When was the last time you received a personal note from a colleague or a client? A handwritten message that expressed a feeling or a thought composed for you alone? If you're like me they are few and far between. I for one will not soon forget the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation who took the time to send a note of congratulations after a positive story about my business in the local press.

The fact that so little one-to-one marketing survives in today's busy-signal world is great news for those of us who are serious about building relationships with customers and colleagues. Why? Because the very rarity of it makes it effective--it stands to reason that a message that is one of two gets a lot more attention than a message that is one of fifty.

When I do get personal notes, they come from the people I would expect have the least time to create them--the CEO I mentioned, an author, a board member, or a legislator. I shouldn't be surprised--these people got to where they are by understanding that successful businesses are the result of cultivating sincere relationships.

That's the good news--the better news is that this unique, virtually untapped form of marketing doesn't cost a lot of money or time.

Up-front thinking

Before you crank up your desktop publishing program to start designing your personal letterhead or notecard, it's important to do some up-front thinking. First, let's focus on the types of notes you will send.

You, of course, are the best judge of the most appropriate occasions on which to send a personal note. Much of that "what" and "when" has to do with how familiar you are with the recipient. In any case remember that the most memorable personal gestures are those that are not associated with a transaction. And that nine times out of ten, they are unexpected--a thank you note for repeat business, a referral, or a favor is an obvious opportunity to make contact. As is a note of congratulations on the occasion of a promotion, a business anniversary, or a business achievement.

If you're not comfortable with composing your own words, there are plenty of books that provide insightful messages--one particularly good collection is Letters That Sell by Edward W. Werz (NTC/Contemporary Publishing; ISBN: 0809246848).

And be realistic about the program you undertake. Your notes don't need to be long or complicated--the gesture is what counts most. A simple "Proud to know you" on the occasion of an award can be just as compelling as a detailed letter. To my way of thinking it's better to opt for a program you can realistically sustain.

Above all, speak plainly and from the heart--the only down side of using this type of correspondence is if the sender is suspected of being insincere. I have a book on my shelf titled "If you can talk, you can write"--truer words have never been said. Forget the business speak--use the words and a conversational tone that matches your personality and, above everything, be honest and sincere.

Three personal note formats

Here are three ways to do it--a notecard, a baronial letter, and an executive letter. I like the card best because the size and shape telegraphs the idea that you are receiving something other than standard business correspondence. The only potential down side of a card is that it holds only about 25 of my handwritten words. You can gauge how many or your words it will hold by cutting a sheet to size and filling in the space minus the margins and graphics areas.

How elaborate you get depends on your budget. A four-color card with a custom envelope such as the one you see here is the most expensive. But you could just as easily create a card using black and white or two-colors and save half the cost or more. The example shows a card designed for the owner of an orchard--with her company name and logo at the top and return address information at the bottom--the street address, phone number, and e-mail address. The card is 4.375 by 5.75 inches and fits in an A2 invitation envelope, 4.25 by 5.5 inches.

Don't scrimp on paper--buy the best you can afford. In small quantities the difference between the medium and premium grades is negligible. I recommend you use 80 lb uncoated cover stock--paper roughly as stiff as a postcard with a dull surface for writing. Your local commercial printer can show you samples of many different colors and grades.

A baronial letter is half the size of a standard business letterhead--5.5 by 8.5 inches. You use it just like a standard letter in miniaturized form. It holds roughly 75 of my hand-written words. The version here is printed in two colors, black and orange. It has much the same look as the more-expensive, four-color version for less of a price. The baronial letter is folded in half and mailed in an A2 invitation envelope (4.25 by 5.5 inches).

A note about writing paper--The very finest writing papers are made from cotton fiber or rag content versus wood pulp--they feel heavier and look richer. If you decide to invest in personal stationery, buy the best. The added impact of the look and feel is subtle but substantial.

The third variation is an executive-sized letter--7.25 by 10.5 inches with a Monarch style envelope that measures 3.875 by 7.5 inches. This format holds roughly 125 of my handwritten words. A formal version of this sheet would include the name and title of the sender positioned and printed in the left margin.

Putting words on paper

There are two basic ways to put your words on paper--by writing your note by hand or by typing it in your word processing program and signing it. My handwriting, unfortunately, is atrocious so I use a font to type the message and sign the note by hand. You can use a favorite font or a font in a handwritten style. For these examples, I used the font Fine Hand.

For the ultimate effect, write or at least sign your notes with a fountain pen in blue ink. Use the same personal approach with the envelope--hand address it and use a stamp instead of a postage meter.

If your experience is anything like mine, your notes will be much appreciated and long remembered.

©Chuck Green, All rights reserved.