When was the last time you sent a thank you note to someone? Was it after you received a present from them? Was it after they bought you a free lunch? Was it after your dentist fixed your nasty tooth ache? Was it after your chiropractor readjusted your back and took away the pain? Was it after your customer placed an order with you?

I hope that you chose at least one of the reasons that I listed for sending a thank you message. Some people think that thank you notes are old fashioned. So they simply don’t send them. For them, saying, “Thank you” is good enough. Expressing your gratitude verbally is a good start. I wish more people would even do that. But think back for a minute — when was the last time you received a thank you card? How did it make you feel? Was it the first letter that you opened from the pile of paper that you retrieved from your mailbox? I bet for most people, the thank you card was the first one that they opened.

The psychology of a thank you card is very simple. We all want to be appreciated for what we do. It’s basic human nature to want to be acknowledged. It’s a human need. The thank you card satisfies that need. So why don’t more people do it? I don’t know. Laziness comes to mind. I could be wrong.

Sales and marketing is about identifying needs, and finding unique ways to satisfy those needs. Sending a thank you card is not unique, but it is rarely done these days. And in a crowded marketplace, saying “Thank you” and following up with a card will give you that extra edge. Of course you have to also mean it.

Start today. Write your thank you cards. Mail them. Email them. Let people know that you value them. Just as I value you, my reader. Thank you for spending time with me today.