[joshmlewis]

Getting a handwritten note is cool, I guess, but as soon as this type of thing becomes mainstream it's just as meaningful as an email yet far less efficient. I'm not seeing the big secret play behind the scenes that would make this really valuable.

What am I missing?

[JoshTriplett]

Slow adoption, niche service. Companies who adopt it think they'll look ahead of the curve, and to anyone who pays attention to paper mail and doesn't automatically treat it as spam, they might.

[joshmlewis]

That's what I mean though, is the cure for email handwritten notes? Maybe there will be in person couriers for all important communication now. /s

[ghaff]

I actually think a short handwritten note to thank someone for meeting with you or whatever is a nice gesture that stands out from the standard email and doesn't take much effort. Of course, that's real handwritten, not faux handwritten.

I do receive marketing materials from time to time that make a particular effort to stand out--sent FedEx or physical swag of some sort or gimmicky attempts at games/contests/etc. I admit they usually get me to at least look at the mailing though I'm probably no more likely to buy something.

[joshmlewis]

I agree handwritten notes or physical communication of some sort can be effective if people think it's genuine. The problem with making a startup out of this is you are inherently fighting virality because once you do go mainstream you lose the personal value of it.

An interesting comparison is how Facebook started charging to get into a strangers inbox. The intentions behind this seem to be the same. A world fighting for each others attention...

[ghaff]

Yeah. It only really works if it's not the norm, i.e. it stands out. If every donation thank you letter over $20 starts being sent out this way, then it becomes worthless in a hurry. The other downside is that it encourages outsourcing the personal touch. If you're a charity, you should individually reach out to your large donors, not outsource that to a faux handwritten form letter. (Though as others have noted, politicians use robo-signers a lot.)