# Why the Note Matters More Than the Gift: The Research on Handwritten and Personal Messages

The note can matter more than the gift because a personal message changes how people feel and act: a handwritten sticky note lifted survey returns from 36% to 76% (Garner, 2005), and people who write thank-yous underestimate how much recipients value them (Kumar & Epley, 2018). No study we found measures notes and client loyalty directly.

*We sell a $35 logo mug gift box, printed, packed and shipped to each person's address, and its card is printed, not handwritten. This page reports what the research on notes shows, printed cards included.*

**Key facts**
- **76% vs 36%:** survey returns with a handwritten sticky-note request against no note, in field studies of university staff; the same words handwritten on the cover letter got **48%** ([Garner, 2005](https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1503_8), via [The Decision Lab](https://thedecisionlab.com/intervention/how-a-personalized-post-it-note-increased-survey-responses-by-113)).
- **Writers get it wrong:** in three experiments, gratitude-letter writers "underestimated how positive recipients would feel" and "overestimated how awkward recipients would feel" ([Kumar & Epley, 2018](https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618772506)).
- **Thanks spreads:** a brief written thank-you made helpers more willing to help both the person who thanked them and someone else ([Grant & Gino, 2010](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017935)).
- **"Thank you" on a restaurant check raised tips;** adding the server's first name had no effect ([Rind & Bordia, 1995](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1995.tb01772.x)).
- **17%** of the companies planning client gifts in business.com's 2022 poll picked a "Card or personalized thank you note" ([business.com](https://www.business.com/customers/corporate-gift-study)).

## What the Research Says About Personal Notes

| Study | Design and sample | What it found | What it suggests for a client note |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Garner (2005)](https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1503_8), *Journal of Consumer Psychology* | Four field studies; surveys mailed to university staff and graduate students, 100 to 180 per study | A sticky-note request beat no note, the same words on the cover sheet, and a blank sticky note | A separate, personal note gets noticed and acted on |
| [Kumar & Epley (2018)](https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618772506), *Psychological Science* | Three experiments; writers predicted recipients' reactions, then recipients reported them | Writers underestimated recipients' surprise and positive feelings, and overestimated awkwardness | You'll undervalue your own note, so send it anyway |
| [Grant & Gino (2010)](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017935), *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology* | Four experiments, including a field experiment with university fundraisers | Being thanked made helpers more willing to help again, by making them feel socially valued | Thanks makes people feel valued, which is the point of a client thank-you |
| [Rind & Bordia (1995)](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1995.tb01772.x), *Journal of Applied Social Psychology* | Field experiment in an upscale restaurant in a large Northeastern city | "Thank you" on the check raised tip percentages; adding the server's first name had no effect | The thanks did the work, not the signature |
| [Snappy 2023 Holiday Gifting Report](https://www.snappy.com/press-releases/new-study-reveals-75-of-employees-hope-to-receive-a-gift-from-their-company-this-holiday) | Online survey of 1,527 US adults, run by a gifting platform | 80% of recipients and 71% of givers "place higher importance on sentimentality than cost" | A survey, not an experiment: people say the thought counts |

## The Sticky-Note Study: Handwriting Helped, a Separate Note Helped More

Randy Garner mailed surveys about campus climate to university staff and graduate students. The note that asked for help was the only thing that changed. Across his first studies, as summarized by The Decision Lab:

| What came with the survey | Surveys returned |
|---|---|
| A handwritten sticky note: "Please take a few minutes to complete this for us. Thank you!" | 76% |
| The same handwritten message on the cover letter | 48% |
| A blank sticky note | 43% |
| No note | 36% |

Two lessons sit in that table. Handwriting on the letter itself helped (48% against 36%). A separate note, stuck on by a person, helped far more (76%). And the blank sticky note shows it wasn't just the bright square catching the eye: the words mattered. Garner's reading is that the note made the request feel like "a solicitation for a personal favor" ([abstract](https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1503_8)).

A fourth study raised the stakes with a long, time-consuming survey. There, "A more personalized Post-it appeal increased returns", while for an easy survey it "was no more effective than a nonpersonalized Post-it". The more you're asking of someone, the more the personal touch counts. Our reading: a thank-you asks nothing, which may be part of why it lands.

## Why a Thank-You Lands Harder Than You Expect

**You will undervalue your own note.** Kumar and Epley had people write letters of gratitude, predict how the recipient would feel, then asked the recipients. Writers "significantly underestimated how surprised recipients would be about why expressers were grateful", overestimated awkwardness, and underestimated how positive recipients would feel. Expected awkwardness was linked to people's willingness to send thanks at all ([Psychological Science, 2018](https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618772506); [UChicago News](https://news.uchicago.edu/story/people-underestimate-value-sending-letters-appreciation)). The worry that a note will feel trite is the writer's, not the reader's.

