The Art of “Thank You”

What three words have a total of only 14 letters yet carry a great deal of meaning?  “Please” and “Thank You”.

How do you feel when you get your mail and there is a card, clearly not junk mail.  It is in a hand-written envelope with YOUR name on it.

You look to see if there is a return address.

There is, but no name.  Who could it be from?!
You tear it open, with great  anticipation.

And there it is; A BIG BEAUTIFUL THANK-YOU NOTE. 

It is from someone that you met for coffee last week. They asked for some help on a new project they’re promoting and you helped them.  What goes through your mind?  Wow! This person cared enough to take the time out of their busy day to write me a thank you!

You won’t forget that person, will you? 

It never gets old!

The art of sending a hand-written thank you was becoming extinct, but is making an
amazing comeback!  In 2012, people are wanting to Outclass The Competition.

An email is the least preferred way to send a formal thank you.  It, however, is a great alternative in
business if someone sends you a great article, or a “thought you might like to see this”.

If a close friend sends you a great piece of advice or a recipe, again, an email is appropriate.  Never send an email thank you for wedding, graduation or shower gifts.  Remember, going the extra mile with a handwritten thank-you note has and always will be the perfect way to make you or your company shine.

 

• Send a thank-you note immediately within 24
  hours if it is to show appreciation for a business meeting, business lunch or
  an interview.  Address the envelope, stamp it and write your thank you when you return so it can go in the mail the same day.
• Send a thank-you note within two weeks of
  receiving a gift.  If it is past the
  two-week period and you think that it is too late, it’s not!  Send one anyway, no matter how long it has
  been.  The person you’re sending to might
  think it odd that you haven’t thanked them in a timely manner, but it’s better
  late than never.
• Send a thank you for wedding gifts within
  three months.
• A phone call never ranks as high as a thank
  you note.
• When sending a thank-you note for a gift,
  refer to the gift that was given you and how much you like it.
• Put a date at top-left of your thank-you card, use a salutation, such as “Dear”, use a comma
  after the salutation and addressee’s name, use honorifics, Mr. or Ms.,  when appropriate, and use a proper
  closing.  For business it would be Sincerely,
  Respectfully, Very respectfully, Regards, or Best regards.
• Please spell cheek yur thaank you noats,
  wither it is by emaail or a noat card.
  Handwritten thank-you notes should be written on a separate piece of
  paper before the final draft on the actual card.

 

I personally favor the 4 ½ X 6 ¼ Correspondence Cards for business.  Joe Bohardt, owner of The Mulberry Tree, 2600 Far Hills Ave # 109, in Oakwood, is an expert in the field of stationery, note cards and invitations.  Joe introduced me to the correspondence card that I have used professionally for many years.  Joe said that your personal stationery or correspondence cards should be your fingerprint.  That way, when someone receives your card, or stationery, they will know it is from you.

I recommend stocking two types of thank-you notes; one for business and one for
social.  Your business correspondence card for thank-you notes should reflect you and your business.  It is like clothing.  If you are in the profession where you need to dress in formal business attire, then your cards should reflect that.  I would recommend a white card with black raised in or blind embossed.  If you are
in a profession where you need to dress casual and artsy,
then by all means, your thank-you cards should convey that.
It is all about branding yourself.

 

Tip:  Stationery and boxed thank-you notes make a
perfect thank-you gift.

 

Now that I have preached the importance of Thank-You Note Etiquette, I better get
down to business.  I do believe I have gotten behind in my Thank-You notes.

 

 

As a thank-you for reading my Getting The Edge on Etiquette column, the first five people that email me from my website, with their address, will receive their very own Crane Blue Book of Stationery, The Definitive Guide to Social and BusinessCorrespondence Etiquette.

Thank you!

 

Recommended books: 

101 Ways To Say Thank You, by Kelly Browne

and

The Crane Blue Book of Stationery.