Go Old School with Post Card Reminders

As an advocate and frequent user of the US postal service, I’ve been closely following the news about their financial woes and efforts to fix it.

And yet . . . when I think about opening MY mailbox each afternoon, I still experience a small rush of anticipation. Will I find a letter, postcard, package, check, favorite catalog, magazine?

Whether you’re an advocate or a foe of the US mail service, perhaps we can agree that a playful postcard reminder can still be useful method to reinforce key learning points. Just this week, Trainers Warehouse is launching a new product, Memory Postcards. {Note: As of 2016, this product is no longer available. However, Trainers Warehouse has lots of other reminder tools.}

The brain theory behind the idea is two-fold. First, emotional experiences lend to improved memory. Hopefully, learners will have a positive experience when they work with their team to write out the postcards during the learning event; they’ll feel good again when they open their mailbox a week or two later and find the postcard; and again each time they look at the picture posted on their wall. Second, repetition leads to improved memory. The hope is that the postcards will continue reminding participants of key learning points, long after the learning event is over.

The specially designed postcards come with memory messages such as:

Memory Jogger
Committed to Memory
Reflections on Learning
Standout Learning Points

Each features a quintessential postcard picture, and a postage paid stamp on the back. The postage paid stamp on the back is actually pretty cool. Trainers Warehouse and Hallmark are the only companies who have ever done this!