I am a huge fan of letter-writing and snail-mail, especially when it comes to writing Thank You notes. There’s just something about getting a card or a letter in the mail that excites me!
After I interviewed for my current day job as a Medical Assistant, I wrote thank you notes to both the practice manager who hired me and the doctor {with whom I currently work} for taking the time out of their schedule to speak with me. They both are invaluable friends and colleagues.
It is always a pleasure when other bloggers reach out to me with an idea and want to contribute to my blog. So when Chris Napa contacted me and pitched today’s post, I was thrilled to share it.
Chris Napa serves as the Global E-commerce Experience Manager for A.T. Cross Company, LLC. Chris oversees the customer experience on Cross.com from the Providence, RI headquarters. Before joining A.T. Cross Company, LLC., Chris was the User Experience Lead at FootJoy, part of the initial team that launched their E-commerce site in 2016, and the E-commerce Project Manager at TaylorMade Golf Company. When not thinking about enhancing customer’s online experiences, Chris can be found cycling, golfing, or bowling.
The Art of Thank You Notes
In the age of technology, quick and simple, sometimes it can be hard to feel like you’re properly expressing the things you feel. Posting a quick tweet, pressing send on a text message that you barely remember composing and shooting off an email to a co-worker without a second thought about the meaning or context starts to feel second nature.
There are so many discussions in the world now about the evolution of technology and its impact on our society. And sometimes, taking a step back from the hustle and bustle of instant gratification can be supremely rewarding. Getting back to the basics and taking our time to express ourselves properly to those whom we feel so grateful for is a great way to get back to our roots. What better way than to pick up a pen and write some things out?
A Brief History of Letter-Writing & Thank You Notes
Historically, writing letters to loved ones began in the Chinese and Egyptian cultures. Instead of pulling out their small personalized leather journals or flipping open their laptops to construct an email, they’d sketch a note on papyrus to wish others “good luck.”
Later, European peoples began writing notes of thanks to friends, which soon became a social norm in many cultures. The purpose was to show true gratitude for their friendships and social interactions.
Guy Trebay of the New York Times discusses the idea of gratitude and letter writing at length, where not only does he have a lengthy history of the art form, but also discusses his psychological findings about letter writing.
According to his findings, not only is a thank you letter lovely to receive, but it can be quite therapeutic for the person who pens the note. It can bring on a higher level of personal thankfulness, leading to stress reduction, optimism and better sleep.
Now, I don’t think there is a guarantee of great sleep if you start scribbling away your “thanks” on fancy paper, but it does invite a positivity into your life.
Thank You: Letter or Email/Text?
Writing a thank you letter or note really outshines a standard lackluster text message or email too. Any communication sent via technology is typically free and, according to some studies, it’s hard to feel true appreciation when only a few lines of a text is sent out.
Busting out your stationery and writing something down in clean, thoughtful words promotes a personal relationship with others. Not to mention, taking the time out of your day to sit down, write something caring and then sealing it up with a stamp shows a larger level of goodwill toward the recipient.
In short, text, emails and even posting a status update on social media have simply lost their touch.
Personalized Thank You Note vs Quick Acknowledgement by Email?
Funnily enough, this dilemma regarding personalized thank you notes versus a quick acknowledgement message to someone has come up regularly.
Lizzie Post, the descendant of etiquette expert Emily Post, talks about these topics on her website and podcast. She discusses the appropriate time span for sending a handwritten and personalized note, as well as what circumstances call for something handwritten.
In most instances, Lizzie suggests sending a quick email or text message to someone after an event or upon the receipt of a gift. This will show immediate appreciation for their efforts and confirm you received their gift. Then, she suggests sending a handwritten note as soon as you can.
Thank You Letters Can Boost Morale
Besides sending a thank you after receiving a present, which is a common courtesy for baby showers, birthdays and weddings, a thank you note can go beyond gifts. Sending regular and professional letters to clients, co-workers or, if you’re in a higher position, to your employees can help to boost morale.
To send an employee a personal and thoughtful, handwritten letter about their good work, their accomplishments and how much you appreciate them can really help to solidify their position within the company. Not only does it show your compassion and respect for them, but it shows others that you notice their hard work. To highlight someone’s strengths and their important position within the company creates a great work environment for everyone.
In some forms of business, a thank you card can really help to create a bond. It shows new clients that you remember them, you value their time and allows you to reiterate your personal care. Being tied closely to any kind of business partner can make work more enjoyable and gives people more flexibility and understanding. Why not get to know people on a deeper level?
Successful People Write Letters Too!
A quick Google search will bring to light many famous and successful people in the world who were intrigued and interested in the art of personalized thank you notes.
Roald Dahl wrote back to a young fan once in admiration of her fan mail, Conan O’Brien responded to a fan after she invited him to her prom and Ronald Reagan wrote a letter to the citizens of America, thanking them for allowing him to lead the country.
Personalized notes, whether they are for thanking, for wishing luck or for sending love, are a way to pull out some paper, sit down with your favorite calligraphy pen and get to work. Those words help us to express ourselves and our gratitude. They also help us let our loved knows know how much we appreciate them.
A letter could take as little as five minutes to write, so why not give it a whirl? Find yourself some nice paper, get a nice inky fountain pen and send a note to someone who deserves it.
If you’re like me, I bet you enjoy writing personalized notes as well as receiving them! Do you write personalized thank you notes to people? Do you enjoy writing little notes filled with words of love or encouragement to your friends and family or co-workers? Let me hear your thoughts on this subject by leaving a comment below!
And thank you, Chris, for the wonderful post about the art of personalized thank you notes! If I had your address, I’d send you a thank you note!
Yours Truly,
Vanessa
