SALES 101: Writing Personal Notes Is One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind … by Lily Crane

In our social media, electronic-driven world of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, etc. there is still nothing so powerful as the handwritten note, which, for lack of a better term, I’ll simply call the Power Note.

How do you write a Power Note? Here are my five steps:

Send your handwritten note on an unbranded, logo-free card. Yet send it with an image that symbolizes what you’re all about: perhaps, a lighthouse that stands strong and tall and is a beacon to all, or an olive tree, which over the centuries has stood for peace, hope, light, health, wealth, balance and fertility. Select a positive and enduring image that underscores your purpose and values.

Write your message in blue ink. Blue is the world’s favorite color. Why would you write in any other color?

Be specific in your praise. Single out a trait, quality or characteristic that really personalizes your note. Don’t say, “Thanks for coming to my party.” Say why you were glad they came to your party? Was it their smile, laughter, conversation? In your praise, avoid any references to “I,” “me,” or “mine.” Use “we” only in the sense of “we make a great team” or “we can do great things together.”

Give your writing an upward tilt, or as Michael Maher, author of “The 7 Levels of Communication” says, “Write rightly,” from the lower left corner to the upper right. That upward slope will help convey your positive messasge.

Always include a call to action and always include iit n your postscript or PS. You always want your call to action to stand out and stand alone, and there’s no better place on the page to do this than in your PS.