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The Power of a Handwritten Note · The Daily Writer

• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: Hey my friend, welcome to today's episode of the Daily Writer Podcast.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know, there are few things in life as powerful as a handwritten note sent through the mail.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: But why is that?
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: It's because all of us want to feel noticed.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: We all want to feel special.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: And we love that feeling that somebody took the time to handwrite a note, put it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and mail it.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as a writer, you interact with a lot of people.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: You interact with readers, other writers, clients if you do client work, people who have helped you with publishing, you know, people like editors and book designers, and other people who are connected with podcasts and media.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: You're interacting with all those people as a writer and as an author.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: So whenever somebody does something for you, just take a couple minutes and send them a note of thanks or appreciation.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: My friend Anna Ray Corter, who is an author, coach, and business leader, she sends a note every day to somebody.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: She's done this for a long time.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: And this strategy has been a really powerful way for her to build strong relationships.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: And it also sets her apart as a person who just simply goes the extra mile with people.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Sending a note in the mail does take some extra time and it takes a little bit of extra money because, I mean, there is postage and you have to buy the cards and whatnot.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: But the return you get for this really small investment is absolutely incredible.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: People love getting stuff in the mail.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, think about it.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever you go check your mail and you flip through the bills and the advertisements and all that stuff, what is the one thing that really gets your attention every single time?
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's when you get something with a handwritten envelope.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: You always, always, always open that thing first because it's personalized and it's to you specifically.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's not some mass-produced thing or some advertisement.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: This is why this thing is so powerful, because when you send that to another person, they know you took the time to do it.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: And also because so few people send these kind of things today.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, when I was a kid, people sent stuff in the mail all the time.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: But today, because of electronic communication, we don't do it nearly as much.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Therefore, it makes it rare and really, really valuable.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when you send these cards or notes in the mail, one thing that you can do to add a little bit of extra something to this is include a little trinket like, uh, well, sometimes I include a little key in mine.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, maybe some of you listening have received those from me.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: I send out a lot of those.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I just include include a little skeleton key many times in a card or a note, um, just to remind people of their creative potential and their ability to unlock that within other people because they're a writer or because they have a business or whatever it is.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: I always personalize accord according to the specific person.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: You can also include something like a bookmark or maybe a Starbucks gift card or whatever it is that that really works in that situation.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't really make any difference.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: What you include, the point here is that you took the time to send a handwritten note through the mail.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now I know going to the trouble of doing this does feel a little bit like a hassle, but that's precisely why you need to do it.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: Because hardly anybody else is doing this today.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Handwritten cards sent through the mail are a small gesture that honestly produces massive, massive results.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I highly encourage you to do it.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: Here's today's question Who are three people who have helped you in some way over the last month?
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: And how could a handwritten note help build your relationship with them?
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for listening to today's episode.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: For more, you can visit us at dailywriterlife.com.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, and I'll see you tomorrow.