Thank you notes are always in style
I recently had the task of writing thank you notes to every attendee of an annual professional conference. While the reaction that I got from some (and maybe even you, my reader!) was wide eyes and an expression of sympathy for such a large and onerous task, I found it to be rather satisfying to take the time to compose a brief and personal expression of gratitude to each individual for sharing the experience of our educational program. We all have plenty of ways that we can spend our time and our resources, so a short note of thanks was the least I could do.
There is an ebb and flow of opinion on handwritten thank you notes. It seems that with regularity there will be an article that appears online about how the thank you note is dead. Technology spells its demise. Etiquette is passé. Reason after reason is recited as to why no one writes thank you notes any more.
I think that this is malarkey. And I will tell you why.
Thank you notes are not of a bygone age. Having access to emails, texts, and other technological advances in communication does not reduce the impact that a handwritten note has on the receiver. Holding an expression of appreciation in your hands makes a positive and meaningful difference to the person who receives it.
My experience bears this out. Having spent years writing thank you notes to people for everything from significant donations to a nonprofit organization to personal favors and gifts to supporting a work project, I regularly receive responses of surprise and genuine appreciation for the note. Very few people expect thank you notes any more, so I encourage you to be the one who creates a delightful surprise!
Thank you notes are not as large a lift as they are made out to be. They really do not take a huge amount of time or many resources. Despite my longing for a beautiful engraved wardrobe of stationery, all you really need is a nice blank notecard, a decent pen, and a stamp. And the elements of a good thank you note are just as straightforward:
Greeting
Expression of thanks for the particular gift or favor
Mention of how the gift or favor has had or will have an impact on you
Reiteration of thanks
Closing
Here is one example:
Dear Mx. Gray,
Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me about the newly posted position in your company. I am grateful that you thought of me for this role and for your encouragement to apply for this and other positions at XYZ Corporation. I look forward to future discussions with you about this and other opportunities. Your kindness and support of my career journey as I am navigating this change is truly appreciated.
With sincere gratitude,
Shannon McCreary
The note is not long, but is filled with gratitude for a favor that someone has done for the recipient.
So join in, grab your pen and note cards, and surprise people in your life with a genuine expression of your appreciation!