Storytime. “I don’t know what to write.” It’s a common comment people make when buying a sympathy card, more common from guys in our experience. They say it looking for advice. We had a guy in the other day who bought a sympathy card and asked for our help. “My nan died and this is for my mum,” he said putting the card on the counter. “I know a card is the right thing to do but what do I write?”
I offered what we have found to be the best advice. “Write what you’d like your mum to read a few years from now, something that reflects how you feel about your nan and about your mum’s loss. A happy memory maybe. People hang on to sympathy cards and what you write today will be a comfort for her years later.”
Every day we get to talk with our customers about the most personal situations. It’s something to treasure about being a newsagent.