This is what I mean...

If you have read my book "The Process" or been through a training with me, or listened to any of my training recordings you have heard me talk repeatedly about showing people you value them. Thank you cards and notes of acknowledgement or recognition are one of the ways that I talk about doing this.

Hand-written notes are one of the most powerful ways to show someone they matter, and are one of the single most leveraged things you can do. You might wonder what I mean by this....well it is rather simple. A short hand-written note takes you only a few minutes to write but it means many times these few minutes to the person who recieves it. Here's an example of what I mean...

I did a meeting on October 19th in a town I haven't been to in a while. As I am preparing for the meeting at the front of the room, people are starting to come in. A woman named Nicole walks in and she has an enormous smile on her face, she walks up to me and holds her hand out to me. In her hand is a note I wrote to her in July. She is beaming as she thanks me for thinking of her. It made my entire night. Not because of how good it made me feel that she acknowledged me for it...it made my night because I could see that this had such a huge positive impact on her.

In today's world of high tech and fast-pace, little gestures like a hand-written note are even more valuable than ever to someone. You see, other people are not writing them. So it is even more special to someone when they receive one. From a long-term business relationship perspective, you are showing this person that you care about them and value them...and they will not forget it. Who do you owe a note to?