This morning I found three handwritten notes in my mailbox. They were all written by second graders, and they were all part of a class assignment, but they made my day nonetheless.
Why did something so simple bring me so much joy?
For the same reason most other people enjoy receiving letters and cards. They’re personal. They’re unexpected. They take time and effort.
At any given moment, you could zip off an electronic note or question or request to just about anyone you wanted to: just about everyone in your contact list has an email address or a cell phone number that you can send your thoughts to. While that’s great and convenient and quick and easy, sometimes you want your recipient to feel like they’re worth a few minutes of your time. You want your recipient to feel special. And that’s where a good, old-fashioned letter comes in.
Your letter doesn’t have to be long. In fact, it doesn’t have to be in “letter” form. A small greeting card or a postcard work well, too. The point is to send an expression of gratitude, an update, or even an “I’m thinking of you” message in a tangible form.
Personal or business-related, letters aren’t going anywhere for the same reasons that marketers still use direct mail. Who will you mail to today?