Lidia Varesco Racoma

art director & graphic designer
Chicago, Illinois

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Using handwritten communications to grow your small business

We’ve heard about using social media, but are you using “handwritten media”? Read on for ways to effectively use handwritten communications to grow your small business.

Written Nov 17, 2010, read 3817 times since then.

With so many articles written about how to use Facebook, Twitter and other social media for business, I thought it was time to talk about how to use “handwritten media” for business.

Being an avid user of social media, I can’t deny the power of making business connections via blogs, Twitter and the like. However, I believe staying connected with clients and prospects requires a more personal approach: handwritten communications.

With most of our business communications taking place online, it’s nice to get something in your mailbox (other than bills or junk mail). A handwritten card or note is a visual representation of the time and effort you took to reach out to someone—a concept that is difficult to convey online.

Handwritten communications are an easy way to stay top-of-mind with clients and prospects. Online communications tend to get lost or overlooked, but if a prospect sees your card on their desk, they are more likely to call when they require your services.

Sending personalized cards is also an effective way to build brand awareness for your business and set yourself apart from the competition. Nowadays, most businesses are using social media for brand exposure, but not everyone is using “handwritten media” —creating an opportunity for your business to stand out.

So, what are the best ways to use handwritten communications for business? Here are a few suggestions.

Ways to use handwritten communications for business:

Send a thank you card to a new client after finishing a project. Make sure to mention how you enjoyed working with them and look forward to the next project. Include a few business cards.
Send a follow-up note to a connection you made at a networking event. Make it personal by mentioning something you spoke about at the event or including a promised referral. Include a few business cards.
Send a birthday card to a client or colleague.
Celebrate a special life event such as a marriage, new baby or retirement.
Send a thank you card for a referral. To show extra gratitude, you can even include a gift card for a local business.
Send a thank you card to a colleague or vendor who helped out with a challenging project.
Send a thank you note to a client who always pays invoices on time (this is one of my favorites!)
Send a card on a less-popular holiday. Your clients will be pleasantly surprised to receive a “Happy Thanksgiving” card.

How to stay on top of your written communications:

Buy personalized thank you and birthday cards in large quantities. As they will likely be used most often, this avoids having to order in a pinch.
Keep a running list of people to send thank you cards. Schedule one hour in your workday to write cards (I like Friday afternoons).
Create a category in your calendar program for client and vendor birthdays so you receive reminders when it’s time to send a card.
Buy an assortment pack of personalized various occasion cards (get well, congratulations, etc). You will always have an appropriate card when you need it.
Assign an area of your desk to business stationery: keep it stocked with letterhead and envelopes, personalized greeting cards and notecards, mailing labels and postage stamps. This makes it easy to write a quick note or prepare an invoice or package.

In addition to the business benefits, writing cards also allows you to break away from the computer for an hour to clear your mind and open yourself to new inspiration—not to mention the good feeling that comes from sharing gratitude (and taking a brisk walk to the mailbox!)

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some cards to write…

Learn more about the author, Lidia Varesco Racoma.

Posted by Sally Sharp, London United Kingdom | Nov 18, 2010

Good morning, Lidia. This is such a great article.

We are currently promoting "handwritten" direct mail in the UK. A handwritten communication is such a personal way of getting your message across.
Posted by Lidia Varesco Racoma, Chicago, Illinois | Nov 18, 2010

That's great to hear, Sally. I took my own advice and mailed a birthday card to a client this morning...
Posted by Sally Sharp, London United Kingdom | Nov 18, 2010

I see a lot of sites offering handwritten direct mail in America. Therefore, I presume it is popular over there. Is that the case?
Posted by Arnold Arnan, Kirkland, Washington | Nov 18, 2010

Well written article, and I like the idea of the personal touch.
Posted by Julie Hutton, Kirkland, Washington | Nov 18, 2010

I love your article. Handwritten carries an energy that can't be duplicated any other way....

Love IT! Great job! --Julie
Posted by John Davies, Bothell, Washington | Nov 18, 2010

Great way to do it is to use Send Out Cards. Its an easy way to send out thank you cards online!
Posted by Keith Gormezano, Seattle, Washington | Nov 20, 2010

One thing I do instead of sending thank yous is to mail or send a link to an article from the Wall Street Journal or other publications that I think might be of interest to my client.

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Posted by Ann Penners Bergen, Pasadena, California | Nov 20, 2010

I am so glad to see this article. I have been sending thank you cards for some time now and was worried I was a little old fashioned. Many people enjoy them and I'm happy to see this validation and guidance.

Thank you Lidia!
Posted by Mark Behringer, Kirkland, Washington | Nov 21, 2010

My son has had the good fortune to sell some products via the internet all over the world. He has been following up with hand written notes in the native language of the customer. The response has been literally out of this world.
Posted by Paul Sweum, Bellevue, Washington | Nov 22, 2010

Lidia, with this article you have me firing up Visio and going back to my marketing flowchart to make a few adjustments!

You have some fantastic ideas here that will help folks augment their marketing strategies. For example, holiday card gift packs work fine but some advanced planning and printing for personalized cards with your business logo is even better, as you suggested.

The written note is fast-becoming a lost art form, so it represents added mileage for those of us who embrace it!
Posted by Julie Hutton, Kirkland, Washington | Nov 22, 2010

Yes, Paul, I agree... it is 'fast-becoming a lost art form' so when you do it it really makes a HUGE impact.

Especially if like Mark's son, you send out those handwritten notes in the receiver's native language. WOW! Talk about impact!
Posted by Lidia Varesco Racoma, Chicago, Illinois | Nov 22, 2010

Thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions!

I'm thrilled that so many people are sending handwritten notes and cards. I've experienced the effectiveness of it myself -- and am more likely to remember the small businesses who have sent me handwritten cards. Let's keep on writing!
Posted by Lara DW, Sarasota, Florida | Jan 18, 2011

Customers are in some ways valuing quality products and services. Therefore, the personal touch is a great bonus. Better than only receiving bills all the time.

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Posted by Sally Sharp, London United Kingdom | Jan 19, 2011

It is so encouraging to see all these posts in favour of bringing back the art of handwriting, before it is lost forever.

Technology has progressed at such a rapid pace, but there are many traditional skills that have been lost along the way.
Posted by Elvis Arias, Jersey City, New Jersey | Feb 02, 2011

thanks for sharing, very timely
Posted by Lidia Varesco Racoma, Chicago, Illinois | Feb 03, 2011

Thanks for the additional comments!

For those who haven't seen it, I would like to share a recent segment on CBS Evening News about how sending thank you cards can change your life: http://bit.ly/hRK0Rx

It's a wonderful story and testament to sending handwritten cards.