I’ve been thinking about gratitude. As many of you know, I am a thank you note writer. I have always done hand-written thank you notes. Since my elementary school days, I thanked friends for coming to my birthday party. And in recent years when I have thanked customers for their business, colleagues for their generous referrals or introductions, and press for covering our company or brands. I even love the Tonight Show bit with Jimmy Fallon where he writes comical thank you notes.
This became more and more rare as time went on and email dominated written communications. I am sure some thought it old-fashioned (like something their grandmother would insist upon while criticizing their penmanship) or a quirky gimmick of a marketer (and perhaps were too nice to tell me). In any case, it was a differentiator. I would often get a thank you email to thank me for my thank you note!
Today, we are in the midst of a pandemic and increasingly people are working from home or other private places, sometimes temporary locations in the homes of extended family. We are, everyday peeking into the private spaces and lives of our colleagues and customers with the miracle that is video conferencing.
And now the work mailing addresses on company websites are not reliable ways to reach individuals who might not be back into the office for months (and might not think about checking their mail slot at all). And even when I know someone’s home address, I feel like it is a particular act of intimacy to send something to someone’s home.
So, I find myself writing emails. Or, regrettably, thanking people verbally on the phone, and not following up as I should or know to do with an email or other gesture afterwards.
So, what do you think I should do?
Move to email like everyone else, but be very diligent about doing it in a timely manner? Should I write out a note, snap a photo and include it in an email (I have done this before when things have come back undeliverable, but never sure if it is appreciated or just weird)? Should I do some sort of social shout-out instead thanking people for being so awesome? Should I get over my reservations and continue (or resume) writing thank you notes? Should I come up with some other signature show of gratitude (eg, like emailing them that I am making a donation in their name or something)?
I am open to ideas and your thoughts on whether COVID is accelerating the slow death of hand-written thank you card and what we should do about it. I posted this out on LinkedIn as well and will do a recap post here in a few weeks with all the best suggestions.