Which is mightier?

As you might imagine, as a CIO I use the email as a vital tool for business, but when it comes down to burning the free fuel (as Mr. Lee Cockerell puts it), creating a hand written note of appreciation or encouragement sends a message to the recipient that says “he took an extra amount of time to write to me instead of chosing the easy way of sending an email” and that is making someone feel special, exceeding their expectations – because everyone I know would expect something electronic from me.