More and more online businesses are looking to cut through the digital noise and take a step back into using traditional forms of marketing. Physical handwritten notes, for example, are effective marketing channels that can take your business to the next level by adding a personal touch to otherwise generic communication.

But a wildly-capable marketing tactic like handwritten notes needs the best solution to execute and scale efforts.

To ease your confusion, the following article breaks down the two best-in-class handwritten note tools - IgnitePOST and Simply Noted in detail to find the winner. 

Quick recap: What are handwritten notes, and what are their benefits? 

Unlike typed digitally printed cards, handwritten notes in marketing are more like physical greeting cards and letters. You can use the traditional pen-and-paper approach to personalize the note with a human element.  

Here are some benefits of using handwritten notes for marketing purposes:

• To create a positive impression and brand image – Handwritten letters are more personal and authentic than emails and digitally typed notes. So your customers are more likely to remember the gesture for months – thus creating a positive brand image and a great impression.

• A better open rate – Customers’ inboxes are filled with emails and messages waiting to be read. On the other hand, delivering a handwritten letter to a customer’s physical mailbox increases the chances of them reading and paying more attention to your message. Research suggests handwritten notes have almost 99% open rates!

• A higher ROI potential – Handwritten notes have a higher engagement and response rate than most digital channels, thus possessing greater ROI potential.

Feature-by-feature comparison – Simply Noted vs. IgnitePOST for handwritten notes 

How do Simply Noted and IgnitePOST compare feature-wise? Let’s find out.

Before diving in, here’s a quick comparison table: 

1. Technology 

Simply Noted is an autonomous robotic writing technology based on highly sophisticated software. It’s tailored to produce customized handwritten notes using robots that manually write one note at a time.

IgnitePOST uses robotic writing technology developed in 1998, which has constantly been upgraded and tested for over three decades. 

It combines robotic handwriting hardware and proprietary software to deliver error-free, eye-catching handwritten notes across industries like eCommerce, Enterprise sales, insurance, etc. IgnitePOST’s custom writing robots use real ballpoint pens and write notes in 14+ styles.  

2. Personalization 

Personalization makes handwritten notes stand out against competitors and lets customers connect better. 

How do the two tools fare against each other in this aspect?

Simply Noted has note personalization, such as adding each recipient’s name and your own signature at an additional fee of $250. 

IgnitePOST has personalization features that allow you to hyper-personalize handwritten text based on the below attributes:

• Customer’s first name and add the name of the products they purchased.
• Personalize based on customer engagement, for example, inactive buyers, purchase tendencies, repeat buyers, etc.
• Personalize based on user preferences that help you upsell/cross-sell products.

3. Card design

Both Simply Noted and IgnitePOST create handwritten cards using the conventional pen, paper, and ink methods. 

Simply Noted lets you create a card from scratch using your own stationery or offers a wide range of card designs to choose from. The default card size is 5x7. However, you can place a custom order for paper sizes starting from 3x5 to 8x11 or pick from default envelope sizes from A1 to A10.

IgnitePOST’s default card size is 5x7. By contacting the tool's experts, you can easily customize card sizes, paper types, envelopes, stationery, etc. You can also access a card library to pick from images that best fit your multiple use cases. 

The verdict? Both tools offer similar card design customizations. However, IgnitePOST offers more flexibility in choosing the paper type, images, and location of printing of the cards. 

4. Handwriting styles

Choosing unique handwriting adds personality to your physical cards. So your preferred handwritten note tool should offer you the flexibility to choose a preferred style or let you use your own handwriting.  

Simply Noted lets you choose from over a dozen different handwriting styles. You can also add your own and convert it into its own font at an additional one-time fee of $1,500.

On the other hand, IgnitePOST has about the same number of handwriting styles (14+) and fonts. You can also connect with the expert team to add your own handwriting. 

