The Power of a Handwritten Notecard

My Grandma & Mom always stressed the thank you note habit at our house, and had us write out our own after birthday and holiday gifts from relatives. It has become a habit that almost died out because of the advent of high tech email and ecards and more impersonal forms of communication. Did you know only 3% of our mail is personal now?

You have the thought, you mean well, you mean to get around to sending them. Please check my profile for the high tech way of providing that touch of old fashioned courtesy. You can get your own handwriting font and signature for writing the cards. Well, no big commercial here, so please just check out my profile.

I think most people would enjoy a card that thanks them - I don't think it's unprofessional at all - everyone needs to feel appreciated!

Shar, I think this is great advise. All use hand written notes for all my correspondence with future and existing clients. Same with the envelopes. I think people really appreciate it.

You know, in this rush-rush world, I really don't think people take the time to appreciate whether the envelope is handwritten or not (no tacky mailing labels though!). The card itself and what you write in it is what counts.

Personally, I hate the typed form letters some people send out that they didn't even bother to sign. The cards I send get saved and often put into frames or displayed on mantles, refrigerators and desks. People tell me they still have the card I sent them months later.

Send Out Card's envelopes have a handwritten-type font. When people show their cards to me and ask how I got my picture and business card in them, they have to really squint to see that I didn't actually sign the card since it's in my own signature font. They're amazed and not at all offended that I didn't put pen to paper.

If there are many thank you notes for me to to write, I just use a card campaign, and they All get cards personalized for them with their names (auto mail merge - Dear Mary, Hi Steve) and in my own handwriting. And I never have to enter their address again.

The difference? No hand cramps for me - no hassle. Since I have had hand surgery in the past, this is a Godsend for our home inspection business, and I couldn't say enough positives about it for sending all the thank you's to everyone - I'm sending out more now than I ever had time to do in the past!

Handwritten notes are the best - people appreciate that you take the time to write them.  I surely need to do more of that ----maybe all of your comments have inspired me to do that!  Thanks!

Uh Oh - did I see the word MAYBE in that post, Norma? Change that to "I will definitely do more of that!!" It really works well, especially with the past clients that you've already taken such care to nurture the relationship with and do a great job for.

They know you, like you and trust you already. Keeping your name in front of them keeps them loyal to you, and that's what you need if you want to have a referral only business eventually.

There's too much competition out there and people are too easily won over to someone else if you don't keep in touch.

Barb

(PS: If you think you don't have time, read my profile)

I enjoy receiving hand written notes so I like to think everyone enjoys them from time to time.  Brian Buffini's cards are really nice and are perfect for any occasion. 

Congratulations for implementing. That is the key

I've got a book coming out later this year on just this topic.

Thanks for your post

Consistency is the key.  I bought a large pack of plain multi-colored cards to do just that.  I need (and will) take them to work to send out a few daily.  Great job.

Great job, you are so right, hand written notes are so important in this age of computer technology and email.

Its more personal.

Great post.

Keep up the great job.

Great post.  I have used this for years.  I also send them out for birthdays and anniversaries. 

SHAR - The handwritten personal note can be very powerful.  In the day and age of e-mail, texting, etc., the handwritten note really sticks out.

I've read a lot of organizational books, and ones on time management too. I try my hardest to implement them, but I flunk once in a while.

My main problem used to be that I'd have the best intentions in the world about sending my cards - I had boxes of them, and truly meant to send them all out. My downfall seemed to be with "card placement" - LOL! I would write them out longhand like a good girl (some even got all the stamps on them immediately).

Then, I'd run out of stamps, or the cards slid on the seat of my car going too fast around a corner and I'd find a card on the floor a week later. Sometimes I'd put them in a neat pile on my desk, ready to go out, and things would get shuffled around during the day and before you know it, they're not where I notice them. They sometimes didn't get sent in a timely manner because of more pressing deadlines, and going to the post office wasn't high priority.

I learned to put things to mail on top of my purse, and that helped a little. Sometimes the cards I had just didn't seem to fit the occasion, and I'd have to run out to the card store.

Now my cards go out whenever they need to, I'm able to do them quickly while I'm thinking about them, and because I have a problem with my hand, I don't have to be in cramping pain after I write my cards (especially all those Christmas Cards).

When it's high tech, but a greeting card going out in the mail in my own handwriting font and delivered in their mailbox, it's the best of both worlds for me!

I was just saying to my mom today that she taught me well, I still write hand written cards to clients. I thought I was the last woman standing. It's nice to know there are others, lol.

Yep! Still standing over here too Lisa!

My mother always said that if someone took the time to remember us with a card or a gift, we were obligated to acknowledge their kindness with a nice handwritten thank you card.

I have tried to pass that mindset on to my own children (and hope it got drilled deep into their brains). They now use Send Out Cards and add pictures taken during the parties, functions, etc. to the cards they send out (Example: I took a digital picture of my son holding up a gift from his grandmother with a big smile on his face. He put the pic into the thank you card, wrote the note, and pressed "Send Card". Grandma really loved it!

We always get calls about the cards after people receive them about how nice the cards were and  how nice it was that the kids had actually taken the time to send them. With kids starting on computers even before kindergarten, it's something they like to use, since it's fun, too.

Old fashioned courtesy, but with high technology so they actually get sent. The tradition continues! (Thanks Mom).

It sure adds a personal touch.  I do it on occassion but I need to get in the habit of doing it more.

I send a few cards here and there, but never did with any consistency.  From what I'm reading here, I did it all wrong.  Will start again to send at least a few every day no matter what.  Thanks to all.

Handwritten notes are becoming a lost art.  I think it is just as important to hand-write the address.  Who can resist opening an envelope that is hand addressed? Curiosity is a great sales tool.

You're so right Lynn. Only about 3% of mail now is personal, which means that everything else in the stack of mail gets put aside while they open the greeting card. If it's a nice card with appreciation instead of self promotion, you get remembered. The envelope font on the front of the cards sent from a SendOutCards account has that handwritten feel that's very nice, and since the envelope has a real stamp on it too, it gets opened.

Shar...I not only write handwritten notes to my clients but also to the other agents I work with.  I sometimes will send a quick handwritten note to an agent when we first go to contract telling them that I look forward to working together with them and then at the close of the transaction and enclose a $5.00 Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts gift card.  It goes a long way with establishing good relationships with my peers.