Going old school in business: what happened when I sent 20 personalised letters
I ran an experiment in August. It came out of necessity more than inspiration.
Back in April, business went quiet. Easter holidays, yes - but I still have suppliers to pay and a life to run, and you can't do that on zero earnings. So I sent out cold emails and LinkedIn DMs to prospects and former clients. It worked. I won back previous clients and picked up new business. Not because I'm magic, but because most people genuinely don't know how to write an effective email or LinkedIn DM.
The people you want to do business with are bombarded with sales messages every single day. To stand out, you first need to know what everyone else is doing wrong. The most common mistakes I see are opening with "I hope you're well", sending copy-and-paste messages that could have gone to anyone, trying to book a meeting on first contact, dropping a Calendly link before any relationship exists, and trying once then giving up entirely. Avoiding those puts you ahead of the majority before you've even said anything interesting.
So in August I decided to test something different.
The old school sales experiment - 20 personalised letters
In sales, testing is everything. It's a skill I picked up during my decade at Marketing Week and years working alongside marketers. If you keep doing what everyone else is doing, you'll keep getting what everyone else is getting.
This time I went old school. I wrote 20 personalised letters by hand, and with each one I sent a high-quality brochure containing sales tips, LinkedIn insights and testimonials. Ten went to former clients. Ten went to prospects. Here's exactly what happened.
Results from 10 former clients
One said their budget was going elsewhere. Two said it was lovely to hear from me and left it at that. One was interested in 1:1 sales coaching and is now a client again. One was interested in 1:1 LinkedIn coaching and is also back as a client. One was interested in LinkedIn training for their team, with three other people involved in the decision - that one is still in progress. Four didn't reply and I'm currently following up.
Earnings from former clients: £950 for three coaching sessions across two returning clients = £1,900.
Results from 10 prospects
One prospect called me to say it was a refreshing change to receive a letter, and hired me for a half-day group LinkedIn training session at £1,500. One apologised, explained they'd had internal issues, and we have a follow-up date in the diary. One had already hired someone cheaper - frustrating, but it happens. Seven didn't reply and I'm currently following up.
Earnings from prospects: £1,500 for the half-day LinkedIn training.
The numbers
Total earnings: £1,900 + £1,500 = £3,400 Cost of campaign (letters, stamps, brochures): £185 Time invested: one day to write, post and respond
Net return: £3,215 from one day's work and £185 spent.
What this taught me about prospecting in 2024
A few things became very clear from running this.
Testing never stops. The moment you settle into one approach because it worked before, you stop improving. The sales environment changes. Buyer behaviour changes. What stood out twelve months ago might be invisible today.
Standing out matters more than ever. A physical letter in 2024 is genuinely unusual. That's precisely why it works. The prospect who called me said it was a refreshing change - and then hired me on the spot. You don't get that response from another LinkedIn DM.
It's never about you. Whether you're writing a letter, an email, or a LinkedIn DM to a prospect, the message has to be about them. Their challenges, their goals, what's useful to them. The moment it becomes about your awards or your services, you've lost them.
Follow-up is non-negotiable. Four former clients and seven prospects didn't reply to the letter. That's not a no - that's an opening. Most people give up far too soon, which is exactly why following up consistently puts you ahead. And if you've ever wondered why good prospects go quiet, understanding why clients ghost you is worth a read before your next follow-up sequence.
Never stop prospecting. Even when things are busy. Especially when things are busy. The pipeline you build today is what keeps you from having another quiet April.
If you want help with the prospecting, outreach and follow-up skills that actually get results, I offer 1:1 coaching through the Success Generator Programme and group sales training for teams. Get in touch to talk about what you need.
You might also find these useful:
