Thank You for the Thank You note; the lost art of hand-written gratitude, and why it’s coming back.

This is going to be one of those posts that will date you, instantly. 

Raise of hands, (no really) how many of you remember writing or receiving a hand-written note from your grandma, or a bunk-mate from summer camp, or a pen-pal?

There was something magical, validating and intimately rewarding about receiving that personalized piece of mail, and it didn’t even really matter what was inside. Even if it just said “best wishes,” or “thanks,-Bob”, you probably ran your fingertips over the ink, and marveled with a smile on your face about the level of effort that the sender must have gone through to select the cardstock, pick up a pen, drag it across the paper, seal the envelope, stamp it, and have their assistant send it to you. 

Now that’s special. 

But then emails came along. Flags started staying down longer on mailboxes, and hand-written notes became the sort of thing we mused about while watching period television series like Downtown Abbey. 

“There’s something really magical about getting an email from someone”…..said no one, ever. Sentiment, sincerity, and relationship-building do not co-exist with the screen on your laptop or smart-phone, and that’s why the hand-written note is making a come-back! 

In fact, a simple inquiry into your favorite search engine (no judgement here!) will reveal that hand-written notes, especially those expressing gratitude, are all the rage these days, and it’s not limited to any particular generation or demographic! The more, ahem, experienced set can conjure up the romance and wholesomeness of a bygone era (the 1980’s?) by writing and sending a note to potential client or business associate. A millennial can shirk convention and agitate their boss by following up with their leads via snail mail, and the generation Z wunderkind in every office can search for inspirational quotes on Insta to jot down on a notecard.

Thank you notes are one of those things that everyone can agree on in respect to their value, uniqueness and specialness, but sometimes we just can seem to be able to advocate for why we should be using them in a business or professional setting.

But why not?

What did we just agree to here, anyway? That hand-written thank-you notes are valuable, unique, and special? Well that sounds like something clients and potential clients could use a little more of, if we do say so ourselves (and we do.) We build long-term relationships with our clients, and that uniquely builds a lot of value, and specialness between us as we help them build their business and watch it grow!

So the next time you think a lead or a client could benefit from feeling a little bit more valued, write them a note thanking them for their time, and drop it in the mail!

The next time you want to make them feel special, and in turn show them how special you are, write then a thank you note, and drop it off on your way to grab tacos for lunch.

Are you unique? Do you want the world you know that you’re unique? Invest in branded notecards, so your staff can get into the habit of corresponding with their clients and potential clients in a way that can really set them apart from the competition!

Trust us, no matter how jaded, cynical and weathered someone may be, that moment where someone says, “I have mail for you….” the child inside comes alive, and we are once again inspired, curious, and impressionable again. We are ready to connect, and invest, and you can bet that you are going to stay on their mind, for a very long time. Think about it, when you get a hand-written note, how hard is it throw it away?

That’s right! Many of us may still have a Christmas party invitation from 2013, just because it was hand-written, addressed, and sent to just us, and only us.

So write us a note, and let us know how you have used this information to grow your business and connect more meaningfully with those in your network!