Loud Thinking

Send a Handwritten Note

Personal written notes grow rarer by the day. But if you want to convey to a client, a potential customer, a colleague, or a direct report that you value your relationship, put down the Blackberry and reach for a pen. Emails, tweets, texts, or Facebook messages are easy to write and free to send. Handwritten notes mean more because they cost more. Drafting an actual letter involves selecting stationery, paying for stamps, and visiting a mailbox. They let the people know you appreciate them enough to pause for 15 minutes and put pen to paper in an attempt to connect and sustain a relationship with them.

Adapted by HBR from “Handwritten Notes Are a Rare Commodity. They’re Also More Important Than Ever,” by John Coleman.