A direct mail trick you can use in your emails to make them feel more personal

I’m building my copywriting business and newsletter on the side while working a 9-to-5.

If you don’t know it yet, I manage payments and collect debts for a large portfolio of commercial tenants in the U.S.

Most of my work happens over email and phone calls from my office in Montreal, Canada.

And…I never receive mail.

But something weird happened this Monday.

The office receptionist barged into my department and handed me a letter addressed to my name.

Weird…

I told you, I never receive mail.

I thought maybe it was a check from a U.S. tenant sent to the wrong office.

But the moment I held it, I knew it was personal.

A few signs gave it away.

First, there was a handwritten note on the envelope. Handwriting almost always means it’s a personal letter.

Second, it was the note itself. The cover read: “To Mo Khalaf, from Joseph.”

This did nothing but confirm it was from a U.S. tenant.

But why was he sending it to me? Here?

And that’s when I saw it...

The stamps.

One stamp featured legendary basketball coach John Wooden.

And the other? Baseball’s Hall of Fame Hank Aaron holding a bat.

Who chooses stamps like these for a business letter?

No one. Literally no one.

That’s when I realized it was personal. Addressed to me. At my place of work.

You see, back in late November, I had a call with one of the tenants. His name’s Joseph and called to ask him to send a check to a particular address in the U.S.

But that call turned into a 45-minute phone conversation. The conversation was nothing out of the ordinary. But it was enjoyable.

I didn’t think much of it at the time.

So when I saw it was from him, I thought… is it possible he sent the check directly to me?

But those stamps changed my mind.

I opened it, and sure enough, it was a personal thank-you note from Joseph.

Not a check.

Not a formal document.

But a thank-you note.

I was on cloud nine the rest of the day.

It was the first time, in my entire year at the company, that a tenant had done something like that.

And that’s a perfect example of how you should build personal relationships with your customers.

Adding a personal touch.

But here’s the thing…

A personal touch doesn’t have to be handwritten or even addressed to you directly.

Sometimes, it’s the small details (like those stamps) that make something feel personal.

Kieran Drew, an X creator, does this brilliantly in his emails.

When I first subscribed to his newsletter, he’d attach a selfie to every email.

A different selfie, every time.

It wasn’t directly addressed to me, but it made the experience feel personal.

That’s what you want to aim for.

Whether it’s an email campaign or a client pitch, find a way to make it feel more human.

Because at the end of the day, people connect with people.

And when they feel that connection, they trust you.

And trust is what drives results.