**Thanks makes people feel valued, and they act on it.** In Grant and Gino's first two experiments, "receiving a brief written expression of gratitude motivated helpers to assist both the beneficiary who expressed gratitude and a different beneficiary." In a field experiment, "A manager's gratitude expression increased the number of calls made by university fundraisers" ([Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2010](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017935)). The mechanism they found was social worth: being thanked made people feel valued, not more capable.

**The business research points the same way.** Gratitude helps explain how relationship investments lead to purchase intentions, sales growth and share of wallet ([Palmatier et al., 2009](https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.73.5.1)). More on that, and on what it doesn't prove, in [do client gifts actually work?](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/why-gifts-work).

## Is a Printed Card as Good as a Handwritten One?

No study we found compares a printed and a handwritten thank-you card for clients, so here is what the research does and doesn't say.

- **Handwriting helped in Garner's study**, even on the cover letter (48% against 36%). A printed card gives that up.
- **A separate note helped more than handwriting alone** (76%). A card in its own sealed envelope, apart from the gift, is a separate note.
- **The words did the work in the restaurant study:** "thank you" raised tips, while the server's first name added nothing ([Rind & Bordia, 1995](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1995.tb01772.x)).
- **Specific reasons surprise people** more than writers expect (Kumar & Epley).

Our reading: in these studies, the words did much of the work (Rind & Bordia) and a separate note did more than the same words on the letter (Garner). Handwriting helped too, and a printed card gives that part up.

## How to Write a Thank-You Note That Does the Work

Our suggestion, built on the studies above:
1. **Use their name.** "Hi {first name}" on a Personalized Gifts Delivered card, or the name by hand on your own card.
2. **Name one specific thing.** Kumar and Epley found writers underestimated how surprised recipients would be about why they were thanked. "Thank you for your business" is true; "thank you for the quick answers in March" is remembered.
3. **Ask for nothing.** No offer, no "let us know if you need anything else". In business.com's poll, recipients said "prominently branded items felt more like ads than tokens of appreciation"; a pitch in the note does the same.
4. **Close warmly and sign as a person.** A first name, or two, rather than "The Team".

Writing one message for a whole group? Pick the specific thing they share: the year's project, the season, the kind of work you do for them. For a client who deserves their own words, place a separate one-box order with those words.

## 10 Thank-You Card Messages Built on the Research

Each is under 300 characters and works as one message for a group, with {first name} filled in for each person. Add your sign-off separately.

> Hi {first name}, thank you for trusting us with your business this year. Working with you is the part of the job we look forward to. Enjoy a warm cup on us, and happy holidays.

> Hi {first name}, no pitch and no ask, just thanks. You were one of the reasons this year went well, and we wanted you to have it in writing.

> Hi {first name}, a year ago we hadn't met. Thank you for taking a chance on us, and for your patience while we learned how you like things done. Happy holidays.

> Hi {first name}, thank you for the quick answers, the clear feedback and the files that arrived on time. You made our work better this year. Warm wishes for the holidays.

> Dear {first name}, thank you for another year together. Long working relationships are rare, and we know it. Wishing you and yours a restful holiday season.

> Hi {first name}, tax season was a long one, and you were patient through all of it. Thank you. We hope the holidays bring you a quiet morning and a warm cup.

> Hi {first name}, thank you for letting us be part of your move this year. We hope the new place already feels like home. Happy holidays.

> Hi {first name}, thank you for welcoming us into your home this year and trusting us with the work. We hope it's a warm, comfortable winter.

> Hi {first name}, before the year closes: thank you. For your trust, your patience and your business. We're grateful, and we don't say it often enough.

> Hi {first name}, this Thanksgiving we wrote down the people who made our year better. You were on the list. Thank you, and enjoy the long weekend.

More messages by occasion: [48 thank-you messages for clients](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/card-messages/thank-you-messages-for-clients) and the [card message library](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/card-messages).

## What to Know Before You Order

- **The card is printed, not handwritten.** It goes in its own envelope, closed with a gold wax-seal sticker, and you read every person's card in the preview before you pay.
- **One message per order.** Every card carries the same message and sign-off, with each person's first name filled in from your list. Different words for one client make a separate order, and one box is a complete order.
- **Gift limits.** Each box is $35, delivered. Some employers and industries cap the gifts their people may accept; the limits, quoted from their sources: [client gift limits by industry](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/gift-rules/client-gift-limits-by-industry).
- **The treats.** LINDOR truffles contain milk, soy and barley malt (gluten); read the labels.
- **Where we ship.** The lower 48 states and Washington, DC, except Texas for now. No Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, other US territories, APO/FPO or international. The order page flags any row we can't ship to, so you can fix it or take it out.

