The Power of the Tried and True
I got a really cool handwritten note today from someone stating their appreciation for…
No wait, it wasn’t today. Maybe it was last week. No, I would have kept that and I certainly would have remembered. Was it the week before, or the week before that, or…?
Okay, I confess: I seriously cannot remember the last time I received a hand-written note other than a brief comment alongside a signature in a greeting card. A note where someone sat down with some blank paper and actually wrote something directly to me…forget it. That’s ancient history.
The handwritten note used to be a staple of great salespeople. Today it is a forgotten kindness.
That’s good news. Really good news! If you want to stand out from everyone else, try doing something different. Everyone else is sending standardized e-mail. Not you: you’re reaching for a pen.
Here’s a short primer on hand-written notes:
Be Legible: If the recipient of your note can’t read your message, it means nothing.
Reference Something Already Talked About: If you are writing a customer whom you have already met, a quick reference to a specific topic (kids, love of local coffee, dislike of grout) that you have already had an exchange about will make your personal note all the more personal.
Be Sincere: You can be just as formulaic in a written note as you can be in an email message. Be yourself and keep it real.
Do it. Now! Be bold. Think of a customer or a prospect that would really be blown away by a handwritten note. The cost to you is five minutes and a stamp, and the payoff will be incredible.
Want a challenge to get you started? I’ll send a signed, first edition copy of my new book Be Bold and Win the Sale (due out January 3rd) to the first person who sends me a picture of a handwritten note that they wrote for a customer. E-mail it to [email protected].
Ready? Go!
About Jeff:
Jeff Shore is a highly sought-after sales expert, speaker, author and executive coach whose innovative BE BOLD methodology teaches you how to change your mindset and change your world. His latest book, Be Bold and Win the Sale: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Boost Your Performance, is forthcoming from McGraw-Hill in January 2014. Follow Jeff on Twitter
