Thank You Notes...Are They A Thing If The Past?

Do you remember when you used to write real thank you notes to express your gratitude. Maybe some of you still do from time to time.

The value of the thank you note goes much further than the words you write. The best thing about thank you notes is that they rarely get discarded. I still keep a box of old thank you notes which I look at on days when I have had some business disappointments, friendship disappointments or family issues. And the truth be known I read each one of them sometimes more than one time. And I always feel better afterwards. When my daughter in law was visiting last year, she wrote me a personal note on a paper plate. It is still sitting where she left it, and I read it every single day. It always makes me feel appreciated and cared for.

I have purchased a variety of thank you notes throughout the years. Some of them have been very fancy, some cute and some with just my name on them. Today when I need one I make it on the computer. But that is okay, as my message becomes very personal when I write it in long hand.

It is almost a sad thing that people do not get a pen out, take some time and write a special thank you. There are many reasons to say thank you. Some reasons are for a present, a kindness or just a thank you for being a good friend. How would a business associate feel receiving a personal note from you? People always appreciate the fact that you took the time to write out your feelings, put a stamp on an envelope and go to the post box to mail it.

Okay now the big one; the proposition of writing thank you notes to insure more loyalty from your clientele. What a daunting thought that a note would stay in the hands of a business associate for a very long time. It certainly beats the time an e mail stays on the computer before being deleted. Your (now 42 cents) can really get a lot of mileage. When you put your true feelings down on paper it resonates to another person’s ego and heart. What a great business strategy to keep your name in front of your clients and customers. What if you sat down today and sent a bunch of your customers a special note for being such wonderful customers and how much you appreciate their business? Sound like a lot of work and money? It is a lot cheaper than putting an ad in a magazine or newspaper….and it will last much longer. Do you think they would feel pretty special? I know that I would.

You could claim that you do not have enough time. However, the value of this thank you note could be worth hours of sales calls and follow ups.

After reading this little article I am hoping many of you will go out and purchase some thank you notes and start writing. Today, with the economy in shambles we need to do all we can to keep our customer loyalty. Not to mention the joy of making someone feel good is well worth the time and effort.