Today, February 7th, is “National Send a Card To a Friend Day.” Sandwiched between days like “National Pizza Day,” “National Selfie Day,” and other #hashtag-able celebrations, we found today’s title to be a refreshing break from other made up holidays.
Rather than encourage us to break out our phones or get behind our computers, National Send a Card to a Friend Day implores us to do something we probably don’t normally do: get out a pen and pick out the perfect card. Rather than post a pic or like a status to share you care, this special day invites you to get a little more personal. And we like that.
Even when it’s not a national day with its own hashtag, we stand behind the practice of sending handwritten notes to friends, colleagues, and clients. We even gave out thank you cards as a party favor at our Small Business Celebration.
Here are a few reasons why, even when it’s not Send a Card To a Friend Day, we love taking the time to send handwritten cards and notes.
It’s An Unexpected Surprise
Admit it, you love getting mail that isn’t a bill or junk. But, we often don’t take the time to send it. Getting a card or note in the mail is so rare that they have become something really special and exciting to receive, despite being a fairly simple gesture. If you send one, the person receiving it will be sure to remember it!
They are also satisfying to send. Maybe it’s knowing you will be brightening someone’s day or maybe it’s the physical act of dropping them in a mailbox rather than clicking a button. Whatever it is, it’s pretty darn cool.
They Invite Creativity
If you are an avid note writer, you are forced to move away from the standard, “Thanks so much for the Tupperware, my leftovers have never been fresher,” and move into more interesting territory. Writing a note that shares a special story, recognizes a certain moment, or is just funny or touching, is a fun and easy way to tap into a few minutes of creativity.
And, in our plugged in, buzzing, beeping, glowing screen type of world, we can use all the creativity boosts we can get!
It Shows You Care
By taking the time to send a handwritten note, not an email or a text, you are showing the recipient that they are important–important enough for you to pick out a card, think of them and write a meaningful message beyond a typical “thanks.” You also have to pony up 49 cents for a stamp and sometimes even leave your home or office to get it mailed. That really says you care.
Connect With Community
We love to comb through local publications like West Michigan Woman, Grand Rapids Magazine, Mlive, GRBJ, MiBiz, GRNow, etc. to see the mover and shakers in our community. Then, we like to reach out with a note. It makes sense to send a congrats, kudos and job well-done to those kicking ass and taking names–and it only takes a second. They’ll appreciate the gesture and maybe they’ll think of you the next time they’re looking for someone new to work with.
Stationary. Enough Said.
There’s some really cute stationary out there and there are a lot of amazing shops in Grand Rapids that carry locally-created cards, pads, and more. Not only are you making someone’s day, you’re contributing to the local economy.
So, this National Send a Card to a Friend Day, bust out that stationary, break out those rusty cursive skills, and send a note to a friend or colleague that will certainly put a smile on their face.
Why We Love National Send a Card To A Friend Day
Share This Post:
Search
Recent Posts
If you ever need proof that personal brand matters...Kim got to see the @nasaartemis II launch in person as a direct result of her Big Deal Energy™.
You need to work hard, show up authentically, and provide value. That was her message to a room full of students and young professionals at @western_michigan_pmi`s theProject Collegiate Competition.
The Big Deal Energy™ Workshop is on June 23. Register at the link in bio.
Employers think Gen Z is lazy, entitled, and will quit the second things get hard. That perception is keeping you out of the room before you ever get a chance to prove otherwise.
The good news is, you can flip the script, but it will take some serious work and a personal brand, or as Kim Bode refers to it: Big Deal Energy™.
Kim is speaking at theProject™ Collegiate Event, hosted by the Project Management Institute Western Michigan Chapter on April 14. She`ll cover how to build a personal brand that actually sounds like you (not ChatGPT) and how you can show your value through social, content and networking.
Link in bio to learn more.
We are so focused on unraveling the cause that we lost sight of the people in the center of it. Kim`s recent piece in the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan`s FOCUS Magazine on the Hard Cost of Soft Skills struck a nerve.
Everyone has an opinion on who`s to blame for where the skills gap is, but nobody is actually fixing it. It`s why we`re having this conversation.
Join us on April 28, link in bio.
Last week, we got to see history. The kind you remember where you were when it happened.
Kim was there on April 1 for the @nasa Artemis II launch - the first crewed flight around the moon in more than 50 years.
We don`t take moments or opportunities like this for granted.
No one talks about how lonely it is to own a business. The tough decisions land on you, the business doesn`t pause when you need a break, and nobody - not your employees or your spouse - really gets it.
If you know a business owner, tell them they`re doing a good job. It matters more than you know.
The growth stage is the hardest part of building a business.
Kim was recently quoted in @corpmagazine on what she sees running the Women`s Entrepreneurial Fellowship: women who have built something, survived the hardest part, and are still doing everything themselves. The natural tendency to be humble and attached to their work creates unique business challenges for women; they put up walls because they can`t be vulnerable.
Meanwhile, when a woman CEO needs growth capital, she compiles three years of tax returns before a bank will schedule a meeting, while her male competitor closes the same deal over drinks.
When women have access to the right resources, they grow and invest back. Full article at the link in bio.
Responses