Thank-you card | Michael Weening: a few pictures

For at least 5 years, I have been getting these once quarterly snail mails. The mail includes a clipping from a magazine called ‘executive focus’ (Which, from my online searches, appears to be a fake magazine).

The article is on public speaking and attached to the ‘torn out’ article (It is not torn out and it looks like and advertisement type article) is a post-it note with the following handwritten note:

Michael, try this. It works! J

At the end of the article, the address and subscription detail to American Speaker is circled with a check mark.

The first couple times I got this, I actually thought it was someone sending it to me, someone who knew me. Obviously, that is not the case. But, I admire their persistence. They keep at it after all these years. I have never signed up, public speaking is not an area (perceived or real) weakness for me.

It is a strategy I have used before, and one I will use in the future, but in a different way. I fid a quick handwritten note is an effective sales technique and in today’s world of billions of daily email, mail is becoming a way to differentiate.

I have read hundreds of sales/management books and articles over the years and certain things stick with you, like this one: “Less than 10% of sales reps send thank-you notes”.

I am one of those 10% – not just as a sales rep, but as a sales manager and in life (In general). Why? For a few reasons:

We live in a fast paced world and I believe that as a society, we are going down hill. We move-move-move so fast that we don’t take the time for the small courtesies and saying thank-you is an important courtesies that people have forgotten.
In this fast paced world, it is easy to become lost in the crowd. I was in a furniture store the other day – one of those really big ones that all look the same and what did I see? It was a Monday and the sales rep was writing out thank-you cards. I read one, and you know what? That big box store and that sales rep will stand out in the crowd. When people win business, very few say thank-you.
I have walked into the office of more than one client and seen my card sitting on their shelf. That means that it meant something to them. People like to be thanked.
Lastly, because it is the little things that set you apart in everything you do. Recognizing someone’s good work, thanking an executive for spending time with you or thanking that administrator for helping you out. I recently thanked someone who, as I was ramping in my new role, went out of their way to help me out a few times. It meant allot to me that they helped and it meant allot to them when I sent a note to their boss recognizing and thanking them for their assistance.

I think this applies in all walks of life – be it sales, management or administration.

Say thank-you more often. It makes you a better sales person, manager and person.