll actually drive results. But “results” is a slippery word. If you can’t measure ROI, you’re just guessing.
This guide is for founders, marketers, and anyone who wants to know—not hope—if their handwritten mail is paying off. We'll focus on how to do that with Handwrytten, but the basic ideas work for any similar service.
Why Tracking ROI for Handwritten Direct Mail Is Harder Than It Looks
Handwritten mail is attention-grabbing, but tracking its effectiveness isn’t as easy as watching website clicks. People get a letter, maybe think about it, or act weeks later. It’s real-world, not digital, so you need to get creative—without making things complicated for your recipients or your sanity.
Let’s skip the fluff and get into the nuts and bolts.
Step 1: Be Crystal Clear on Your Goal
Before you send anything, know what “success” means. Otherwise, your campaign will just be expensive guesswork.
Ask yourself:
- Do you want people to visit a website?
- Book a call?
- Use a promo code?
- Make a purchase?
- RSVP to an event?
Pro tip: Pick one main action you want people to take. If you give them three things to do, you’ll have no idea what worked.
Step 2: Set Up Concrete Tracking Methods
The old “just ask how they heard about us” doesn’t cut it. You need tracking that works even if people never mention the letter. Here are the main ways:
1. Dedicated URLs
How it works: Print a unique web address in the letter. Anyone who visits it came from your mail.
- Best practice: Use a short, memorable URL (e.g., yoursite.com/hello). Use a redirect to your real landing page so you can track hits.
- What works: Tools like Bitly, or your own site’s redirects with Google Analytics.
- What doesn't: Long, complicated URLs. Nobody will type those in from paper.
2. Unique Promo Codes
How it works: Include a code (“MAIL10” or “JULYHAND”) for a discount or offer. Track redemptions.
- Best practice: Use a different code for each campaign, or even each recipient if you’re ambitious.
- What works: Codes that are easy to type and remember.
- What doesn't: Generic codes (e.g., “WELCOME”). If you use the same code on your website and postcards, you’ll never know which channel worked.
3. Custom Phone Numbers or Extensions
How it works: Set up a dedicated phone number or extension just for direct mail responses. Track calls.
- Best practice: Services like CallRail or Google Voice can help.
- What works: Numbers that forward to your main line, so you don’t miss calls.
- What doesn't: Expecting people to mention the letter if you don’t prompt them.
4. QR Codes
How it works: Add a QR code that links directly to your landing page.
- Best practice: Use a QR code generator that tracks scans and links to a unique URL.
- What works: Making the QR code big enough to scan, and explaining what happens if they do.
- What doesn't: Tiny, mysterious QR codes with no context.
5. Response Cards or Forms
How it works: Include a physical card or form for recipients to mail back or bring in.
- Best practice: Make it pre-stamped if you want responses.
- What works: This is old-school but can work for certain industries (think nonprofits, luxury, or local services).
- What doesn't: Expecting high return rates unless you have a very engaged audience.
Step 3: Set Up Tracking Inside Handwrytten
Handwrytten doesn’t track ROI out of the box. It’s a sending platform, not a full marketing analytics tool. But you can use it to make tracking easier.
Here’s how:
- Personalize at Scale: Handwrytten lets you mail-merge data. Include unique URLs or codes for each recipient directly in your message.
- Keep Lists Organized: Upload lists with tracking fields (like a column for unique codes or URLs).
- Export Data: After the campaign, export your recipient lists so you know exactly who got what.
Don’t bother: Handwrytten won’t show you who responded. You have to connect the dots using your own analytics, promo code redemptions, or call tracking.
Step 4: Measure What Matters (and Ignore Vanity Metrics)
Tracking web visits, code redemptions, or calls is great. But don’t get distracted by big numbers that don’t mean sales.
What to measure:
- Response Rate: How many people actually did the thing you wanted (visited, called, redeemed)?
- Conversion Rate: Of those who responded, how many became customers or booked a meeting?
- Revenue Generated: What’s the total sales or value from this campaign?
- Cost: How much did you spend (printing, postage, Handwrytten fees, tracking tools, etc.)?
Formula:
ROI = (Revenue from campaign - Total campaign cost) / Total campaign cost
What to ignore: Impressions, “brand awareness,” or how many people might have seen your letter. You’re after real actions, not warm fuzzies.
Step 5: Analyze and Learn—Don’t Just Celebrate
Once the campaign’s run, look at the real numbers. Did the campaign pay for itself? Did it beat your other marketing channels? Did the handwritten touch make a difference, or was it just a nice idea?
What works:
- Comparing to past campaigns (handwritten vs. regular mail, or mail vs. email)
- Looking for spikes in web traffic, calls, or sales that line up with the send date
- Segmenting by audience—did one group respond more than another?
What doesn’t:
- Cherry-picking one big sale and calling the whole thing a win
- Ignoring low response rates because “it’s about relationship-building”
If something flopped: That’s useful too. Figure out if your list was bad, your offer was weak, or if handwritten mail just isn’t the right fit for your people.
Step 6: Avoid Common Pitfalls (Learn From Others’ Headaches)
- Don’t skip the tracking: If you don’t set up tracking now, you’ll regret it later. It’s a pain to guess after the fact.
- Don’t overcomplicate: One unique code or URL per campaign is usually enough. Only go granular if you actually plan to use that data.
- Don’t expect miracles: Handwritten mail can stand out, but response rates are rarely huge. If you break even or slightly better, that’s a win in most industries.
- Don’t mix campaigns: If you’re sending similar offers via email, postcard, and handwritten note, make sure each uses separate codes or URLs.
Step 7: Keep It Simple and Iterate
The best campaigns are the ones you can actually track and learn from—not the fanciest. Here’s what to remember:
- Decide what you want people to do.
- Make it dead simple for them to do it (unique URL, code, or phone number).
- Track every response.
- Compare results honestly, not wishfully.
- Tweak and repeat.
Bottom line: Tracking ROI from handwritten direct mail isn’t rocket science, but it does take planning. Don’t get lost in the weeds. Set up tracking before you send, measure what really matters, and use what you learn for the next round. That’s how you make these campaigns actually pay off.