Look Book

40 | The Jewelr y Book by Peter Smith THE ART OF THE HANDWRITTEN NOTE R E T A I L F O C U S Someone once said you can't supply a digital solution to an analog problem. If you've ever tried to get anyone on the phone to fix a pain point for you, and found yourself in a quagmire of unsatisfactory options, none of which addresses your issue, you know what I'm talking about. As we navigate an increasingly digitized existence, there is one analog asset that we should pay more attention to, and that is the appropriate use of handwritten notes to our customers and, when possible, our prospect customers. If you, like me, lament the quality of your own handwriting, you may cringe at the prospect of putting pen to paper, but it might be worth challenging your reticence. Bridget Brennan wrote in Why She Buys, "Women want to buy from someone who values their business. Following up aer a sales call is one of the best and easiest ways to demonstrate that you do." Sending a handwritten note is a personal and powerful way to differentiate in a world of digital noise. It signals a warmth and authenticity about the note writer and, as the psychologists might point out, it is perceived as a high effort undertaking on your part. As it happens, it is also very good business. Choi wrote in the Journal of Marketing that not only do personal notes boost response rates, but they can as much as double sales. We are not in the dry-cleaning, or grocery business, we are in the business of infrequent, but high-emotion touches and, no matter how effective you believe your marketing is, you should not overlook the value of consistent personal outreach. Here are a few pointers that might be helpful. First of all, you should schedule a few minutes everyday for outreach. Have a space in the store where you keep a supply of notes and do the work there. Touching base as soon as possible aer a conversation and/or sale is best, but don't ignore dormant customer lists, or customers who used to be served by a salesperson who has moved on. Let the math work for you. If you turn it into a big production, you'll burn out. Make a commitment to writing three notes a day. at's fieen a week, and sixty notes a month. If there are three salespeople, that's 180 customers being touched through personal notes every month. Pick a time to write the notes and stick to it so that it becomes a habit. You can do three a day. Make sure the notes are personal and sign them yourself. Don't try to circumvent the personalization by having pre-written cards with a quickly scribbled signature. Make sure there is no hard sell in the note. It doesn't have to be any more than a brief mention of something that happened, was said, or is in the works. e note should be about the customer, not about you. We are persuaded by emotions, not rationalizations, and personal notes are a great way to cut through the noise. When we do that, customers will ignite reciprocity, and that translates into greater engagement, stronger relationships, and more business. Seems like a win/win all around. Happy Retailing! Peter Smith is a principal partner at e Retail Smiths, a consulting company providing executive coaching to Vendors and Retailers, and onsite Sales Masterclasses. He is a RETHINKRetail Top 100 Retail Expert for 2026. Smith is the author of four books, including the newly released Essentially Human, On Sales and Salespeople. eRetailSmiths@gmail.com

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