Sometimes it’s the little things that make the difference. A small thank-you here, a nice follow-up, or just a reminder that you are there to help. All these little actions add up to create a good impression for your current clients or even potential clients.

This article in BusinessWeek touches on many of those small gestures. But it was number 7, the finale that got my attention.

When was the last time you received a handwritten note? I bet you remember it. I do. After a brief conversation with the chief executive officer of a well-known franchisor, I was surprised to receive an envelope in the mail with a short handwritten thank-you note along with several coupons for his product. The coupons were for small amounts, but the gesture left a big impression on me.

My insurance and financial planning adviser gets plenty of business from me because of numerous, small touches during the year. Several times a year I can expect to receive a handwritten note, a short voice message, or a copy of an article that I might find valuable given what he knows about my interests. None of these touches are accompanied by a hard sell, but I wouldn’t consider bringing my business to anyone else.

There is something about the power of handwriting. Typed words cannot match this personal touch. The spoken word, while personal, does not have the permanence. Handwriting alone has that special quality that grabs our attention and also communicates our emotions as well as our thoughts.

For example, why do we remember the name John Hancock? It’s because there is emotion in his signature. Emotion in his statement. No typewritten or printed text can convey that feeling.

It’s the same with your correspondence. Printed notes just cannot match the personal nature of handwritten. So, the next time you think about which option is best for you think about what you’re trying to accomplish. Convey information? Any note will do. Convey emotion and a personal touch? Nothing beats handwriting, whether we do it for you or not.

If you’ve ever been frustrated having to buy small 2 cent stamps because the post office raised their rates, you’ll appreciate this new “forever” stamp coming out April 12th. Just buy it once and it will be good forever. Or so they say.

Well, we’re finally getting close to launching our web application so perhaps it’s time to start putting down some thoughts, interesting information, and links here at blog central. I’d also like to mention that your comments are welcome, since your input is, and will be our most important guide. If you don’t want to comment directly here on this blog, feel free to send me a message, either electronic or handwritten, with your thoughts or suggestions. I’m always listening and will read everything with interest.

Over time, I hope to fill you in on our business philosophy. Our commitment to creating quality handwritten pieces. And our interest in helping you. I may even add some relevant articles or links to help in your decision making. Nothing too fancy or complicated though.

That’s about it.

Let’s get busy. We’ve got a lot of writing to do.