When is the last time you received a handwritten note in your mailbox?

You’re sifting through your mail—bill, bill, junk mail, ad, bill—and then a colored envelope with a unique stamp and handwritten address comes to the top. Excitement bubbles as you open it, savoring words written from the heart. Then up it goes on your refrigerator or shelf to save and enjoy; every time you see it, you fondly recall the person who took the time to write those words of sweetness to you.

Have you ever thought to use the power of thank-you notes to build your flower business? Sending a professional thank-you note to those you work with is a kindhearted, timeless way to show gratitude and build lifelong relationships in your floral business.

Charlotte Smith of 3 Cow Marketing, a marketing expert specializing in farm and small-business marketing, shares that, "One-time customers will not build your business. You need loyal, dedicated, and committed customers to champion your farm [shop]. To develop that kind of relationship with people, you need to serve them and share yourself with them. One great step on that journey of trust is taking time to tangibly appreciate them. Writing notes is a perfect way to show how much you value the relationship you have with your repeat clients."

Add a weekly written note practice to your work week! The personal connection fostered will be an invaluable boost to your floral business.

Before You Start Your Thank-You Note Practice

Here are some steps to take that will help your weekly practice flow better:

• Create a spreadsheet: Brainstorm a list of people to whom you'd like to send mail.

• Collect their addresses.

• Mark on your calendar the days you plan to send notes.

• On the spreadsheet, add notes to help you—the subject of your letter or any special dates to be aware of (the customer's birthday or other meaningful dates).

• Keep track of when you sent a card to this person.

• Purchase stamps at your post office or online (typically www.usps.com has many more stamp design options than the local post office).

• If you don't already have one, design and order a return address stamp or label for your business (www.vistaprint.com has tons of affordable and easy templates for address labels).

What to Write in Your Professional Thank-You Cards for Your Floral Business

Consider the difference the recipient makes in your flower business. Give two to three reasons why you appreciate him or her. Use specific examples unique to that person and include those in your note. A bland three-sentence generic message won't have the same effect as words meant exclusively for the recipient. The individual message (and the time taken to share it) is a gift to the addressee.

Here are some ideas to use for inspiration:

• Thank a customer.

• Thank a vendor.

• Tell a fellow business owner you enjoyed collaboration on a recent project (build your wedding team and network for referrals!).

• Send a birthday card.

• Mail holiday greetings.

• Offer back-to-school well-wishes.

• Send a sympathy card (for the loss of a family member or pet).

• Remember the anniversary of a death (Sample text: I know this month is probably hard, and I wanted to let you know that my thoughts are with you).

What to Write On—Choose the Thank-You Note Style for Your Floral Business

This can be as simple or as fancy as you prefer! Don't overthink it to the degree that you don't start your writing habit, though. Here are a few ideas:

• Look on Pinterest for free printable note cards. Print on cardstock, buy some envelopes sized accordingly, and you're set!

• Trader Joe's has cute cards for $1 each.

• Design business stationery with your logo.

• The dollar store sells packages of blank note cards.

• Turn your own flower photography into stationery! Lori Jo Hernandez of Three Acre Farm shares that she orders from Social Print Studio because of the simplicity of uploading pictures straight from her Instagram account. Spend some time looking at analytics and choose images that have the highest engagement. She recommends the square 4x4 "full bleed" cards. "With postage, it costs me less than $2 to send a card, and I feel like that is money very well spent," she says.

When to Write Your Thank-You Notes

Make this a weekly practice. It can be an enjoyable exercise of gratitude, reflecting on the blessings that repeat customers offer to you, or even the opportunity to foster a friendship with someone. Write a card first thing in the morning, as you savor the quiet and some coffee or tea. Is there a weekly job that isn't your favorite? Use the joy of writing a card as a reward for yourself after finishing the task! The more we focus on the good in others, counting our blessings, and showing gratitude, the more of those elements we will begin to see in daily life.

Make the World a Better Place, One Card at a Time

Studies continue to show that despite how "connected" we are via social media, phones, the internet, and so on, most people feel lonely and crave personal connection. Through the power of sharing a written note, you can stand out from the masses, build up another person, and build their loyalty and good feelings toward you and your flower business in the process.