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5. Automation 

Automation of sending handwritten notes is an effective marketing tactic that saves you loads of time and effort. It also saves you a ton of money, thanks to technology.

Ensure the tool you choose has sufficient automation features that let you reach the highest ROI. 

Let’s find out how Simply Noted and IgnitePOST compare in this aspect.

Simply Noted uses the Salesforce Process Builder to automate and enable bulk sending of handwritten notes based on predefined user activities, such as customer anniversaries, birthdays, and other milestones. 

IgnitePOST has a similar automation feature that lets you create custom rules to auto-send handwritten notes on specific dates or on reaching user milestones. 

Additionally, the tool offers a wide range of need-based automation features, like setting up automation workflows for cart abandoners, repeat buyers, inactive customers (>90 days), product restocks, and flash sales – you name it. 

You can opt to send handwritten notes directly from your CRM system or eCommerce platform. You’re free to choose from a wide range of native integrations or use tools like Zapier to set up automated workflows in minutes. 

6. Managed services 

In-house managed services take handwritten direct mail marketing off your hands and use expertise to ensure you receive the highest ROI.

Simply Noted does not offer Managed Services and offers only customer support from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm MST.

IgnitePOST offers Managed Services to help improve your marketing outreach campaigns, regardless of industry. 

IgnitePOST’s Managed Services include:

• Offering expertise in ad creatives.
• Setting up automation workflows for various use cases and scenarios.
• Done-for-you copywriting.
• Omnichannel campaign management across direct mail verticals.
• Offering support in conversion rate optimization.
• Tracking metrics and optimizing efforts.

7. Pricing  

Simply Noted has an on-demand pricing strategy where you can select the number of credits (cards) and pay accordingly. You can either choose in bulk, as shown in the image or select your own number and pay on a per-card basis. 

Each note+envelope is priced at $3.25, and a basic note without the envelope is priced at $2.25.

As previously mentioned, Simply Noted charges a one-time extra fee of $1,500 to add your personal handwriting and $250 for a custom signature. 

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IgnitePOST has a plan-based pricing system that is easy to choose for businesses of all sizes. The plans start from $89/mo which gets you 25 free cards/mo up to $1555/mo with 500 free cards/mo, which includes custom card printing, USPS First Class postage, shipping, integrations, unlimited API calls, automations, and more.

IgnitePOST’s notes can get as low as $2.02 each – making IgnitePOST more affordable for businesses looking to scale using handwritten notes. 

Also, to ensure you don’t waste money, IgnitePOST’s experts can help set up a custom pricing strategy by understanding your goals. 

8. Integrations 

Simply Noted easily integrates your software to support bulk sending by integrating with leading tools like HubSpot, Zapier, Shopify, Zoho, Salesforce, etc.

IgnitePOST offers integrations tailored for industries, such as Shopify for eCommerce, Close for sales teams, Klaviyo for marketing automation teams, and other top tools like Zapier, and HubSpot, to name a few.

The tool also lets you post handwritten notes from any platform by just sending an email to its Operator Bot. This feature lets you integrate with the tool without needing any coding knowledge or custom software development. 

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9. Gift cards 

Including gift cards with handwritten notes, can enhance the customer experience and create a sense of excitement. 

Simply Noted adds prepaid gift cards from popular vendors like Starbucks, Visa, Amex, etc. It charges a monthly fee to stuff one item (gift card, business card, or stuffer) along with a handwritten note.

IgnitePOST also lets you add various card insertions, like gift cards, custom invitations, business cards, custom stickers, etc., at a small additional fee. 

Conclusion 

IgnitePOST vs. SimplyNoted – which tool should you choose?

Both tools outperformed market standards across features. However, IgnitePOST is cost-effective, has more advanced personalization features, and better integrations and automations than Simply Noted – making it the winner of this debate. 

See how IgnitePOST can transition your marketing and outreach efforts using traditional yet modernized handwritten notes - book a free demo or order a sample for free today!