3 ways an old form of communication still starts conversations

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There are tons of ways you can use tech to connect with your fans, and while Facebook, Twitter, and email are great, don’t forget about the power of a classic, handwritten note.

Here are some ways old-school correspondence can start fantastic word of mouth:

1. To make someone happy
2. To say congratulations
3. To start a conversation

1. To make someone happy

Last year LEGO got a letter from an 11 year-old boy who had saved up his money to buy one of their sets, but after two years of saving, they had stopped making it. Crushed, the kid and his mom wrote a letter to them asking for any ideas. Eventually, LEGO wrote back: they had found one and they were giving it to him. No one gets tired of telling these stories of a company’s altruism, and all it took was someone paying close attention to their fans’ letters and a little generosity. Who is monitoring the stuff your fans send you?

2. To say congratulations

Did you know that if you send a wedding invitation to Mickey and Minnie Mouse, they will respond? So do Cinderella and Prince Charming, the Queen of England, and the President. They could easily ignore these invitations or send back a canned response. Instead, each of them personally congratulates the couple and sends them something nice like a “Just Married” button (that’s more than some relatives do). It’s a simple gesture that everyone talks about with their friends — it also spreads some warm and fuzzy feelings for their brand. (And hey, if the Queen of England can do it, you can too.)

3. To start a conversation

You don’t have to wait for your customers to write to you. Reach out to them proactively and you’ll surprise and delight them. The Hotel Palomar leaves a personal handwritten note for each of their guests with a bar of chocolate. Tiny stuff like this is what people remember, and it’s what they tell their friends about when they get home.

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