The Power Of A Handwritten Note

[Runnin_Ute]

I saw this the other day I thought I would share it with all my fountain pen friends...

 

http://cfptommiller.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-power-of-handwritten-note.html

 

Here are some tips to remember when sending a handwritten note:

• Use a plain, non-standard sized white envelope. Using a traditional envelope will make your note look too much like a bill or other junk correspondence. Try to find cards and envelopes that are sized like birthday cards or greeting cards that you would find in a card store.
• Handwrite the addresses on the envelope. This goes without saying, but typing the address and using a pre-made return label do not convey a personal touch.
• Put an actual stamp on the envelope for postage. Please do not use a postage machine to stamp the envelope. Go buy a book of stamps and do it right!
• Write everything in blue ink. Studies have shown that writing in blue ink is preferable.
• Keep your message short. The point is to make the prospect, client, or center of influence feel special. Keep it short and simple, with little or no mention of business. Express gratitude, appreciation, or encouragement instead of the usual utilitarian purpose behind most correspondence.
• Make sure your handwriting is legible. Don't rush your writing to the point you appear sloppy and dysfunctional. Give the impression that you took your time to write them a nice note.

[sotto2]

Anytime I get a handwritten note these days it's special and suggests that the sender really cares. There's a doc at work who sends everyone on the staff a personalized, handwritten birthday card--sometimes more than once per year.

 

OK, so maybe his secretary actually writes it, but still....

 

Also, if you really want your note to pop, make your own envelope. It's one thing, for example, to follow the recommendations above and write everything in blue ink or whatever, but most of the time you'll leave a more memorable impression if you try folding your own envelope from origami paper or (better yet) a printout of a photo of the recipient. Every now and then I'll leave a little personal thank you note for one of my co-workers in a teeny one-inch envelope folded from origami paper. It's different and people generally love it.

Edited May 17, 2014 by sotto2

[sharonspens]

I suppose this is true for "business-related" mail, but otherwise I can't wrap myself around the blue ink part of this message. I guess I do try to use some of my darker inks for business messages, but not necessarily blue.

[_Stormin_]

Honestly, I have written many people and they appreciate a handwritten note. It generates a handwritten response which I happen to KNOW has more retention than any typed response. People remember it, and in my business that means far more.

[WaskiSquirrel]

I decided to go this route this year with graduation cards. Generally, I give a card to my students if they give me an announcement. I also give a link to a private website with photos of them collected over the years. (I do a lot of photography for the local paper in addition to my teaching.)

 

This year I didn't have enough cards. Rather than buy new ones, I decided to write a longer personal note and fold it nicely with some kind of origami. I found a nice way of folding that puts a leaf on it. I think this will be nicer and more personal than a card.

[proton007]

Unfortunately I've never received any after I finished schooling.

 

But it's heartening to see the tradition alive and well!

[Runnin_Ute]

I suppose this is true for "business-related" mail, but otherwise I can't wrap myself around the blue ink part of this message. I guess I do try to use some of my darker inks for business messages, but not necessarily blue.

I'm with you Sharon. If a more formal vibe is needed (job interview for example) I will use typically blue black. Relatively formal, if I know the person and it is a business context I will probably go a little more liberal color-wise (Diamine Sherwood Green for example) and for personal notes - anything from more formal (black, blue black, blue) to less and more fun (Apache Sunset, Diamine Steel Blue, Diamine Classic Red) gets chosen.

[watch_art]

I wrote a note to an ebay seller who I got a really cool Cross pencil from. She seemed very surprised and like she really enjoyed it.

[Inkydinkydog]

There's nothing like a handwritten note to show one cares enough to write one, and using a fountain pen really makes it stand out. I love sending them and treasure those rare few I receive. E-mail just doesn't cut it, although it's better than no word at all.

[WaskiSquirrel]

I mentioned earlier that I give a hand written note to each graduate and fold it up all nifty. I also enclose a link to a private gallery of the pictures I've taken of that student over the years. Here is a photo of a sample note. I didn't show the writing (which is in fountain pen) because it's a personal note and includes the student's name

 

Graduation card by waski_the_squirrel, on Flickr

[Hema]

Wow! Love the idea of a note to graduating students and also the nifty folding!

[Runnin_Ute]

I wrote a note to an ebay seller who I got a really cool Cross pencil from. She seemed very surprised and like she really enjoyed it.

I have done the same on more than one occasion. One turned into a penpal.

[MrClegg]

I was "volunteered" to be my work site owner/leader for a new software package. It required me to do a lot of training and site specific set up and testing. One of the women from a European site attending the same training was really ahead of the game, she had written a fantastic set of training documents for her site, she was more than happy to send copies to everyone so we didn't have to spend many hours replicating our own.

I sent her a hand written note, thanking her and expressing just how much time her work had saved me. She never contacted me in reply, which was a tad disappointing but I didn't really give it a lot of thought.

 

About 12 months after the software package went "live" we all attended a review to give input on ways to improve things, she must have told and showed everybody my card because I was asked by about half a dozen women if I would send them a hand written note because they'd never received anything so personal through their letterboxes.

 

I think it's quite sad that something as simple as a nicely written thank you note is so rare, but it's encouraging to realise it can bring so much pleasure.

[cactusneedle]

That is indeed sad. But it does show that the personal touch is missed in this digital age. The handwritten notes I have sent this year (my New Year's resolution) have elicited thank you emails! So much nicer even than purchased greeting cards.

[Chi Town]

I saw this the other day I thought I would share it with all my fountain pen friends...

 

http://cfptommiller.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-power-of-handwritten-note.html

 

Here are some tips to remember when sending a handwritten note:

 

 

• Use a plain, non-standard sized white envelope. Using a traditional envelope will make your note look too much like a bill or other junk correspondence. Try to find cards and envelopes that are sized like birthday cards or greeting cards that you would find in a card store.
• Handwrite the addresses on the envelope. This goes without saying, but typing the address and using a pre-made return label do not convey a personal touch.
• Put an actual stamp on the envelope for postage. Please do not use a postage machine to stamp the envelope. Go buy a book of stamps and do it right!
• Write everything in blue ink. Studies have shown that writing in blue ink is preferable.
• Keep your message short. The point is to make the prospect, client, or center of influence feel special. Keep it short and simple, with little or no mention of business. Express gratitude, appreciation, or encouragement instead of the usual utilitarian purpose behind most correspondence.
• Make sure your handwriting is legible. Don't rush your writing to the point you appear sloppy and dysfunctional. Give the impression that you took your time to write them a nice note.

Well, I meet most of the requirements :-)

Except - Using Blue ink! Very seldom do I ever use Blue or black ink when writing a letter, I have about 8 pen pals in this world that I write to; 1 in Germany, 1 in the UK, 1 in Canada and 5 in the Grand ole USA, and when I write a letter, I use a multitude of colors in each letter!

I also FAIL to keep my letters short! Most of my letters are 2 pages long and that is on 8 1/2 x 5 paper......

 

Other that I am in line, ha, ha, ha........

Edited June 14, 2014 by Chi Town