As an I Want Her Job reader, you already know the importance of living an inspired and exceptional life. Instead of following the crowd, you aspire to be a leader in every sense of the word.
So, what does this have to do with thank you note etiquette? Everything! Sending a handwritten thank you note sets you apart as a class act. You have it together and are not too busy to show that you care.
Keeping this in mind, I’m sharing a few commonly asked questions about thank you note etiquette below:
1/ My mom has always said that if I receive a gift in person and verbally thank the giver, a handwritten note is not required.
While I’d be remiss to criticize your dear mother, I highly recommend every gift that required thought and effort be acknowledged with a handwritten thank you note.
2/ Is a thank you note required when you’re given a hostess gift for inviting someone to a party?
A hostess gift generally does not require an official thank you note, but I make it a habit of always acknowledging the gift with a thoughtful handwritten note. Some people are aghast at the thought of a thank you email for a hostess gift, but if the choice is between no thank you note at all or a thank you note email, I would encourage you to email your gesture of thanks.
Hint for guests: make sure to label your gift with a gift tag so the hostess will know who the credit goes to.
3/ If I sent an Evite to a birthday party, can I email thank you notes as well?
Thank you notes are most appreciated and best received when they are accompanied with a stamp. How else can your friends marvel at your great sense of style in stationary?
4/ Is it ever okay to send a note of thanks via email?
If you’ve recently applied for a job and you know that the search committee is making a quick decision, an email is an appropriate way to keep your name in front of the hiring team. Follow your email up with a handwritten note to ensure you’re doing everything you can to show proper job interview etiquette. Remember that in business, an email is written with the same respect and formality that a handwritten letter would entail, not overlooking anything from the greeting to the closing signature.
Another situation when an email is appropriate is to say thank you for a lunch meeting or when someone does you a small favor. If the favor is grand, extremely heartfelt or beneficial to your health, family or occupation, forgo the email and send a written thank you note instead.
5/ It’s already February and I haven’t sent out my Hanukkah thank you cards. Is it worse to send them late than not at all?
Worse would be to discount those that thought enough of you to spend time and money picking out the perfect gift. Now you have them thinking you didn’t like it, receive it or think enough of them to acknowledge their efforts. Sit down tonight and write a quick thank you note, mentioning the gift and how you’ve enjoyed using it.
6/ How do I mention cash?
Rather than saying “Thanks for the 50 bucks, Grandma” say, “I appreciate your generosity and will put your kind gift to good use at school this semester.”
7/ If my child cannot write, is a thank you note required?
If your child is too young to hold a crayon or too small to scribble a note, it’s your job to write the thank you note on their behalf. A nice touch would be for your child to draw or scribble with a crayon on a sheet of paper and enclose it along with the card. If she can draw, a simple drawing would add a special touch to an already genuine gesture of thanks.
8/ Is there ever a time when I don’t have to write a thank you note?
If you live under the same roof or share the same shower with the giver, you can probably skip a formal thank you note; however, there’s nothing wrong with sending your mom or your mate a little love note attached to a great batch of homemade brownies saying, “I love the gift and I love you more!”
9/ What should a thank you note include?
A thank you note should always include the correct spelling of the giver’s name (a huge faux pas to misspell the name of your distant cousin or great aunt), how you plan to use the gift, how you enjoyed seeing them and a nod to a future meeting. Always close the letter with a sendoff comparable to your relationship such as, Sincerely, Fondly, Warm regards or Love.
10/ Meter or stamp?
I am often asked how important the stamp is to the envelope and I always respond that the stamp is like the cherry on the cupcake. A thank you note somehow loses some of its “uhmph” when you have posted a multitude of nickel and penny stamps to the front of the envelope or run it through the meter at your office. Everything about your thank you note should say “I care,” from the selection of the paper to your postage on the front of the envelope.
Bonus tip: Invest in yourself and your personal brand by purchasing quality stationary. You’ll be amazed at how many compliments you’ll receive — not only for the kind gesture of the thank you note, but for the beauty of the notecard and the quality of the envelope.
//
Diane Gottsman is a national etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in corporate etiquette training. She’s the author of “Pearls of Polish,” which provides graceful solutions to everyday etiquette dilemmas. She’s also a sought-after industry expert, regularly featured on television and quoted in national publications, including The New York Times, Forbes, CNN, Bloomberg Business Week, CBS Money Watch, Chicago Tribune, Kiplinger’s and CNBC — to name a few. You can follow her on Twitter @dianegottsman.
No comments
No comments yet