NOTEvember!

We’ve talked about Michael Maher’s wonderful book The Seven Levels of Communication, Go from Relationships to Referrals, and its transformational guidance in understanding and using communications at all levels to achieve not only success but significance.  And of course making more money per hour!

Remember, his hierarchy of communications tells us that we can't rely on advertising or websites alone.  As a reminder, here is his list of communication levels from least effective to most effective:

7.  Advertising:  broadest form, expensive, shotgun approach

6. Direct mail:  more targeted but still scattered

5. Email: aha, a person's name at last!

4. Handwritten notes: truly personal, finally

3. Phone:  and now we hear a voice!

2. Events/groups: and finally see the person and shake a hand, but we have share them with others

1. 1 on 1: best of all, we look them in the eye and have their full attention

Recently, Greg Cooper shared with me one of Maher’s newsletters, where he suggested a great use of some of our “extra” time in November as the weather gets nasty (cue those snow flurries!) and the transaction pace starts to relax a bit.  He reminds us that, with Thanksgiving around the corner, we should remember to express our appreciation and give thanks to our clients and friends by sending out thirty handwritten notes.  That’s only one a day, so maybe we can even do more!

Maher goes on to suggest some guidelines for the best notes—he calls them POWER notes.

1.     Use unbranded, personal notecards—no logos, no business cards, just a simple “thank you” card/note.

2.     Use BLUE ink!  Not red or violet on tanzanite or even black.  Blue, he says, is real, original, and most folks’ favorite color.

3.     Use the word YOU as much as possible—and avoid me/my/I—it’s about them and how much they are appreciated.

4.     Be specific with your praise—and makes sure it’s heartfelt.

5.     It’s okay if your writing slants across the note, but make sure it slants upward to the right so it resembles a positive growth chart instead of the stock market in 1929!

6.     If appropriate, include a call to action in a PS, almost as if it were an afterthought.  For example:  PS, Have you been to the new cigar bar yet?

So get out your fountain pen, a bottle of blue ink, practice up on your handwriting, and get to work/joy thanking your friends—and don’t forget to remember Michael Maher for his great idea on NOTEvember! 

David M. Hassler

Director of Coaching