Stadtwerke Schorndorf

We develop Jamstack websites and performance marketing for municipal utilities and municipalities as well as small and medium-sized companies and combine them to create a lasting sense of achievement.

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Flanke 7 GmbH: Jamstack Websites + Performance Marketing

The history of the letter is long and it goes back several centuries. From personal letters from one's own environment to advertisements to confidential documents sent by mail today - the letter is neither antiquated nor dying out. Even though many companies are moving to a completely online approach, especially when it comes to signing contracts, the letter still exists. Let's take a closer look at why it can be an interesting and, above all, personal alternative in marketing.


Letter marketing is also known as direct mail marketing or direct mail advertising and refers to a form of marketing in which companies send physical letters, postcards or even brochures to a selected target group. By mail, with postage and everything that goes with it. Often information about products or services is communicated in this way, as well as innovations, new offers or offers tailored to the target group are sent. Letter marketing can also be used to invite people to events. 

In times of Google, AI, VR and social media, many here are now surely asking themselves why people still talk about letters at all and whether and what advantages there are in doing so for companies. Well then, let's take a look.

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A small envelope, a bouquet of benefits - letter marketing doesn't come with just one benefit, nor does it come with two - the benefits are many. 

By its very nature, the letter offers one key benefit: it is physically present, touchable, and less likely to be forgotten than an email does. Emails can also be clicked away or deleted more quickly, which is not as quick with a letter because it is opened first. 

At this point, we'll take a little excursion into economic psychology: traditional utility theory states that the value and utility of an object is always the same, regardless of whether you own it or not. Sounds logical in theory, but in reality it is perceived differently, because this is where the emndowment effect comes into play. As soon as we own a product or object, the individually perceived value increases for each individual. This effect can already be triggered when we take something in our hands. Then it's all about "perceived ownership" and that's the first step in developing an emotional bond. Taking something in the hand changes the value of that "something" - an advantage that a physical object like a letter now brings. You can read more about this 

So much for the benefits of the letter. Are there also disadvantages? There always are, so here's an overview: 

What's more, with letters you always run the risk of them ending up unopened in the wastebasket, despite the many advantages. So it needs to be well thought out whether the letter is an option. We recommend here: Class, instead of mass. 

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We know the pros and cons of letter marketing, but what can it be used for in a marketing strategy?

If you know your target group well and there is a small, narrowly defined target group, you can use a letter to address this target group very specifically. This requires addresses or an address to which such a letter can be sent. But if this is available, then it is virtually nothing other than a personalized newsletter, only as a physically touchable letter. 

Such a letter can also be used for cold calling. Here one should inform oneself in advance only about the legal basic conditions of the cold call. Because straight unsolicited telephone calls are controversial here whether it is really in order or not. 

Who has new offers or would like to offer also a target group a purchase incentive, which can make that wonderfully also by letter. Similarly, samples or specimens of a product can also be used as an incentive and sent by letter. 

Letters are suitable as invitations to trade fairs, events, etc. In addition, there are other ways to use letters. So if you're wondering whether letters aren't completely antiquated or even extinct in the age of social media - no, they're not. They can still be used as a crucial and, above all, cost-effective tool.

Originating in another century, still part of our lives: the letter has a long history and still has its importance today. But as companies increasingly strive for online and also social media, doesn't the question arise whether it might not sometimes even be just right to swim against the tide and address one's own target group in a very targeted and, above all, personal way? 

Letters certainly offer enough advantages, and they have not died out. Perhaps even in times of information overload, the letter will experience a real comeback and, along with newsletters, become a reviving variant of personal marketing. It's definitely something to keep an eye on. 

Antiquated or especially valuable today? Letter Marketing

In our first article on Pinterest, we introduced you to Pinterest as a social media platform in general. What can the platform do and what can you use it for - you can learn all about it in part 1, which can be found 

. But the platform can do much more and especially for marketing, advertising or the basic positioning of a company Pinterest is an interesting possibility. And that's what we're going to take a look at now.


It took a while until advertising on Pinterest could also be placed in Germany, but now nothing stands in the way. Pinterest is not only interesting for private use, but also for companies for advertising, marketing and co. and for this there are different campaign types for companies:

On Pinterest, there are 5 different types of campaigns that companies can use: 

So there's more than one way companies can design and play out campaigns on Pinterest. It is important that companies determine in advance what goal they want to achieve with Pinterest.

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Different types of campaigns naturally increase the attractiveness for companies, because a wider range of options allows them to choose the type that best suits their goals. Wonderful - but what about measuring and addressing the target group? 

