I understand the irony – I work for a tech company who weathered the storm as a startup and transitioned to be an industry leader. I am a serial networker who believes that technology should be part of everything you do. Yet, on this cold and rainy morning I sit at my desk handwriting thank you notes. It’s my belief that there are very few who don’t take pleasure in a handwritten gesture of gratitude.

Perhaps a handwritten sentiment is old-fashioned? A tool that professionals have long forgotten about?

However, I find it to be the personal touch that is an extension of managing my personal network. Too often people focus on the WOW! factor, but if you want to be remembered for something more than a first impression, then you need to be a person who is known for something. Why wouldn’t I want to be remembered as the “note-writing guy?”

Your personal network is the only tangible thing that anyone in events owns – be it: sales, accounts, or event planning, you have your word and the people you can rely on. The immediate WOW factor is great if you need to be talked about for a few minutes, but the most important way to protect and grow your network is to be remembered as the person who specializes in their craft with a personal touch.

This brings us back to the irony mentioned in the opening: a tech company, who survived the startup phase becoming an industry leader. It all comes down to how we differentiated ourselves in that phase. We respected the personal touch as a gesture with great meaning and depth. Doing something that sets you apart from the rest is a key facet in slating yourself for success, whether personally or as a business. So remember: send your email and text, but don’t underestimate the importance of the handwritten note, a phone call or a post-work happy hour.

Any gesture that sets you apart is gold! 

Are you interested in submitting a blog? Submissions can be sent to IAEE MWC Chapter Coordinator, Elizabeth Haley at [email protected].