Imagine opening your mailbox. Amid the usual catalogs, flyers, and bills you see an ivory envelope with your name penned in rich, blue ink. You walk up the driveway head down, for once not looking at a screen but a piece of paper because you couldn’t wait until you were inside to open it. Inside a folded notecard, cursive writing swoops and glides across the page. It feels like a gift.

Some may consider a handwritten thank-you note a relic of the past, but there are compelling reasons to send one, especially in the digital age. Making a good impression in a job interview is important, but will they remember you after the door shuts? How do you express your gratitude after someone hosts an event in your honor, such as a bridal luncheon or baby shower? When a friend sends a thoughtful gift, how do you let them know that you appreciate the gesture? Mark these occasions with a sincere message and your best stationery. Here are three reasons why:

1. It shows your thoughtfulness. Writing out a note takes time and shows that you consider the details. Your card choice can reflect your personality or the occasion. Monogrammed ivory note cards are perfect for formal occasions, while fun illustrations or cartoons are great for friends.

Instead of splashing words onto a screen in an email, handwriting forces you to slow down, clarify your thinking, and weigh your words. The New York Times quotes Kathryn Urban, a community volunteer in San Francisco, as saying, “Sometimes there are kind acts people have done. Sometimes in a note you can express something difficult to say in person.”

A thank-you note should be sincere and authentic for the kindness shown to you.

Dear Lauren, Thank you for being a great roommate this year! Getting to know you has been the highlight of my year! I am so glad we share a love of Friends reruns and late-night vending machine raids. You are so considerate when I need to sleep late and your tea is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. I cannot wait to share a room with you again this fall. Have a great summer!

2. It shows gratitude. Many recent studies link gratitude to happiness. Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, found that participants in a study who sent a letter of gratitude “immediately exhibited a huge increase in happiness scores. This impact was greater than that from any other intervention, with benefits lasting for a month.”

After you receive a gift, let the giver know you appreciate the present, what you like about it, and how you will use it.

Dear Aunt Jane, I so enjoy the life-size porcelain cat you sent me. I love its calico color and lifelike fur. It resides on my window ledge and stares at the joggers in the park who wave at it.

3. Creates a positive association with your name. After a job interview, mailing a thank-you note means an interviewer will remember your name. In a recent survey by iCIMS, 63% of recruiters reported that they would be more likely to hire someone who wanted a slightly higher salary but sent a thank-you note over someone who wanted less money but didn’t bother to send a note of gratitude. 

In the same report, Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at iCIMS, says, “A thank-you note is a small token to help validate the candidate is the right fit. It reiterates their interest and demonstrates empathy…and brings that candidate to top-of-mind.” So, while it may not make up for a bad first impression, it can give you an edge when they are deciding who to hire. 

In her book, Modern Manners: Tools to Take You to the Top, Dorothea Johnson says that in a note you should state your thanks, restate your interest in the job, and express appreciation for their time.

Dear Mr. Smith, Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the marketing support position. My experience in agriculture sales and social media skills would make me an excellent candidate for this position. I hope your aloe plant recovered after I knocked it off your desk. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

A sincere note of gratitude goes a long way in an age of dashed-off emails and frenzied Tweets. Or worse--demands. I haven’t heard from you yet! What’s up with the job? Take the time to express your appreciation of someone’s kindness and you will feel the benefits also in your increased level of happiness and good reputation.

The flyers and catalogs go into the recycling bin. But the thank-you note you prop on a bookshelf to enjoy a little longer.