Embracing handwritten communication in a digital world.
By Pete Mercer
There’s something powerful about receiving a handwritten letter in the mail. This seemingly small act of kindness feels like a seismic shift in a digital world – in an era of digital convenience where the entire world is only a phone call, text, or FaceTime away, someone has taken the time to write a note by hand and send it to you in the mail. Not so long ago, this was a common occurrence. Now, this is reserved for special occasions, and even then, people will typically default to digital communication.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s hard to replicate the intentionality that goes into writing a letter to someone. Rod Gray, a seasoned sales expert currently serving as the national corporate account director at Drylock Technologies, Ltd., and speaker, author, and recipient of the Repertoire/HIDA Excellence in Sales Award in 2006, has just written a book about the unique power of receiving handwritten letters in today’s environment. INK: Discover the Power of the Pen in a Digital World is Gray’s invitation to rediscover and embrace the lost art of handwritten communication. Repertoire Magazine sat down with Gray to discuss his new book, what makes handwritten communication so effective, and why it’s so difficult to build connections in a digital world.
The power of handwritten communication
What is it about handwritten notes that convey a deeper meaning? For Gray, it’s all about the unique charm and emotional resonance that digital communications can’t fully replicate. Even as tools like artificial intelligence continue to grow and learn, they still can’t match the personalization or even the humanity found in handwritten communication.
“One of the key elements is the personal touch that handwriting offers,” he said. “When someone takes the time to write a note or letter by hand, it reflects their effort and intention, making the message feel more sincere and heartfelt. This physical representation of one’s thoughts carries an authenticity that can be felt by the recipient, establishing a deeper connection.”
Growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina, helped to instill the traditional Southern value of writing “thank you” notes for everything (something that he gratefully attributes to his mother), which Gray carried into his business. The truth is that while writing notes and letters for loved ones is a meaningful way to communicate, it’s also a powerful business practice.
After meeting with a customer, Gray will follow up with a note on his customized stationery to thank them for their time. Some of these sales cycles can last a long time, so Gray would also include something creative like giving them a piggy bank with some money in it, representing the money that they would save by becoming one of his customers. The follow-up in sales is critical to close deals, but leveraging a creative decision with the follow-up might be that extra step that seals the deal.
“There’s not a time, and I’m not being braggadocios, but there’s not a time here when I have done those types of things that it hasn’t worked. Almost every time that I send a handwritten correspondent to a prospective or current customer, friend or family member – whoever I’m sending it to – they will always recognize it and they always say how much that meant to them.”
Building connections in a digital world
One of the rising challenges in this digital landscape is building connections with the people around us. Culturally, we are more connected through digital means, yet somehow more divided than ever before. Handwritten letters and notes build a sort of bridge between people during a time when it’s more difficult than ever to connect.
Gray said, “Digital communication often lacks the depth and emotional nuance that come with face-to-face interaction or handwritten messages, making it harder to establish genuine connections.” Digital platforms can easily build barriers around people, leaving them to say things that they wouldn’t usually say in person, or even allowing them to avoid vulnerability with each other. Gray argues that this can prevent deeper relationships from forming, creating a sense of fatigue or disengagement with other people that is detrimental to building relationships.
Because digital communication and AI tend to favor speed and convenience, it often results in a less thoughtful exchange that can lack emotional depth. In fact, AI is seen by a lot of people as an emerging threat, especially as it continues to take in information. While it can be a powerful tool to simplify work processes, it’s no replacement for human connection.
“The act of handwriting engages a different cognitive and emotional process. Writing by hand requires more time and attention, allowing the writer to reflect on their thoughts and feelings as they translate them onto paper. This intentionality results in messages that are often more thoughtful and meaningful,” Gray said.
In addition to being a thoughtful exchange, handwritten notes and letters are tangible, tactile items that the recipient can hold onto and cherish, unlike digital messages that pile up in your email inbox. Just like family Christmas cards and wedding invitations are often put on the fridge in your home, handwritten notes can be kept and revisited as a comforting memory. “The ability to preserve and revisit a handwritten message adds to its significance,” Gray said.
Applying these principles in the real world
Because he comes from a sales background, Gray encourages medical sales reps to apply the principles from INK to help them navigate the many challenges that come from selling in the medical field. The importance of personalized communication and relationship-building cannot be ignored in the digital age.
Incorporating an old-fashioned approach to a fast-paced, modern sales environment is critical to setting yourself apart from the rest of your competition. With so many products, tools, devices, and technology that perform the same tasks at roughly the same level, your ability to set yourself apart in this kind of environment will determine whether potential customers will remember you or not.
Just by looking at Gray’s creative approaches to capturing his customer’s attention (i.e. the piggy bank coupled with the personalized stationery and business cards), you can get a bigger picture of just how to implement some of these principles in your own work. These extra steps go a long way to developing a sense of trust and a baseline relationship with your customers, helping them to feel valued and appreciated.
“By taking the time to express genuine thoughts and gratitude, medical sales professionals can create memorable experiences that resonate beyond typical digital interactions such as emails and texts. This not only enhances customer loyalty, but also humanizes the sales process, reminding clients of the personal touch that a handwritten message brings, even in an increasingly digital world,” Gray said.
A changing industry
In 2006, Gray won the Repertoire/HIDA Excellence in Sales Award, the industry’s most prestigious award that goes to a top-performing distributor sales representative and manufacturer sales representative. Throughout his 30-plus year career, Gray has seen the industry go through significant changes, ranging from the rise of online ordering to navigating a global pandemic.
Gray’s mission statement is even more important considering he’s seen how the rise of digital communication has impacted the industry, both for good and bad. He argues that the reliance on emails, text messages, and even AI for communication, coupled with online ordering and the consolidation of companies across the industry, pushed the industry into a transactional business model. Through this book, he emphasizes that incorporating the personal touch of handwritten communication can enhance relationships and create meaningful connections in what has become a transactional environment. Genuine, thoughtful interactions still have value.
He said, “As a result of the pandemic, new communication technologies like Teams and Zoom calls were rapidly introduced, further diminishing the frequency of personal interactions, face-to-face meetings, and joint sales calls that were once foundational to relationship-building in the medical industry.”
This transformation is one of the foundational reasons why Gray wrote INK in the first place. His goal is not to advocate against or even remove these tools from a rep’s toolbox, but to instead embrace a personalized approach to communicating with each other. The two mindsets – digital and analog – can work together in concert to make us better at what we do, but we have to be willing to take that extra step when it matters most.
Copies of INK: Discover the Power of the Pen in a Digital World can be purchased at inkpowerofthepen.com or Amazon. Rod Gray is available for speaking engagements and coaching workshops through his website. If you have firsthand experience with the power of handwritten communication, you can share your story at inkpowerofthepen.com by clicking on the Share Your Story button at the top of the page.