I love creating and sending quick notes of encouragement to teachers and friends. My favorite go-to for creating these was an eCard type app (it was called Red Stamp), but it is no longer available in the app store, and it stopped working (boo). I haven’t found any other ecard app that compares and have been looking for creative ways to pass on positivity and praise. Whether you are experiencing the same sadness over this particular app, or you just want some fresh ideas for sharing feedback, read on for 5 ways to quickly and easily provide positive feedback.
Adobe Spark Post App
First off, if you haven’t used this app before – it is a must download! It is so user-friendly and simple to create beautiful, professional looking graphics straight from your phone. For the purpose of sending a quick note of encouragement to students or staff members, I suggest creating a post with the person’s name large and a place for your specific, personalized encouragement. Once you get the look just the way you want it, (here’s the time saver) don’t feel like you have to a create a new graphic every time. Use the same template again and again to encourage others! Go to my posts, click on your note of encouragement, change the name and content and share with your new recipient.
Here’s an example of a graphic created with Adobe Spark Post that I shared with a teacher earlier this year:
Voxer
Instead of a note of encouragement, you can send your voice! With the Voxer app, you can record a voice message for parents, students, or colleagues even if the recipient doesn’t use Voxer! Simply record yourself sharing words of encouragement, then send the message via text or email to brighten their day! Read more in my post A New Twist on the Positive Note using VOXER.
Video Clip
Why not send a quick video of encouragement? You can do this with your phone’s camera, any computer’s web browser at webcamera.io, or video apps such as SnapChat to add a little extra flair to your video. I love using the iOS app Apple Clips. This app allows you to add fun filters, captions of what you’re saying, stickers, and intros and outros very quickly and easily. Try it out! My kids love getting these little messages from me.
Google Slides or Drawings
Another way to create a nice graphic where you can capture words of encouragement and praise is in a Google Slide or Drawing. I think of this as creating a sort of eCard. When finished, I like to either print the slide as a full page to leave for my recipient or (more often) download the completed image as a .png file and insert it in the body of an email so that the beautiful image is the message rather than just an attachment.
Here’s one template I like to use:
Grab your own copy here and add it to your drive using the plus “Use Template” button.
You can delete my Bitmoji and add your own for further personalization and celebration!
Personalized Post-It Notes
For years now I have often printed on post-it notes using my regular old printer. Printing a word of encouragement across the top and “Love, Meredith” along the bottom with a small icon or graphic and plenty of room in the middle to write a few specific, positive words of praise. I really love using this strategy, because if I print 8 post-its on one piece of paper at the beginning of the day, I can make it my goal to write and hand out those 8 notes by the end of the day. This is an easy, attainable goal that keeps me accountable to myself each time I see a sticky note still left unwritten.
Tony Vincent has an amazing post explaining how to print on post-its with TONS of example templates and BLANK templates that you can customize and personalize however you want. He even shares an easy-to-follow video tutorial to walk you through printing on post-its if you’re a first-timer. 🙂 Check out Tony’s post to grab some of his already created templates and/or easily design and print your own post-its to pass out this week!
Meredith Akers 