I suppose there really is an art to writing thank you cards, letters and emails. For some wonderful reason this has always been a strong point for me and I have received “thank you” cards for my “thank you” cards! I got to thinking about it, and here are some tips for writing personalized thank yous that have an impact. ;)

1. Always thank! If you were invited somewhere, treated to a special occasion, given a gift or someone’s time- always thank them.
2. I am still a big fan of the hand written speciality cards. I actually collect these- from bookstores, boutiques, stationaires and museum gift stores (my favorite!)
3. Take a minute to think about the person you are writing to- What is their life like? What is important to them? What are they interested in? What subject did you really connect with them on?
4. Incorporate that insider information into your thank you, bringing it to a more personal level where it shows you know them and care. I have done this for people I have never met or spent little time with- all you need is one small piece of data that goes beyond the surface.
5. Be prompt. Don’t let weeks and weeks go by- really you should send the thank you the next day if you are doing it by post, or sooner if by email.
6. If you are writing a more formal thank you letter, say as a follow up after an interview, always include the date and you met with the person, how you found the interview to be very insightful, how your interests in the position have been heightened, why you feel you are the best candidate, possible elaboration on a point that was discussed in the interview, and finally a thanks for their time and consideration, along with your contact information should they have any questions.
7. Email thank yous can be short and sweet, formal or casual- just don’t forget about that personalization technique and include a line or so that goes beyond the normal pleasantries. Depending upon the situation, I like to send a quick email and mail a card. People still like receiving a sweet envelope in an interesting color or classy pattern, opening it and finding kind hand-written words addressed just to them.