When was the last time you received a personal thank you card that someone took the time to hand write and mail to you? Those kinds of personalized cards are often far more powerful than any other form of communication because they convey how special we feel the recipient is. Everyone loves to be recognized and to feel that their contributions have made a difference in someone’s lives.

One of the best ways to keep in touch with your sphere of influence is to have a stack of blank thank-you cards on your desk and make it a priority to send a few each day. Think of how many people you come into contact with – your clients, your coworkers, your staff, your broker, other agents, mortgage brokers, lenders, title companies, appraisers, assistants, people you meet through networking – they are all candidates for thank-you letters.

Here are some ideas for when to send handwritten notes:

• Thank them – You can thank them for referrals, for recent business, or for any nice actions they’ve recently done for you that you’ve appreciated.
• Welcome them – Have you just signed on a new client? Write them a card thanking them for their business along with any welcome kit items you might send them.
• Following up - Follow up with a handwritten card after a transaction or phone conversation. For networking events, follow up with a card along with interesting information you promised, or just to say you were happy to meet them and hope to stay in touch.
• Congratulate them – Have they had a recent business or career achievement? Maybe they’ve just celebrated a personal event such as a marriage or new baby.
• Holiday greetings – You don’t need to limit your holiday greetings to Christmas and New Years. Send cards for birthdays, to all the moms on your list for Mother’s Day, or to wish them a happy one-year home anniversary.
• Invitations – Are you having an event like a summer BBQ or Christmas party? Send a personalized card inviting them to your event.

When you send a welcome note, keep it concise and legible. You want to get your point across as directly as possible, but you don’t want to write paragraph-upon-paragraph as many people may find long, handwritten messages hard to read. If you need to go into extensive detail, consider typing up a longer version and sending it with the card.

Make your card about your recipient, not about you. Don’t ask for business or mention your real estate services in the card, as that will negate the card’s power. By asking for business or promoting your services, you are no longer focused on thanking your recipient and letting them shine by showing your appreciation. Instead, your remarks may sound insincere – as if you are only sending this card so they will return the favor with more business. Finally, always sign the card, so people know that you, not your assistant, wrote it.

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