Writing a Professional Thank You Letter
How to write a thank you letter
- Start by greeting the recipient
You thank you note should always begin with a greeting. Depending on your relationship with the recipient, you can choose the best salutation. If the thank you note is meant for some you share with a formal relationship, make sure you write the full name if you know the person or you are somehow close you can only use the first name.
Ensure that you have the correct spelling for the recipient’s name.
- Express your thanks
Start with thank you; this is the most important component of this letter.
- Add the reason
The reason behind your thank you note is the good deed or service you have received from someone. If the thank you note is about a gift, you should write a message of gratitude showing your appreciation. You can tell the person how you intend to display or use the gift; this will show that your appreciation is sincere. If the gift was in form of cash, you can describe how you plan to spend it.
For example:
Thank you for the briefcase, I must say you know my taste. It makes me look so professional, I am forever grateful.
If you are thanking someone for a good deed or any service, ensure that you include thank you with the specific act or service you were offered.
For example:
Thank you so much for being at the hospital, you are a genuine friend and I am lucky to have you.
- Looking forward statement
If you have a personal relationship with the recipient, it is good to mention that you look forward to seeing them or you hope that you will be in touch with them soon. This statement is very important as it brings in the aspect of friendship in the letter and its effect is that the recipient will know that you think about them and your relationship means a lot to you.
For example:
I look forward to seeing you in the get-together party and catch some drinks with you.
- Restate your thanks
Add some details and thank the recipient differently.
For example:
Again, thank you for your kindness; I am grateful you showed up.
- End with your regards
You should sign off your thank you note. For formal relationships, you can use Best Regards or sincerely. For closer relationships, your sign off can be more personal such as “Yours Truly” or “With Love.”
Writing Thank You Notes Well
Thank you notes are important in almost every situation especially when there is something good associated with it. It is your birthday and someone throws a party for you, gives you a gift or abandons his/her busy schedule just to be with you, such a person deserves appreciation form you. There is always that moment when someone gets out of their way just to stand for you, you can only repay this by acknowledging that act. Almost every action, event or occasion deserves an appreciation. There is no better way to do it than just a simple short and sweet thank you note.
We always get a feeling of satisfaction when our actions are noticed especially when they are good deeds for people. Having the skills of writing a good thank you note is paramount. This guide, therefore, provides all you need to know about thank you notes. All you need to do is follow. We have provided samples that will help in developing a thank you note to show your sincere gratitude.
Using thank you letter format
The following is a general thank you note format/template
Contact information: For a printed thank you letter, your contact information should be the first thing on the letter, just above the salutation. For an email thank you note, you contact information is the last thing, after the signature.
Salutation : Dear Name of recipient
Depending on your relationship with the recipient, you can either use the last name or the full name.
- Paragraph one: The primary purpose of this paragraph is to mention that you are writing to thank the recipient for the act they did that deserves your appreciation. In this paragraph, you can still come up with another sentence that reiterates your appreciation.
For example:
You can mention that you understand how busy they are, and you are very grateful for the fact that they took off from their busy schedule just to be there for you.
This paragraph should carry a warm and expressive tone but make sure that it doesn’t go overboard with unwarranted praises and unnecessary thank you. Your goal here is to make the recipient feel that the appreciation is genuine.
- Paragraph two: This paragraph builds on the first one by explaining to the recipient the reason behind your gratefulness which is the impact of their action to you or how you intend to use what they gave you. This paragraph should be specific to the recipient so that it does look just like any other thank you note that you have sent to many others.
- Paragraph Three: This paragraph is optional. Its main purpose is to include your looking forward statement especially if you have a close relationship with the recipient. You can also use this paragraph to mention the offer you want to give them in return. You can also choose to make the recipient valued by stating how you look forward to seeing them soon. Whatever you write in this paragraph should be based on the nature of your relationship. Ideally, the core purpose of this paragraph is to open the door for future engagements. Have your closing paragraph which should be short and simple reiterating your appreciation.
Sign off:
Sincerely
Your Typed Name
Some thank you card ideas
The type of card you choose is also very important in driving the message home.
These are some of the ideas you can consider when choosing the perfect card for your thank you letter.
Option one: You can use a physical thank you card with the simple phrase “Thank You” on its front.
Option two: You can choose to personalize your note by using stationery with your personal design or name. On this, you can handwrite your thank you note. Handwritten thank you notes are the best since they have an element of intimacy.
Option three: You can opt to use the online library of thank you cards. This is basically using an online tool to design a card and type in the details you want. You can then send it via email. There are a number of sites offering free online cards such as Punchbowl and Ecards.
Some of Thank You Letters Examples
Sample thank you note for a gift
Dear Mary,
Thank you for sending flowers on my birthday. How did you know I love tiger lilies? This was such a pleasant surprise. Thank you so much for keeping my special day in mind! I will try my best to ensure that I keep them healthy and radiant so that you can see them when you visit again.
With Love,
Shirley
