Remember being a kid and how getting mail was one of the greatest joys in life? Your parents would check in the mailbox and, in the midst of bills and coupons, find an envelope addressed to you. Would it be a party invitation or a letter from a friend who moved away? The possibilities were endless, but always good. In today’s digital age, people don’t send as much mail as they used to, but that doesn’t mean the fun of giving and getting mail has ended.
Mail has always and will always be awesome. Getting exciting mail doesn’t have to be a distant childhood memory. There’s lots of reasons why we should send more letters and cards. We teamed up with Studio Ink to put together a list of the best reasons why snail mail is the best mail. Let’s get to it!
1. Sending mail will surprise and delight people. Part of adulting means getting mail in the form of bills and coupons. Boring! Surprise someone by sending a handwritten note to liven up their mailbox.
2. Letters are keepsakes. Unlike the typical email or text, people tend to actually keep physical letters and cards. Your good wishes will probably be remembered and cherished for years.
3. You can practice your lettering. Use mail as a way to pick up (or practice) lettering! Practice makes perfect, so send lots and lots of beautifully hand-lettered notes!
4. Letters show more care and value than just a text. It’s really easy to type a message on your phone and hit “Send.” It takes more time and care to write a note to send to someone, and they’ll feel that.
5. You can get creative with your mail. Treat your card and envelope as a blank canvas. Whether you’re adding glitter, watercolor, confetti or stickers to your mail, there’s lots of opportunities to go crazy and have fun! Remember to keep the address legible though. :)
6. You can send letters to and from anywhere. You can send mail pretty easily in most countries and it’s a tiny act that’ll let your faraway friends know you’re thinking about them. Mail is the best souvenir, hands down.
7. You’ll probably get a letter back. Sending a letter or card will probably prompt the receiver to send something back— thus starting a beautiful letter exchange.
8. It’s a small, inexpensive gesture that goes a long way. Cards generally cost only a few dollars and mailing them costs even less. Making someone smile doesn’t always have to cost a lot — send some mail!
9. You’ll stand out. One tried-and-true job interview tip is to follow up with a thank you email. Make yourself stand out from the other interviewees by sending a physical thank you card. Not interviewing for jobs at the moment? Wish someone “Happy Birthday” with a card instead of writing on her Facebook wall to make her feel extra special.
10. Because people have loved letters since… forever. People have been exchanging letters for nearly all of history and the joy of giving and receiving mail endures. Mail makes people happy in a different way than texts and emails. Brighten someone’s day by sending them mail.
Mail has my stamp of approval.
How many people will you send mail to? Share your snail mail picture with us on Instagram by using the hashtag #britstagram!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.