In today’s fast-paced world, where emails and texts dominate our communication, the handwritten note has become a rare and almost forgotten gesture. Yet, there’s something undeniably personal and powerful about receiving a note via snail mail or hand delivery —it’s a tangible expression of attention to detail. In marketing, where building authentic connections is key, handwritten notes can be a unique way to stand out from the noise and create a lasting impression.
According to Psychology Today, handwritten notes have been shown to activate brain regions associated with memory encoding more effectively than digital methods. This suggests that the personal touch of a handwritten note not only creates a stronger emotional impact but also leads to more memorable interactions in professional settings.*
Why Handwritten Notes Still Matter in Marketing
Whether it’s a thank-you card to a loyal customer or a personal partnership message, the art of putting pen to paper is truly an opportunity to humanize your company’s brand (and personal brand) and foster deeper relationships.
Handwritten notes foster:
1. Tangible connection: In the digital landscape, physical touchpoints can stand out, especially when there is no agenda attached! You never know where your note might find a home—pinned to a desk or proudly displayed on a refrigerator.
2. Personalization: Handwritten notes with anecdotes show extra effort and personalization beyond automated emails or texts. Know that the recipient is going on vacation or expanding their family? Use this as an opportunity to capitalize on going deeper in connecting to their lives.
3. Perception of value: Customers, colleagues, partners, and beyond can associate handwritten notes with a higher level of care and service. It will not go unnoticed that someone took the time to thoughtfully concoct a note and send it. It represents your working style and your company well.
4. Added touchpoints to gain loyalty: A personal gesture like a note can create a sense of loyalty in return and create another touchpoint to connect with the recipient. For example, I sent a note to a partner across the country, noting that I was looking forward to working with her. She followed up in an email to my team, saying thank you for the note! This set the foundation for a successful working relationship down the road.
Getting Started
Grab some greeting cards and stamps, and start writing – it’s that easy! Here are four ideas to kick off the process:
1. Customer appreciation: Send a thank-you note after purchases or significant milestones (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.). Zappos and Chewy are often cited for sending personalized, handwritten thank-you cards to customers. These brands have reported stronger customer loyalty and a higher rate of repeat business as a result of these efforts.
2. Event marketing: Send follow-up notes after events or special occasions. Was someone’s presentation impactful? Did a vendor have a successful booth? Go the extra mile to tell them so!
3. Sales and lead nurturing: Try to send handwritten notes to prospects as a more personal touchpoint in a sales funnel. Make sure you are in lockstep with sales to ensure seamless communication.
4. Partnerships: Use handwritten notes to recognize the marketing efforts of key partners. P.S. This could include your colleagues, too! Try sending or giving a note to someone you work closely with to recognize their collaboration and encourage them.
Practical Tips
- Don’t forget to keep the notes short, legible and readable. Avoid jargon.
- While slipping in a business card might seem practical, sometimes it’s more impactful to let the message speak for itself.
- Keep the human element at the forefront of your tone but ensure professionalism. Ensure your paper elements match your tone.
- If you’re writing in bulk, ensure that you can scale without losing authenticity.
- Proofread your work!
- Double-check the recipient’s address is correct.
- Keep a list of who you’ve sent mail to keep track and reference.
- Be timely.
- Sign the note personally.
The Power of Personalization in a Digital Age
You’ve seen how the lost art of handwritten notes can build genuine connections with customers, but how do they impact ROI? While customer retention, feedback, and increased engagement can be measured, the true value lies in the genuine gesture itself—because, at the end of the day, authentic relationships will always outweigh transactional approaches.
Happy writing!
For further reading:
- https://hbr.org/2013/04/handwritten-notes-are-a-rare-c
- https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2021/07/23/the-lost-art-o f-a-handwritten-note/
- https://www.hallmarkbusiness.com/insights/article/the-power-of-a-handwritten-note/
*Citation generated by Chat GPT.
Michaela Coon, Hospital Marketing Manager, iotaMotion
