In today's digital age, handwritten notes are few and far between. However, there's something about a personally-penned message - especially one of thanks - that makes the world a little more human. And, a little effort will set you apart from the pack. Thank you notes are a powerful tool in your pre- and post-grad arsenal.
First, shake the misimpression that handwritten thank you notes are a punishment inflicted by Mom shortly following your birthday. Rather, they are a chance to express your gratitude to teachers, mentors, friends, job interviewers, and (yes) parents. The people you write to will remember you fondly and think more of you for taking the time to put felt-tipped marker to paper. And, don’t we all want to be thought of fondly?
Practice the craft now by writing thank you notes to the people who have made your college years special. Let them know how much they mean to you and that they made a difference in the world by supporting you. Then, move on to the business thank you that punctuates an especially important meeting or interview.
If you’re afraid or writing, here’s a simple formula for the perfect thank you note that works in either case: Dear [Name] + reference last time you spoke + thank you for x + why it mattered to you = perfect thank you note. In practice, it looks something like this:
Dear Aunt Pheobe,
It was great to see you over winter break! I want to thank you for all of your support and encouragement during this past year. I’ve always known I could come to you with my latest heartbreak or my choice-of-major challenges! Your friendship means the world to me.
Love,
Jane
Or
Dear Mary,
It was so nice to catch up over coffee last week. Thank you for your advice about breaking into the business. I really appreciate learning about the ins-and-outs from a real pro!
Hope to see you soon,
Joe
Of course, there are lots of variations, limited only by your own imagination and the length of the note card. A tip for the ambitious thank you note writer: use colorful words, they stick in someone’s mind (e.g., hot tipsis better than advice and inspiring tales is better than work stories).
Next, don’t let your bad handwriting deter you from the thank you note habit. If you never learned cursive, then print. If you have trouble printing, practice. Remember, it’s the personal effort that counts.
Last, but certainly not least, make sure the message is teed up nicely using the right messenger. If you’re going to the trouble to find a pen, emote creatively and buy a stamp, for goodness sake, buy some nice paper! Take it from a veteran thank you note junkie…a creamy, ivory parchment card makes a much better impression than the pack of Hallmark generics from CVS.
There are lots of places to buy personalized thank you notes, but here are some of my favorites:
http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/personalized/thank-you-notes/custom-thank-yous.html
https://www.expressionery.com/estore/THANK-YOU/catalog340001_ctlg.ct?networkId=Expressionery
http://www.minted.com/personalized-stationery-thank-you-cards
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ohlouisedesigns
http://www.crane.com/business/correspondence/thank-you
Oh, and in keeping with this article - thank you for reading! I appreciate your attention and hope you'll keep coming back for more :)
First, shake the misimpression that handwritten thank you notes are a punishment inflicted by Mom shortly following your birthday. Rather, they are a chance to express your gratitude to teachers, mentors, friends, job interviewers, and (yes) parents. The people you write to will remember you fondly and think more of you for taking the time to put felt-tipped marker to paper. And, don’t we all want to be thought of fondly?
Practice the craft now by writing thank you notes to the people who have made your college years special. Let them know how much they mean to you and that they made a difference in the world by supporting you. Then, move on to the business thank you that punctuates an especially important meeting or interview.
If you’re afraid or writing, here’s a simple formula for the perfect thank you note that works in either case: Dear [Name] + reference last time you spoke + thank you for x + why it mattered to you = perfect thank you note. In practice, it looks something like this:
Dear Aunt Pheobe,
It was great to see you over winter break! I want to thank you for all of your support and encouragement during this past year. I’ve always known I could come to you with my latest heartbreak or my choice-of-major challenges! Your friendship means the world to me.
Love,
Jane
Or
Dear Mary,
It was so nice to catch up over coffee last week. Thank you for your advice about breaking into the business. I really appreciate learning about the ins-and-outs from a real pro!
Hope to see you soon,
Joe
Of course, there are lots of variations, limited only by your own imagination and the length of the note card. A tip for the ambitious thank you note writer: use colorful words, they stick in someone’s mind (e.g., hot tipsis better than advice and inspiring tales is better than work stories).
Next, don’t let your bad handwriting deter you from the thank you note habit. If you never learned cursive, then print. If you have trouble printing, practice. Remember, it’s the personal effort that counts.
Last, but certainly not least, make sure the message is teed up nicely using the right messenger. If you’re going to the trouble to find a pen, emote creatively and buy a stamp, for goodness sake, buy some nice paper! Take it from a veteran thank you note junkie…a creamy, ivory parchment card makes a much better impression than the pack of Hallmark generics from CVS.
There are lots of places to buy personalized thank you notes, but here are some of my favorites:
http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/personalized/thank-you-notes/custom-thank-yous.html
https://www.expressionery.com/estore/THANK-YOU/catalog340001_ctlg.ct?networkId=Expressionery
http://www.minted.com/personalized-stationery-thank-you-cards
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ohlouisedesigns
http://www.crane.com/business/correspondence/thank-you
Oh, and in keeping with this article - thank you for reading! I appreciate your attention and hope you'll keep coming back for more :)