By Andrea Goeglein
Want to know how to turn a $3 investment into a $1,000,000 impression? Handwrite your next thank you to someone you meet in business after your first meeting. Okay, I cannot statistically prove the cost of the stamp and card (about $3) will really yield a $1,000,000 impact, but I can tell you it will leave a very positive impression.
I have always handwritten thank you notes. I happen to like the feel of paper. I find the act of writing the note slows me down enough to embed in my memory the kindness or positive meeting I just had. Whether I send a handwritten thank you note also tells me if I care to do business with the person. I find if I have to ‘fake’ the gratitude, I just cannot hand write the note. I was intrigued that even a skeptic of the positive science on the impact of handwriting, Yale psychologist Paul Bloom, concedes that handwriting ‘forces you to focus on what’s important.’
What I do from experience is that when I send a handwritten note to a new business acquaintance, I get an email thanking me. That opens the door to future communication and potentially a longer-term business relationship.
This trail of connection was most evident in a client’s efforts to find a new position after relocating to a new city. Without any direction from me, he had a habit of handwriting notes. This came to light when I suggested he do just that. He proudly informed me it was the only way he writes thank you notes in business. He reported several times the positive feedback he received, with each recipient willing to suggest more connections and make offers to help shepherd further connections on his behalf. Then came the note to end all notes – a handwritten note from his little girl letting him know how much she missed him. Nothing embeds a positive feeling deeper, than one you share. He sent the photo of the note to me and I am now sharing it with you.
Dr. Success Challenge: Think of three co-workers or clients with whom you would like a deeper business relationship. Take the time to write them a note of thanks. Make note of how doing that impacts your mood.
PS: With Father’s Day Sunday, June 21, it may be a perfect time to write your Dad a note no matter how old you are!
