You, Yes You, Need To Be Writing Handwritten Notes

I get lots of requests from folks who want to do a guest post for this blog. I turn down most of them. But this post is an exception. Beth Schart from Personal Scribe Services has written a great post on the importance of handwritten notes.

Check it out…

Handwritten Notes Are a Winning Business Practice

Your habits and behaviors speak to who you are and where you’re going in life, and now more than ever the real you is on display. Your employees, customers and colleagues have the power to talk about you to a large (sometimes huge) audience. And isn’t word-of-mouth the holy grail in our business lives?

Well, only if it’s positive.

The good news? This is completely within your control.

I like to tell my clients, If you want great word-of-mouth, give people something to talk about. Making handwritten notes one of your routine communication habits is a great place to start and a practice that’s worth the effort. Here are 3 reasons why:

• In our digital world, it’s not widely done. In fact, it’s hardly done at all. On one hand that’s unfortunate but on the other, it makes note writing all the more effective for those of us who do it. (Note to those too young to remember: Even when many people did it, it deepened and solidified a relationship. Now, that effect is multiplied because the practice is so rare.)
• It’s simply good manners. Certainly, a well-written, well-timed note shines a light on the writer, but that’s not why we do it. A thank you note is a tangible way to count our blessings and while it helps us stay mindful of the good people in our lives, it lets those people know, in the nicest possible way, that they matter to us. Heartfelt gratitude whispered to the universe is about you. A handwritten thank you places your focus where it belongs.
• In order to be remembered and remarked upon you must first be noticed. Some businesses have the resources to create expensively crafted, professionally produced marketing messages, then hope for viral sharing on social media, but do you even remember which companies were behind those Super Bowl commercials you watched and shared months ago? Relationships (both business & personal) become much deeper and longer lasting when you cultivate and nurture them authentically, the way it should be done…one person at a time.

Let’s be honest…

There’s a fine line between writing notes because it benefits you and doing it as a sincere and genuine form of communication, so here are some suggestions to keep you on the noble side of that line:

1. Whenever possible, hand write your own notes. This advice might be unexpected coming from the founder of a note writing service but there it is. Ideally, we all pen our own notes. That said, it’s better to have some help from a service than not to do it at all.
2. Hand address your envelope and use a real stamp. Labels and metered postage take the warmth of your note down a notch. By the way, if you’re writing to someone you see at the office every day so you think this doesn’t apply, think again. Resist the temptation to leave your note on their desk. Mail it to their home instead. They’re likely to share it with family members and leave it in a visible place where it will be read and re-read, reinforcing your message and your relationship. And if they happen to live alone, what a nice surprise they’ll receive upon arriving home at the end of a busy day, which brings me to my last point.
3. Remember the 4 S’s of a great note. Keep it short, sincere, specific and spontaneous. Spontaneous in this case means that the recipient doesn’t expect your note so is pleasantly surprised. It doesn’t mean that you can’t have a plan to keep your notes flowing.

In closing I’d like to remind you that sending handwritten notes is a win-win business practice. You’re a person who appreciates others and you’ll form stronger ties when you let people know that. The fact that it can benefit your career is a bonus.

I agree with Beth. Handwritten notes are a win-win business practice. Get yourself some nice notecards, begin writing and sending handwritten notes and watch your career flourish.

Your career mentor,

Bud

PS: I write this blog to help people create the life and career success they want and deserve. Now I’m going one step further. I’ve created a membership site in which I’ve pulled together my best thoughts on success. And, as a reader of this blog, you can become a member for free. Just go to www.BudBilanich.com/join to claim your free membership. You’ll be joining a vibrant and growing community of success minded professionals. I hope to see you there.