Want to make an impression? Go offline

Let me tell you a little story.

Among the things I do is a blog called MyMicroISV.com for people starting or running their own micro software companies. A few week's ago, I did what I call - Site Review Monday - where I review a fellow micro-ISV's web site from a marketing and effectiveness point of view of Scott Carpenter's InvoicePlace online invoicing service. Advertising

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Now I beat up Scott a fair amount in this review - he's got a great product, but his web site needs some major nip and tuck. I chatted with him later that day via Skype, and that was pretty much it. Things move on in the blogosphere, and digital relationships with people come and go every day.

Then I get a postcard. From Scott. From Australia (I'm in California), thanking me for the review and my time. Wow. Advertising

In two plus years of writing blogs and books, replying to people who wanted to ask about this or that, in all those hundreds of fleeting contacts, no one has ever sent taken the time to sit down, handwrite a real card and mail it to me. Let alone from another country.

Sure, you might be thinking I've been living a sheltered digital life for too long, but when is the last time someone took the time and trouble to thank you in writing? I thought so. Advertising

I guess there's three points to this post:

• Nothing beats a sincere and physical thank you for making a positive impression.
• Email/online thank you messages just don't have the impact, the weight, of an actual card or letter.
• In an age of hundreds of fleeting digital messages and relationships, of faster, faster, faster!, go offline if you really want to make an favorable impression on someone you only know digitally.

I know Scott's postcard favorably impressed me! Advertising