How to Write a Thank You Note

There are many things that have gone out of style over time, but Thank You notes are not one of them. While some people have started to take a short cut and just send a quick “thanks” via email or text message, if you really want to express your appreciation for something that someone gave you, or did for you, knowing how to write a Thank You note is the best answer.

 

When you send a text to someone that says “thanks”, they know that it only took a few seconds of your time. They may know how much your gift meant to them, but why take the chance that they don’t?

 

Writing a Thank You note says so much more than just a quick text. It says you genuinely appreciated their gift and it meant enough to you that you took some time out of your busy day to write a note that is just for them.

 

There is much more to knowing how to write a Thank You note than just sitting down and writing what comes off the top of your head.  If you’re going to do it, you should start by typing out your thoughts on a computer, and completing a spell check. This will give you the chance to edit the note before you commit it to paper.

 

When you have the final version, you should also take the time to run a quick spell check on it. It doesn’t make sense to spend time conveying your appreciation and not spell check your note before hand writing it. Make sure the reader can focus on your thoughts, not the fact that you can’t spell.

 

Knowing how to write a Thank You note comes down to three main things: who, what and when.

 

Who

 

You should start by identifying who you need to write to. If you had a party or a shower, you should have a list of the items you were given as well as the gift that was received. Make sure to add people who gave you other items as well. This includes those who gave you their time and support to help plan, decorate, arrange and cleanup after the event.

 

What

 

The “what” section is the longest part of the Thank You note, and it has several components that should be included.

 

Greeting

 

Make sure your greeting uses the correct form and spelling for everyone you want to include in that specific note. If you’re unsure, ask someone. This is not something you want to get wrong.

 

Express Your Thanks

 

This is the purpose of your note, so it should be stated at the beginning of your note. Thank them for their time, their generosity, their gift, or whatever you are writing the note for.

 

The words “thank you” should show up somewhere, but you can also tell them how happy their gift made you or how grateful you were for the gift, etc.

 

Be Detailed

 

This is the key to knowing how to write a Thank You note – be specific. If your note just says a generic “thank you”, they will know you wrote the same thing to everyone on your list.

 

Instead, include a little detail that is specific to them. This could be a picture of how you’re using your gift, what you plan to do with it, or why it was the perfect gift for you.

 

Thank Them Again

 

Before you close your letter, state your appreciation again. However, this time, do it in a different way than you did at the beginning.

 

Closing

 

Make sure to finish your note with a closing. Depending on the relationship you have with them, this could be “Sincerely, With Love, Yours Truly”, etc.

 

When

 

Another key to knowing how to write a Thank You note is understanding the significance of time. If you really appreciated something, you wouldn’t wait six months to tell someone. Generally, you should get out your Thank You notes within a month. If it takes much longer than that, you should start with an apology.