When working in the wedding industry, you meet a lot of people. From clients to vendors and media, the relationships formed are crucial to building a strong foundation for your business. How do you stand out against the rest?

The Secret

When it comes to building relationships, nothing stands out more in the digital age than a hand written card. Why? The personalization shows care toward the recipient. The most precious resource we have in this day and age is time, and with that, the more effort and time you show toward clients and collaborators, the more willingness for the recipient to open up and form a deeper relationship with you.

Examples

Here are some recommendations on when it would be a good time to send a hand written note. When meeting someone for the first time for a business lunch or call, it will leave a big impression to send them a hand written card thanking them for their time. This is something unexpected in today’s modern times and will have them remember you in a positive way. If you don’t have their address, you can easily search a business address online or send their assistant a quick email to retrieve the information.

Another way you can show your care is by using an automatic birthday card service through a service like Handwrytten. This makes correspondence easy and efficient to send cards yearly to loyal clients or vendors you work with and show your appreciation on a personal level. As a busy entrepreneur, this is one of my favorite automated services available to send a hand written card that is meaningful and frees me from searching my calendar for dates and addresses.

One more example would be to send a hand written card after an event. Whether to the host of a soiree or to a couple that you photographed on their special day. So much time and energy goes into producing such large events and sending a card shows your acknowledgement of their efforts and the positive experience you had. I’d also recommend sending one to the event planner of a wedding as those relationships are important to form since they are essentially the orchestrators many industry productions.

Personal Touches

How do you take this to the next level? It all goes back to initial conversations. Think about where you were, what was discussed, and what your recipient’s interests are. You can personalize the hand written note experience with a small print from a photoshoot, stationary with their favorite flower or animal, or with stamps from their location or a destination they enjoy.

Personal touches such as calligraphy or wax seals that bring an elegance to a card. You can use these when the occasion calls for something a little more formal in nature.

The envelope selection also makes a difference. You can use something more natural if you know sustainability is important to your recipient or you can use a bold color for a pop of joy in their mail box. Some like to use washi tape or stickers to seal the envelope bringing a whimsical element to the delivery.

Conclusion

Hand written cards and letters are not going out of style. Since most of our lives revolve around computers, it’s a touching gesture to give and get physical cards which have a lasting effect rather than a quick email. Millennials tend to agree and still opt for high quality cards. With approximately 80% of today’s couples getting married being millennials, this is a great opportunity to put in the extra effort. Building relationships takes time, and with that time in also counts.