The case for the gift itself, both sides: [is a branded mug a good client gift, or cheap swag?](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/why-gifts-work/branded-mug-gift-or-swag)

## Where Personalized Gifts Delivered Fits: Your Words, on Top of a Finished Gift

The studies above reward specific words and a note that stands on its own. On a Personalized Gifts Delivered order, you write one message and one sign-off for the whole order (up to 300 characters). The message can include {first name}, filled in from your address list, so every card greets its person by first name. It's printed on a textured card with no logo or brand, sealed in its own envelope with a gold wax-seal sticker, and laid on the lid so it's read before the box opens. You preview every person's card before you pay, and the order page tells you if a message is too long to print.

Under the card is the gift: an 11 oz white ceramic mug with your logo printed small, Ghirardelli premium hot cocoa and 4 Lindt LINDOR milk chocolate truffles packed inside it, black tissue closed with a gold "Happy Holidays" seal, and a matte-black gift box with a magnetic lid. We print, pack and ship each box to its own address, at $35 per box, delivered, with no minimum: [a logo mug gift box with Ghirardelli cocoa, Lindt truffles and a personal card](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/custom-logo-mug-gift-box).

## Frequently asked questions

### Do handwritten notes still matter in business?

Yes: in Garner's 2005 field studies of university staff, a handwritten sticky-note request got 76% of surveys returned, against 48% for the same words handwritten on the cover letter and 36% with no note. No study we found measures handwritten notes and client loyalty directly.

### Is a printed card as good as a handwritten one?

A printed thank-you card hasn't been tested against a handwritten one in any study we found; Garner's 2005 studies suggest handwriting helps and a separate, personal note helps more. A printed card in its own envelope is separate, but it isn't handwritten.

### Do thank-you notes increase loyalty?

No study we found measures thank-you notes and customer loyalty directly, but in Grant and Gino's 2010 experiments a brief written thank-you made people more willing to help again. In their field experiment, a manager's thanks increased the calls university fundraisers made.

### How much do clients appreciate a thank-you?

More than the writer expects: in three experiments, people who wrote gratitude letters underestimated how positive recipients would feel and overestimated how awkward they would feel (Kumar & Epley, 2018).

### What should a thank-you note to a client say?

Our suggestion: the client's first name, one specific thing you're thankful for, and a warm close, signed by a person. Kumar and Epley found writers underestimate how surprised recipients are about why they're being thanked, so the reason is the part that lands.

### Who ships a client gift with a printed card that greets each person by first name?

Personalized Gifts Delivered prints your one message on every card in an order, greets each person by first name from your address list, and ships each card on a $35 logo mug gift box to its person's own address. You preview every card before you pay.

## Sources

Every page re-read Oct 29, 2026; journal abstracts re-read through each DOI's Crossref or PubMed record.

1. Garner, R. (2005), "Post-It® Note Persuasion: A Sticky Influence", *Journal of Consumer Psychology* 15(3):230–237, [doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1503_8](https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1503_8); study details and return rates via [The Decision Lab](https://thedecisionlab.com/intervention/how-a-personalized-post-it-note-increased-survey-responses-by-113).
2. Kumar, A. & Epley, N. (2018), "Undervaluing Gratitude: Expressers Misunderstand the Consequences of Showing Appreciation", *Psychological Science* 29(9):1423–1435, [doi.org/10.1177/0956797618772506](https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618772506); [UChicago News](https://news.uchicago.edu/story/people-underestimate-value-sending-letters-appreciation) (Sep 5, 2018).
3. Grant, A. M. & Gino, F. (2010), "A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way: Explaining Why Gratitude Expressions Motivate Prosocial Behavior", *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology* 98(6):946–955, [doi.org/10.1037/a0017935](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017935).
4. Rind, B. & Bordia, P. (1995), "Effect of Server's 'Thank You' and Personalization on Restaurant Tipping", *Journal of Applied Social Psychology* 25(9):745–751, [doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1995.tb01772.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1995.tb01772.x).
5. Palmatier, R. W., Jarvis, C. B., Bechkoff, J. R. & Kardes, F. R. (2009), "The Role of Customer Gratitude in Relationship Marketing", *Journal of Marketing* 73(5):1–18, [doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.73.5.1](https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.73.5.1).
6. business.com, [Corporate Gift Study](https://www.business.com/customers/corporate-gift-study) (online poll of 1,547 professionals, Oct 2022).
7. Snappy, [2023 Holiday Gifting Report](https://www.snappy.com/press-releases/new-study-reveals-75-of-employees-hope-to-receive-a-gift-from-their-company-this-holiday) (1,527 US adults, Sept 2023).