Learn how to say thank-you...Writing Thank You Notes

A little over a month ago, I came upon a dilemma. That dilemma was Boss’s Day. The few employees in my department decided to purchase a card and gift certificate for our head boss as a much-needed thank you for everything that she does for us. When they asked me if that would be ok, I told them sure it would be a great idea and that we could even get her a gift card for Home Depot since she had just purchased a new home.

Little did I realize at that time that I was setting myself up for another card signing. I seriously hate sending out thank-you cards, or birthday cards because I just never know what to write in them. I never want to risk sounding stupid and I always want to write more than my name, but in this case I really wanted to thank her for everything that she has done for me because she is such a wonderful person. Well, needless to say that I was not able to do that. I wrote one measly sentence and that was it. So, I was really glad when I received this book. I thought that all of my problems with writing thank-you’s and short one-sentence messages in cards would be over with.


There are 12 sections included in this book:
Introduction
Why and When to Write Thank-You Notes
How to Write Thank-You Notes
Wedding Thank-You Notes
Gift Thank-You Notes
Hospitality Thank-You Notes
Condolence Thank-You Notes
Kindness and Service Thank-You Notes
Children and Thank-You Notes
Business Thank-You Notes
Internet and E-mail Thank You Notes
Index

When is it the right time to write a thank-you note? When is it not appropriate to send out a little note of thanks? What should I say? How should I say it? How should I write it? These are all questions that can be answered after reading Writing Thank-You Notes by Gabrielle Goodwin and David Macfarlane.

”A Thank-You note is a written message to show appreciation for something someone has given you or done for you.”

When to send a thank-you note is not a trivial question. When you have been given a gift or service and want the person to know that it was appreciated, let them know. Refer to the above chapter titles listed to get an idea of what the appropriate situations are. How to write a thank-you note is a little more complicated. The authors remind us to remember that there are rules to writing for each occasion. Writing a condolence letter and writing a thank-you for a baby shower gift are two totally separate things. There are several main rules listed in the book that would be helpful to remember, such as always hand write your thank-you unless you are sending an e-mail. (I am not going to list all of the rules here, so check out the book for more.)

A few other things to mention here are other basic rules about sending notes. One pertains to wedding notes. Writing thank-you notes after you wedding may be the last thing that comes across your mind. Starting a life with someone is enough to think about, but sending out thank-you’s for all those gifts you received is mandatory and would be a serious oversight if you forget. I went to a wedding in June and still have not received a thank-you note and this was from one of my best friends from high school! Not only do I feel that my gift was not appreciated, but I feel that our friendship is not as important to her as it is to me. I recently learned from another friend that the bride was incredibly embarrassed over the whole event. She didn’t actually forget, but received the thank-you notes back from the printer twice, and both times they were wrong. I feel bad that I had doubted her, but believe that she could have mentioned this to me in one of our conversations. A gift thank-you should always be sent out within 2-3 days of receiving the gift itself. And I have to comment here that to please remember that Grandmothers do not forget anything! It took me about a week to send out a thank-you for my birthday money this year from my grandmother and she will not fail to mention it for years to come when she gives me another gift. And it is best to send a thank-you note for a hospitality situation the next day.

In reference to children and thank-you notes, I can say that my mother never made me pen a note in my life. Maybe that is the reason why I hate to write them so much? I know that I will teach my children when they are old enough to understand. This is not only to show everyone that your child appreciates their gifts, but that they appreciate the true meaning of the words “thank-you.” This also will reflect well on you, as a parent, because you are teaching them to appreciate others.

There are many more interesting little hints and helpful suggestions included in this book. After reading Writing Thank-You Notes, you will have a better understanding of notes as a whole and will not hesitate to write one the next time the situation arises.


MY THOUGHTS
When notified that I would be receiving this book I thought what a great thing it was. Upon receiving it in the mail, I was quite surprised and a little disappointed with it. I was expecting a lot more than what I got. I thought that this book was going to be a total waste of time at a mere 96 pages. But it proved me wrong. I’m not saying that more relevant information could not have been added, but that it wasn’t the disappointment that I thought it was going to be when I first looked at it.

Writing Thank-You Notes provides you with some good information and examples on how to write a thank-you note and what should be said in different situations. This book would be great for those in the teenage category, who are just learning to write in these types of situations. One thing that I really enjoyed about the book is the numerous examples that the authors provided for each situation. This helps with the visual aspect. When reading through this book, you can refer to the pictures of the examples to help you understand what elements are needed in a thank-you note. The actual examples put all of the elements together to help you get a better idea of how to write in that particular situation.

I know that I hate to write thank-you notes, but this book has helped to ease the tension that immediately pops up when I have to think of something like this. Most of the time I just do not know what to say in a certain situation and do not want to risk sounding stupid or corny. Writing Thank-You Notes has taught me to think about the person receiving the note and card, instead of what to write. I have tried this and am seriously able to write better notes because I am not thinking that I have to write, but of the person that I am writing to. I can think of something related to that person and possibly make reference to it in the note.

There are many ways to say thank you and a note of appreciation is just one of them. Perhaps it could be one of the most important ways to show that you care about something that was done for you, because the person can always save the card or note and look back on it. The note will be special to them, because it was sent from you, in appreciation. And they may feel dejected if they do not receive something from you. I know that I would feel that my efforts had not been appreciated.

So go pick up this book and learn how and when to say THANK-YOU!


~ Happy Writing!

Kim


* Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016


ISBN: 0-8069-4210-X
Format Read: Soft cover
Price: $8.95/$12.95 CAN
Pages: 96