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A Time to Give Thanks

Posted: November 12, 2012 at 1:56 P.M.                                                                                                                                                                     by Grace Roberts

With Thanksgiving around the corner, many people are reminded to take notice of the people they are thankful for. In the PR world, gratitude can be offered to such people as clients for faithfulness, employees for good work ethic and reporters for coverage.

With busy schedules, giving thanks to the people you work with helps build positive relationships. Taking the time to actually write a thank-you note can take you much further.

While not as prevalent as it once was, a thank-you note can help you make a lasting impression in a world full of constant networking. It also helps you stay fresh in the minds of the people who have offered you their assistance. Upon receiving thanks, they will be more likely to help you again in the future.

As an intern for a live-entertainment-based company, which focuses on yearly renewals, I’ve had my fair share of writing thank-you notes to the clients and vendors that support our business and help us produce successful events.

The next time you find yourself wanting to share your appreciation, here’s a list of things to keep in mind when writing an effective thank-you note:

Be prompt: The person you are thanking took time from her hectic schedule to assist you in some way. Be sure to show that you value her efforts by sending a thank-you note in a timely manner. Keep a stock of cards and stamps handy for cases like after a job interview, so your thank-you note can be in your mailbox by the end of the same day.

Handwritten is best: Neatly handwritten thank-you notes are most effective as the people receiving them tend to hold on to the notes longer, helping you stay fresh in their minds. But when time is limited, consider a well thought-out email.

Make it personal: Acknowledge something particular to the meeting or brought up in conversation. This will not only remind the receiver of your meeting, but will also make the note more personal.

Be specific: Clearly state what or how the person you’re thanking helped you and how much you value their time.

Check names and titles: Refer to the person as he introduced himself, and more importantly, be sure to spell his name correctly.

Saying thank you is the polite thing to do and is important when building relationships with current and future colleagues. In a time when everyone has a never-ending to-do list, take a moment to show that you value their time and remember these tips when you find yourself needing to show your appreciation.

Opinions

  1. Post comment

    In my opinion, hand writing thank-you is the most acceptable and personal approach. Society now relies mainly on technology such as email, Facebook, etc., but we have lost the personal characteristics that everyone should pay attention to more often. By writing your thank-you cards by hand it shows you took the time to sit down write a more direct response to the recipient. I believe it is a more genuine form of gratitude that has gotten lost over the past few years. When interviewing for multiple internship positions I have always writing thank-notes to show my appreciation in a more formal way other than writing a generic email and I think that more people over look the fact that people still appreciate getting thank-you cards outside of their computer.

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  2. Post comment

    My mom always taught me to write thank you notes. I’ve been doing it after every birthday and Christmas for as long as I can remember. I think the practice of handwritten notes and letters is one that has fallen by the wayside, and that’s a shame. I know I appreciate when I get handwritten notes in the mail. It’s important to keep this going, because taking time to hand write something is much more personal than an email, or even worse, nothing at all. I haven’t ever written a thank you note after an interview, so the tips are very helpful! Thanks!

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