Are you old enough to remember the thrill that came with getting a letter in the mail?
Maybe it was a note from a friend or a pen pal.
Maybe it was a card from your grandma with a simple “I love you” and a five-dollar bill tucked into the crease.
I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s still fun to discover the treasure of a personalized, handwritten note among all the bills and junk mail.
Maybe your church marketing strategy does not include sending out five-dollar bills in correspondence, but churches could pick up a few tips from grandmas and other excellent marketers.
The senior pastor at the church my family attended in Missouri sends out an annual birthday letter to every single member of the congregation. Yes, it’s a form letter and the typewritten message is the same for each recipient. And while there’s heartfelt love and appreciation in the main body of the letter, there’s so much more near the bottom of the page.
It’s there that you find a simple, handwritten message to let you know you are appreciated — something like: “We sure love you, your wife, and your sweet boys, Eric!”
Simple. Personal. Meaningful.
I found myself waiting for that gift every March. After I ripped open the envelope, I always read from bottom to top, starting with the personal, handwritten message from my pastor.
Oh, another thing: Just like grandma’s cards, these birthday letters were never late!
(To any family members reading this…I know, I know.)