Let's start with targeting. Targeting means addressing specific target groups in online marketing - we have an 

 on this in our blog, for anyone who wants to take a closer look. 

Targeting on Pinterest Ads works similarly to Facebook in the Ads Manager. Marketers can create a Custom Audience from visitors to a website or people who have visited a certain URL, or even from people who have interacted with pins. 

For the address, one can then decide between a direct address, or one leaves the address to Pinterest via "Act-A-Like-Audiences". This means that the platform automatically selects people whose interests and/or behaviors match the initial target group or have a lot in common. 

As with Facebook, interests can be selected here so that ads are only played out to people who are interested in a topic. It is also possible to refine the targets using demographic information, for example.

What is not possible with Facebook, but you know it from Google: keyword targeting. Pinterest offers the possibility that ads can also be targeted to selected keywords. As with Google Ads, there are three variants of keywords here: 

Then we take a look at the tracking via Pinterest - there are similarities to Facebook here as well. The Pinterest tag is structured similarly to the Facebook pixel, because there is a base code that contains the individual pixel ID. This base code is then integrated into the head tag on the respective page. Depending on what you want to measure - on Pinterest it's called what event you want to capture - you integrate the tag on the corresponding page. If you want to capture purchase transactions, the Pinterest tag is integrated on the order confirmation page of an online store, for example. 

In addition, there is the possibility to add various variables and with the help of the Pinterest Tag Helper, every advertiser gets appropriate support for questions.

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Then, of course, there is the question of how to set up campaigns accordingly. 

As with other advertising platforms - we mean Facebook or Google here - there are different levels. On Pinterest, you encounter the well-known campaign level as well as the ad group and ad level.

At the highest level, the campaign level, the goal and the optimal spending limit are set. Each campaign must contain at least one ad group.

The campaign budget depends on which goal is to be achieved. If you have chosen the goal "awareness", the budget is used so that as many impressions as possible are achieved. With the "brand preference" goal, everything revolves around the optimization of clicks on pins or on further links. For "conversion" - sure, it's all about conversions. 

For the "catalog" goal, depending on the particular selection, clicks on pins or outbound clicks or Conversions is the result. You can read more about this 

Let's move on to the second level: In the ad groups, you select where ads should appear. For all ads in this group, the budget, bid, duration and targeting are set. Ad groups can be used to address different regions, product lines or even target groups that are all part of the same campaign. This way, targeting can also be optimized and checked, all in one campaign.

On the third and final level, we have the ads and that is ultimately what is displayed to users. Each ad must be assigned to an ad group and has a unique URL as well as unique visuals. It is advisable here to design different ads per group, so that this can also be used to find out what appeals most to the target group.



A few final tips if you're still undecided about whether paid marketing on Pinterest is right for you.

What about the budget? Can you run ads on Pinterest with 100€ per month? And how long should a campaign run? Is it possible to spontaneously run a campaign for 2 weeks?

If you are concerned about one of these questions, then we can give you the following:

If you are planning to run a brand awareness campaign that is primarily about generating attention, then you can start with 200-300€ per month. For a traffic campaign that aims to drive interested users to your website or store, you need to budget at least 300-700€ per month. For the conversion campaign, which should of course bring you good sales figures, it only makes sense from 1,500€ monthly budget. 

If, for example, you can only spare 150€ per month to "test" Pinterest, then our advice is to leave it alone and rather invest the budget in the already existing marketing measures. Otherwise, with too little budget, the Pinterest campaign simply has too little scope to generate good performance and complete the learning phase.

But speaking of the learning phase - how long should a campaign ideally run?

Campaigns should have a minimum duration of 30 days. For a conversion campaign, which is the most complex in terms of structure, the runtime should rather be 2-3 months at least. Spontaneous campaigns with a short duration (1-2 weeks) usually do not perform as well as campaigns with a duration of 4 weeks. 

As with all marketing channels - patience is a virtue. The learning phase of the Pinterest algorithm lasts up to 14 days on average; therefore, no changes should be made to the campaign during these first two weeks, otherwise the learning phase will restart.

To conclude, 98% of users report finding new products through Pinterest. So Pinterest is definitely an exciting channel to keep an eye on.


There is a lot to learn about Pinterest and its possibilities for marketing, advertising, etc. The similarities to other platforms when placing ads certainly make it easier to get started, but ultimately the question should be asked in advance: Why this platform and what do I hope to gain from it? 

Not all online marketing is the same and accordingly the choice of channel should also fit the target group, the brand and other aspects. 

If you choose Pinterest, you will definitely catch your target group on the level of interests and inspirations, because that is the core of the platform. A great playing field for content marketing, but also not to be neglected in the affiliate sector. 



