How to Write a Thank you Letter

In today’s world of fast-paced emails, e-greeting cards and text messages, writing thank you letters has become a daunting and unfamiliar method of communication. Although they may seem old fashioned and tedious, thank you letters are a personal and sincere way to thank someone and can take as little or as much time as you have to commit to the project.

Personalize Your Thank You Letter

There are many ways to personalize a thank you letter. Before you even begin to write, choose some way to make your letter unique to the person you are sending it to. Personalizing can be as simple as naming the specific gift in the thank you letter, or as creative as using a certain design on your stationary. However you choose to do it, make your letter feel like it was made just for the recipient. If you are writing a number of thank you letters, be sure in each one to name the specific gift or act you are thankful for to avoid sounding impersonal.

Writing Your Thank You Letter

When you begin to write, think about what you would say to the person if they were standing in front of you. Keep the tone of the letter as relaxed or as formal as you feel is appropriate, but remember you are sending a reflection of your gratitude so slang and spelling errors are not the best representations. You may choose to talk about how you will use the gift or ways the recipient’s actions have affected you. It might also be helpful, if you are struggling, to write a rough draft before committing to a card or fancy stationary and it is often a good idea when handwriting letters to create a practice document on your computer.

Easy Step By Step Instructions For Writing a Thank You Letter

• Personalize-Use stationary, pictures or descriptions to individualize your letter. Think about who the letter is for. Do they have certain hobbies, do they like certain colors, would they like to know how you are going to use their gift: questions that will make your letter feel more personal.
• Brainstorm-Think about what you would say in person, create a practice letter.
• Choose your tone-Is the intended recipient older, younger, family, friend, or even a business associate. Avoid using slang and aim for proper grammar and spelling.

Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions When Writing a Thank You Note

Relax and enjoy. You are giving a gift back to someone that gave something to you. Find a quiet place to write. Distractions will make the task seem even more difficult. Proofread before sending and make sure you send the correct letter to the correct person!

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