I think in the rush to be current, cool and on the leading / bleeding edge, we sometimes forget the basics.

The basics of relationship is not just ANY communication but rather the Right communication. As long as humans are humans we will require attention that goes beyond our modern definition of communication. Tweeting back and forth will never substitute for a handshake or a handwritten letter. What it can do is facilitate the relational aspects of the ‘net but it will be hard pressed to replace a note, handshake or any other gesture that goes to the next level.

A point of reference; I get ~200 emails a day, some more relevant than others, but 200 nonetheless. I will often go days without a piece of mail. Recently, I received a handwritten (repeat HANDWRITTEN) thank you note from a vendor (this is a large, multinational company BTW) I had spoken to on the phone couple days before. It was stunningly personal, thoughtful, and genuine. I have kept that note on my desk ever since to remind me of the power of a simple handwritten, snail-mail note. I checked my files and the last handwritten note I received from a company was in June 2008 (yes I remember because I kept it too).

So Marketers, to Frank’s point, don’t discount “old school” marketing just yet. Sometimes the simplest things can have the biggest impact and sometimes its best to zig when everyone else zags. Thousands of email over the past 2 years vs. 2 handwritten letters. The math is pretty simple.