Yesterday morning, something very strange happened.

I got a letter. You can see it here.

I know, I know – I'm probably not doing my social standing any favours by claiming this is exciting. But seriously… it massively caught my attention.

It had my name and address written by hand on the front. In actual pen. On actual paper.

And I didn't recognise the handwriting.

It wasn’t a bill. It wasn’t a takeaway menu. It wasn’t a flyer trying to sell me a conservatory.

Nope – in fact, it was quite sturdy. It felt like it might be a birthday card.

Which was odd, because it wasn't my birthday. Nor was it any other notable occasion. Unless you count "Wednesday" – and, frankly, I don’t.

So there I was, holding this mysterious envelope, with my curiosity properly piqued. I mean, who had sent me this? And why?

Inside was a nicely printed postcard – which, I'll admit, it was a slight disappointment. 

BUT what caught my eye, again, was my name - handwritten on the postcard.

The postcard was inviting me to check out a new local office space. Flexible contracts, superfast WiFi, and – crucially – with cleaners.

And you know what? I will check them out.

Because they nailed it.

It wasn't an amazing postcard. Certainly not perfect.

But they thought about who their perfect customer was, and they got their messaging spot on. Then they sent it to the right people - I am definitely interested to know more.

So it felt like they really did want to reach me. It felt personal.

They didn’t spam me with another AI-generated email about "synergistic workspace solutions for the hybrid entrepreneur" (ugh). They wrote my name. In pen. On paper. And popped it through my door.

And that, in today's digital age, is marketing gold.

Not because it’s flashy or clever or uses some revolutionary growth hack.

But because it felt personal. It felt human. It got my attention.

And in a world where most people are letting robots do their talking, that’s powerful stuff.

Now, let’s bring this back to you.

As you're reading this, you are most likely a small family business, selling your services or products to other families... you’re in the business of people.

You already have what so many big brands are desperately trying to fake: real human connection.

So here’s a thought.

What could you do to bring a little bit of that real-world, personal magic into your marketing?

Maybe it’s a handwritten thank you card to a loyal customer. A little postcard with a note offering a free trial to those parents who enquired last month, but never booked. A little gift that says, “Hey Sarah, we thought of you.”

It doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

But it does have to be human.

Because in an increasingly digital, AI-written, swipe-left world… the old-fashioned, real-life stuff just might be the freshest move you can make.

Till next time,

Tim

About The Author

Tim Freed is the Co-Founder of both Toddle About and Book That In.

Having built and managed a 50-strong team of door-to-door sales people in his early 20s, he joined the corporate world and built a multi-million pound recruitment team. Then Tim turned to entrepreneurship - founding Toddle About in 2010, which is now a thriving franchise business. He went on to launch Book That In in 2017 with his business partner, Alec Wadey, which is now one of the fastest growing online booking systems in the UK.

Tim is always learning and striving to improve and loves nothing more than sharing his hard-won knowledge and experience in sales, marketing, leadership and entrepreneurship with other business owners to help them on their own journeys.