How often do you write down your thoughts, ideas, plans or notes after a meeting?

Increasingly the answer is rarely ..

Because for many people it makes more sense to just type a text, or an email, or put it all into Word so you can just forward it straight on.

Why bother writing - and then - typing ???

It's true, on one level, typing notes may be efficient.

But, an article in The Guardian Weekly in January 2025 made us stop and think about one our favourite topics, the difference between being effective v efficient.

So what difference does writing make?

In short - the act of writing helps us to process information, to make sense of what we've heard or what we're thinking.

Hand writing prompts our brain to move information onto another level, rather than just capturing notes verbatim.

Why is this so important for sales?

📝 If you summarise meeting notes by hand - you're more likely to start thinking about ideas, or solutions, and a sense of prioritisation, rather than capturing the situation and ending up with a long list of actions.

📝 If you prepare for a presentation with a blank piece of paper - writing down the key messages you want to get across, then you're more likely to create something that's concise, compelling and engaging for your audience.

📝 And if you hand write your objectives - it's easier to spot any gaps in thinking, editing the objectives, and strengthening them, acting like our own coach.

It all comes down to whether sales people want to be efficient, saving time in the short term or whether sales teams strive to be effective, making the most of their time in the long run.

Interested to read more? The article I mentioned = "Reading the last rites for the art of handwriting" which is an extract from "The Extinction of Experience, Reclaiming Our Humanity in a Digital World" by Christine Rosen.