There are more articles on many colorful topics in the 

Pinterest - Part 2: Ads 

Jonathan Swift once said, "Vision is the art of seeing the invisible." A quote so powerful that it probably leaves most with wide eyes and a sighed "Whew." So how does that work, seeing the invisible? Are there special VR glasses for that? 

Of course not, because if you put Swift's statement in context, it's much more about thinking outside the box and asking yourself questions that no one has asked before. Questions for which there are perhaps still hardly any or even no search results in Google. Being visionary and innovative - that's what it's all about. And with that, we are opening a drawer today that is more than just a buzzword: thought leadership.



Thought Leadership? If one were to translate it literally - namely "thought", the English verb for to think or to have thought and "leadership", English for "leadership" or "management" - then one would have "thought leadership". That can't be what is meant, can it? 

It isn't, because behind thought leadership is something else - opinion leadership or thought leadership. So what is thought leadership? 

Roughly speaking, thought leadership is a marketing approach by companies or individuals who have a high level of expertise in a field and at the same time embody innovation and vision. 

Of course, that's still very theoretical now, so what does it mean more specifically? 

A company positions itself as a leading authority and expert, presenting innovative ideas, insights and visions that have a positive impact on the industry and can be considered groundbreaking. A thought leader is characterized by having deep expertise, extensive experience, and a creative mindset that enables him or her to offer new perspectives and analyze complex problems. In other words, he doesn't just know a subject well, he knows it very, very well.

It is not just about repeating known and existing facts, but about presenting new ideas that can bring about positive change. So companies ask themselves questions that no one has asked before and try to answer them. It is also about having answers to specific questions posed by the target group. Because an innovative approach can also be hidden in this. 

Thought leadership is often established in public through the publication of professional articles, research studies, lectures, interviews, podcasts and other forms of expert communication. thus, the expertise and leadership position becomes visible to the outside world, which can lead to an increased reputation and credibility.

Another important aspect of thought leadership is the ability to recognize trends and developments at an early stage and to actively participate in discussions and innovations. This can provide the opportunity to influence the direction of an industry and be perceived as a thought leader. Which brings us back to the point of "seeing the invisible."

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What can such a pioneering role bring, you ask yourself? After all, crazy ideas can also be met with incomprehension or skepticism. 

One of the main benefits of thought leadership is that it generates attention. People who are known for their knowledge are usually perceived as credible and trustworthy. And thought leaders continually demonstrate their knowledge and associated authority, as they never miss an opportunity to communicate and pass on knowledge and share their experiences. 

So those are two different benefits: Generating attention and building trust. Both triggered by credibility. And from the attention generated, there can also be a great reach. Could be another benefit of this strategy, right?

So there is a whole bouquet of aspects why thought leadership is a valuable approach for companies and/or individuals.

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That sounds so good, you could start right away, couldn't you? It's not quite that simple, because just having great expertise is not enough for thought leadership. Expertise is step 1, so to speak, but ideally there should also be proof and evidence of one's own expertise and perhaps some authority and name recognition. 

Comprehensive knowledge of the target group and its needs should not be neglected either. Because without knowing the target group inside out, it will be difficult to answer questions that the target group may ask or could ask tomorrow. 

Ambition, self-confidence, passion and curiosity are further, very important aspects that a thought leader should bring along. After all, an intrinsic motivation to become better, to grow beyond oneself and that, coupled with the curiosity to discover new things, are crucial to really seeing and finding the "invisible". 

Self-confidence and passion are important especially in terms of impact on others, because being able to emphatically represent your own knowledge and captivate others definitely helps. A great example of this is Steve Jobs. 

So there is a toolbox full of resources that can help. First and foremost, of course, one's own knowledge in the field.

We have been inspired for this article and have looked around, asked around and researched extensively. We would like to list a few articles and books here for those who want to delve deeper: 

Becoming a visionary and being able to see the invisible, a summary of thought leadership that gives you at least a rough sense of what it's all about. There's a lot more to it than that, and becoming a thought leader is not something that can be done overnight or without a corresponding amount of work. But what is it that anyone can do, thought leader, high expertise or not? Think outside the box, get creative in questioning, take different perspectives. Trying to think about tomorrow without special VR goggles and maybe finding semi-transparent things. Possible, isn't it?


What can be found at first glance and without glasses are our other articles in the 

Flanke 7 GmbH

Jamstack Websites + Performance Marketing

A powerful combination

Projects (All projects)

Stadtwerke Schorndorf

Do you like our projects?

Blog (All posts)

Antiquated or especially valuable today? Letter Marketing

Pinterest - Part 2: Ads

The art of seeing the invisible