As kids we had to sit at the kitchen table a few days after Christmas while our mother insisted that we write thank you notes to relatives who sent us presents. The chore was tedious, full of angst and misspelled words. However, Grandma always delighted and kept every note we sent. Following tradition, I insisted my children do the same. Gift givers were delighted…and amazed.

Always the attentive writer, I select delicate paper, artist’s prints or whimsical notecards to send for any occasion. Hand written, of course. Alas, the elegant handwritten thank you note on embossed bond paper seems to have gone the way of the lace doilies.

Today, if you receive a “thank you” for a gift, party, dinner, money, good deed, whatever generous, most likely it comes to you via email or text. “If” is the operative word here.

And so it goes with the holidays. Lots of gifts passing back and forth, lots of cheer going around. Lots of opportunities to send a handwritten thank you note. Lots of opportunities lost as well.

When it comes to the business world, we have another matter regarding thank you notes. A hand written, personalized thank you note makes you noticed, puts you out in front of people, speaks eloquently about you and your company and engages the relationship even deeper.

Are you not impressed, perhaps flattered, to receive a personal note, addressed especially to you, on real paper, saying thank you, thank you very much, signed in ink by the sender, a note that you hold in your hand? A note that came with a stamp and delivered by the postman?

This is class! This is saying I appreciate you. This is saying we appreciate your business relationship with us. We value your service. We value our friendship.

Powerful. The Thank You Note.

So, let’s go find this lost art, shall we?

By Barbara Ann Cox, CMP
Reproduced with permission from author