Send a Thank-You Card

Friday, 18 February 2011

When was the last time you received a traditional, handwritten, personalised thank-you note or card? What was your reaction? If you are like me, you thought, “How nice of him to take the time to write.” Gratitude is #7 in the top ten traits of a master networker.

Our society seems to be moving away from handwritten material. Christmas cards are being replaced by “e-cards”, usually with a note about a donation being made to charity (so we don’t think the sender is being cheap). If people do send cards through the post, they are often imprinted with the sender’s name and the address is a computer-generated label, so handwriting is kept to a minimum. With business communication now mostly via e-mail, a handwritten card of thanks carries even more cordiality than when it was the norm.

What to write? A typical thank-you note might consist of three sentences—how much effort does it take to write three sentences? Hand-address the envelope, add a postage stamp (you don’t even need to lick it anymore), and you can make a big personal impact with another human being.

When to write? You might be thinking “I don’t have time to send out cards all the time.” But of course you do. What about when you are waiting for a bus or train, or sitting alone eating lunch? Two minutes is all you need, and I’ll bet you have lots of two-minute segments in your day that are currently wasted.

Who to write to? Don’t make it complicated. If someone has gone the extra mile for you, send him or her a card. You might send cards to people who give you a referral, make an in-person introduction, help with an event, or solve a problem.

Finally, when you send the card, never, ever include your business card! (Read that sentence again, because it is very important.)The thank-you card is all about expressing your gratitude, not about pushing your business.

Action this week! First go out and purchase some suitable thank-you cards. You might want something themed with your business, but actually any nice blank card will do. With minimal technology, you could create a card with a photo or graphic personal to you.

Next, sit down and make a list of those this month who have gone the extra mile for you. Finally, store some cards, envelopes and stamps in your briefcase and you’ll be ready the next time you have a spare two minutes.

This article is similar to an educational talk I gave at a BNI Premier networking breakfast. It is based on material in The 29% Solution by Ivan Misner.

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