When you receive an email, do you ever think this to yourself? “What a kind gesture! I’m glad Linda took the two minutes that were required to type this. I’ve never received such a personalized communication!” Probably not. Emails are a dime a dozen, with very little to distinguish one from another. 

 When an employee goes above and beyond, is a text message an appropriate channel to send your appreciation? If you’re going for speed, maybe, but if you want your expression of gratitude to feel authentic, a handwritten note is much better.  

 If a vendor sends business thank you cards as eCards, would the intended sentiment convey as powerfully as it could if they’d sent physical, handwritten cards? Almost certainly not. Physical cards have a presence. They feel like a gift. And if they’re handwritten, all the better. The handwriting tells you that they put time as well as thought into the message they sent. 

 Whether you’re sending holiday cards, birthday cards, or business thank you cards, a handwritten note is superior to other communication channels. They make a statement that’s difficult to recreate with other formats. Most importantly, they get you noticed.

SEE ALSO:  When You Should Send Out Cards

WHY BUSINESS THANK YOU CARDS AND OTHER HANDWRITTEN NOTES ARE SO EFFECTIVE

Think about the last time you got a handwritten note in the mail. We’d be willing to bet you put the rest of your mail down to open the hand-penned card first; this ability to pull focus points to the power of handwritten communication.

They Get Opened

Your attention goes to handwritten cards first because they feel special. You assume that someone close to you sent it because, in our digital world, it’s unlikely that anyone else would take the time. As a result, handwritten notes enjoy an impressive 99% open rate. As a business, you send cards with a purpose. If those cards are never viewed, they’ve failed. Handwritten cards dramatically increase the chances that your message punches through the noise.

They Amplify Your Message

When you’re trying to make an impression, how you say something is just as important as what you say. Imagine you wanted to tell someone close to you that you loved them. Which of the following would likely have the most impact — a text message, a phone call, or an in-person conversation followed by a hug? 

 A text message is the most impersonal of the three, followed by a phone call. And neither can compare to the emotional impact of telling someone you love them in person. Depending on how you communicate, people will experience your sentiment more or less vividly. 

 Handwritten notes are a text-based hug. They substitute for the spoken word in a way that typed messages can’t. That’s because they come from your heart, through your hand. Of course, businesses aren’t looking to say “I love you,” but when they send business thank you cards, they want to make certain that their gratitude comes through as potently as possible. When they praise employees for their hard work, they want their recipients to understand just how valued they are.

They Get Noticed

Handwritten notes are rare in a world dominated by electronic communications. This is doubly true in business, where the time required to handwrite a card is in short supply. As a result, when a handwritten card appears in your client’s mailbox, they’ll take notice. 

 Imagine you wanted to thank your long-term clients for sticking with you throughout the years. Do you think they’ll respond more favorably to a mass-printed, stock thank you note, or a personalized, handwritten message? The latter is far more impactful and will elevate your business thank you cards.

SEE ALSO:  Simply Noted Makes Snail Mail Easy

They Don’t Have to Be Time Consuming

For businesses, the time commitment involved in handwriting cards is often the reason they don’t take advantage of the format’s power. However, with Simply Noted, you can enjoy the benefits of handwritten notes in the time it takes to write an email. How can that be? 

 We leverage the power of technology. All you have to do is log into the Simply Noted portal, select a card design, and type your desired message. Then, our automated handwriting machines will translate your thoughts into authentic-feeling handwritten notes using real ballpoint pens. By varying pressure, letter sizes, and other small details, our machines will leave your recipients assuming you handwrote their card yourself.  

 You can send a single card or tens of thousands using the same intuitive interface. With Simply Noted, handwritten business thank you cards, or any other important communication, are within your reach.

SEE ALSO:  How to Send Bulk Handwritten Cards Online

WHEN ARE HANDWRITTEN BUSINESS NOTES APPROPRIATE?

You can send handwritten notes anytime, but there are a few occasions when your customers, vendors, and employees would particularly welcome them.

Business Thank You Cards

Handwritten notes are the sincerest method for expressing gratitude apart from an in-person “thank you.” You could send them to your best customers periodically to show your appreciation and strengthen the relationship. They’re great for thanking high-performing employees, too.  

 Handwritten thank-you notes are inexpensive and capable of an enormous return on your investment. That’s because people do business with companies they like. If you do good work, offer responsive customer service — and occasionally remind your clients just how much you appreciate them — you’ll create strong bonds that will continue to bear fruit for years to come.

SEE ALSO:  10 Thank You Card Designs and Tips on What to Write

Holiday and Birthday Cards

Birthdays and holidays are deeply personal. Stock cards, emails, and text messages don’t have the emotional clout necessary to adequately express well wishes. Only handwritten cards allow your heart to be felt through your words. This is particularly true if the card arrives in your handwriting. With Simply Noted’s custom font options, we can recreate your handwriting with our machines.

Direct Mail Campaigns

We’ve talked about how handwritten cards are unique. They get noticed. Most importantly, they get opened. Can you imagine what would be possible if you were to put those qualities to work in your direct mail campaigns? 

SEE ALSO:  Why Handwritten Direct Mail Outperforms Print Mail

 Most bulk-printed, cookie-cutter direct mail pieces achieve an average 22.7% open rate. Compared to email campaigns, that’s a great number. But compared to the 99% open rate that’s possible with handwritten mailers, it might be considered a failure. 

The truth is that handwritten cards offer impressive ROI whether you’re using them to build relationships or sell your products or services. So the next time you’re considering business thank you cards, or you’re looking to send your direct mail campaigns into overdrive, contact us at Simply Noted.