Sending a thank-you note is almost always a good idea. Since the dawn of time, people have struggled with the right way to say thank you. Phone calls, emails, text messages, they all get the job done. But a handwritten thank-you note says more: It tells our friends and family that we went out of our way to sit down and write just to them because they’re worth it. There are so many scenarios in which writing a thank you note would be appreciated.
Thank you letters don’t need to be complicated or overly long. Don’t wait too long because a late thank you letter may seem more like an afterthought, or worse, you may forget to send the note at all. But, no matter the occasion, all good thank you notes combine common courtesy, personal anecdotes, and genuine respect. They are ways of expressing personal gratitude for kindness, favors, donations, and specific actions you find admirable.
Format of the personal thank you letter –
Make use of thank you letterhead or good quality of the paper
- Add your name and address
- Add date
- Add the recipient name and recipient address
- Add salutation
- Show acknowledgment in the first paragraph
- Give a description in the second paragraph
- State the importance of the help in the third paragraph
- Add closing salutation
- Add your signature
- Add your name and contact information.
Try to send your thank-you notes out quickly. For events such as parties and showers, a good rule of thumb is to send your cards out within a month after the event. If it’s later than that, start your note with a brief apology. “I’ve been meaning to tell you…”
Some Quick Dos and Don’ts –
- Do not include other news, requests, or news in the thank you note
- Do mention the specific gift in the note
- Do not give general compliments such as everyone was so generous or it was great having everybody there
- Do you the word “you” more than the word “I”
- Do not send a group thank you for a letter, E-mail or newsletter for personal thank you correspondence.
