Physical notes can mean so much more
Why write a physical note or send a physical card? Especially when email is so much faster and easier.
It shows more thought. It requires more effort, even if the message is the same, or even shorter, because of the act of addressing and mailing it, etc.
On some level, everyone already knows that physical cards are more meaningful, and are more appreciated, than emails. What do you experience when you scroll through your email inbox and see an email that thanks you for your help at an event, or congratulating you on a promotion? Likely, you were pleased, felt appreciated or thought of, and you were grateful to the sender for taking the time and effort to send you that email.
However, how does this compare with the way you feel when you get physical mail addressed to you. Can you remember the last time you received an envelope with your name on the front? Was it a thank you card, or perhaps a get well soon card? Maybe it was just a friendly note letting you know that someone was thinking of you. How much more did you appreciate that message?
Was that message any more complicated or clever than the email you received? My guess is that if there were any differences, they were slight. Yet almost unilaterally, handwritten, physical notes are more highly valued than emails.
Perhaps this is due to the extra consideration of having to walk to the mailbox and raise the flag on the side, or perhaps it’s due to the challenge of having to find a pen that actually works, but whatever the reason, the results are clear.
A common complaint is not having the proper card for an occasion, and the hassle of finding one that is just right. While it is nice to receive the perfect card for whatever occasion it is, chances are that most people don’t care too much that your card doesn’t exactly match the situation. However, if selecting the perfect card is something you struggle with, perhaps choosing cards that are more simple and streamlined may alleviate some of that struggle.
The Elegant Contrast designs are made to be flexible and largely up to interpretation. The messages you choose to accompany the designs can bring out different aspects like bright colors, poised structure, or slender lines to accentuate your meaning.
For instance, the following design could be interpreted to represent many things, but for this purpose, I chose to emphasize how the arrangement was a visual representation of motherhood.
While this arrangement may seem strange, it can be interpreted to express your appreciation of your mother’s grace, hint that you know she was frazzled at times, and acknowledge that it all comes together to make something beautiful called “motherhood.”
This message is a little over-the-top, to be sure. Remember: even the simplest message, when handwritten on a physical card and sent by mail, can hold significant meaning for the recipient. So don’t be intimidated by card selection or fancy words. Just remember that the action of writing and sending a card by physical mail can light up a person’s day, and that is worth much more than “the perfect card.”