One of the beauties of summer is the chance to disconnect from technology every now and then and reconnect with old friends. I had such a chance a few weeks ago when I went to visit my best friend of 40 plus years. We always seem to be able to pick up wherever we last we left off and immediately get to laughing, reminiscing and catching up on one another’s lives. At one point, we were sharing fond memories of our days at girl scout camp as my friend was preparing to send her two pre-adolescents to scout camp in the coming week. My friend is such a devoted and thoughtful mom, she was already planning notes and care packages to drop in the mail so that each of her children would have something to open during their days at camp.
The personal letter. The care package. A handwritten thank you note. There is nothing like getting a surprise in the mail. And yet, writing personal notes is a bit of a lost art in today’s world of email, texting, and social media.
Well this particular summer visit got me thinking about that personal touch. I know it’s important to take time every now and then to refresh and renew with some time away – some kind of diversion. I think it’s also important to refresh and renew relationships – personal and business. I used to send out thank you notes after a particularly important business endeavor or opportunity, but even I’ve slipped in recent years. So it’s a practice I’m bringing back. Why?
Refreshingly Rare.
I’m not sure where I heard the phrase – my apologies and kudos to the author, but it continues to stick: High touch trumps high tech every time. Personal handwritten notes grow rarer by the day and, in my opinion, they trump many other kinds of communication.
- Notes are purposeful and personal.
- Any expression of gratitude is important.
- They offer the element of surprise.
- They are a rarity, and therefore, memorable.
- They can show creativity.
- They are perfect for the tactile people among us.
Implied value.
When someone takes the time to choose (or create) a card, write a personal note, hand address, apply a stamp and mail it— the time involved is far greater than sending an email. Time is valuable. This time and energy also helps build trust. The sender has taken the time to craft a message that is personal and show the receiver that they matter enough to warrant extra time, thought and energy. Some notes get shared or saved. Even if they get tossed, they almost assuredly get read first. This is an investment.
For the more creative types among us, a thank you note or other personal note is a way to show some of your unique creativity. And while you don’t want to mistake a personal note for a sales piece in any way, you are sharing a bit of yourself — and perhaps an idea of what it might be like to work with you. I was delighted to walk into a client’s office and see one of my cards on his bulletin board. That’s memorable.
A handwritten note (and envelope) is considered private and will often make it direct to the recipient — no gatekeepers. This can have great impact — but a word of caution: Let the note be an opportunity to reach out and truly thank someone. No sales messages, I implore you. That just feels wrong. Marketing messages in your handwritten note wreak of self-serving and hidden agendas. But if you’re genuine and real, you can’t go wrong.
Saying thank you.
I was recently invited to participate in a FaceBook challenge called 100 days of happiness — post for 100 consecutive days a photo(s) of something that made you happy. Easy, I thought. I laughed at first, thinking no big deal. At first it was easy; there are lots of things that contribute to my happiness. And then, some days were a little more challenging. You have a bad day or something goes wrong, you might forget to post one day. What was great about this effort was that it truly helped me look for the good. Even on days that were challenging, I became hopeful because there was always something that I could find. This active task helped reshape my own appreciation and gratitude.
If you are up for the challenge, I suggest you find one person to thank or acknowledge with a personal note each day. I bet it will not only be beneficial to you, but could also help your business. If not, it will certainly help your mood. Because while it feels so nice to get that handwritten note in the mail, it makes the sender feel pretty good, too.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
— Wendy Baird, principal and president
