Boosting sales is in your hands. Well, one hand anyway.

A walk through my grocery store is now like wandering through a colourful fantasy land of advertisements. There are banners hanging from ceilings, stickers snaking on the floor, display boxes standing at the end of aisles, and posters adorning walls.

It’s like Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but without Willie, and with heaps of Wonka. (Wonka meaning promotional stimuli!)

The problem is, all that stimuli tends to blur into one glob of colour and noise, stifling anything from grabbing attention.

However, a while back, an ad cut through the in-store clutter and made me stop in my tracks.

It was a promotion for a type of frozen fruit that was temporarily discounted, and it was like no other advertisement I’d seen that day.

It was basically just a few simple words, hand written on the freezer door in a fluorescent marker. The staff member had even squiggled a few asterisks for some dodgy decoration.

It was such a breath of fresh air!

Amidst all the sleek, polished posters bombarding me at every turn, this advertisement was imperfect. It was simple. It was personal. Had I wanted frozen fruit that day, I probably would have bought some because the ad caught my eye and warmed my heart.

Hand writing can be a powerful marketing tool

In the digital age, so few messages are hand-written, yet when they are, they still create a wow.

Over the years, I’ve written countless hand written notes and cards to colleagues and clients, and they’ve always been received with surprise and gratitude.

It seems everyone loves them! The below review is written by a person who bought a wooden bookmark on Etsy. The review is a great example of how excellent customer service coupled with a handwritten note can lead to glowing, sales-increasing praise.

“Ordered on Tuesday and received Saturday! I ordered one book mark but the seller included two! So awesome. Beautifully made. My husband is going to love these! Exactly what I was looking for. Would definitely order again. Also loved that the seller included a hand written thank you!! This is why I love supporting small businesses!”

Big business embrace the concept of hand writing too. I once received a ‘hand-written’ note from a large real estate agent. The note was, in fact, a mass-produced flyer on white, flimsy paper that suggested someone had sat down by the fire, licked the tip of their calligraphy pen and written me a heartfelt message about low commission rates.

They figured their ‘note’ would stand out from all the other slick real estate material I was receiving. They were right.

5 reasons why hand written notes create such a wow

They’re personal

When you write a note by hand, there’s no mistaking that it’s a personal message from you to the recipient, which you’ve crafted with care. Also, you are sharing a special part of yourself with the reader because your style of writing is unique, like a fingerprint.

They convey a sense of warmth

It’s no surprise that a lot of cafes have hand-written messages and menus on blackboards, signs and posters. Cafes want to convey a sense of warmth and inclusivity, which can be difficult to achieve when every message is printed and polished.

They’re different

In a world of printed sleekness, a handwritten note or sign stands out because of its quaint imperfection.

They’re simple

See above point!

They’re fun

Normally hand written notes share an uplifting or interesting message, which makes them fun to read, and perhaps even to share with others on social media.

Are hand-written notes suitable for all micro business owners?

A lot of marketing material can’t be hand written, and I’m certainly not suggesting they should be. Can you imagine giving a potential client a scrap of paper with your name, number and a stick figure logo on it? It wouldn’t work. Realistically, a lot of marketing material like brochures, posters and banners need to be professionally printed.

But, if your writing is neat and legible, hand-written messages can occasionally supplement your current marketing material.

Here are a few ideas of when and where you can use handwritten messages:

• Thank you notes sent with posted, online products
• Thank you cards sent to clients at the completion of a project
• A message on the back of a business card if you’re “Sandwich Selling”. For example, “Hi, I just quoted for your neighbour. Would love to chat if you’re interested. Thanks, Johnathan.”
• A random note to a client, colleague, prospect or someone you admire (NB: I said ‘random’ not ‘ransom’!) 😃
• A neatly-written poster promoting an offer, perhaps in the window of your store
• A card for a client’s birthday or during the festive season

Surprise someone!

If you’re a neat hand-writer who has the time and inclination to pen a message, then surprise a person or people with a hand-written message. You’ll boost their joy for the day, and well, maybe even your sales. 

What are your thoughts?