How to Write a Good Thank You Note

The Greeting Don’t forget to make sure you’re using the correct form and spelling of the person’s name, as well as anyone else’s mentioned in the note. Dear Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bob,

The first sentence-Express your thanks Say “thank you for” and state the gift or opportunity you’ve been given. Here are three examples: Thank you for the gift of $20 on the occasion of my graduation. Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the systems analyst position. Thank you for the wonderful dinner party you hosted on the 20th.

The second piece-Add specific details Express a further detailed appreciation of the gift or opportunity by explaining what it meant to you or what you plan on doing with the gift. Continuing with the above examples: I plan on using that money to help buy textbooks in the fall. It was exciting and interesting to learn more about your organization and the analyst position. The roasted lamb was exquisite and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Barack and Michelle.

The third piece-Look ahead Try to build towards a future connection with the note target. Some examples: I hope you’ll stop in over Thanksgiving break at my parents so we can touch base and I can tell you all about my first semester in college. I hope to hear from you soon about the position, and I hope that your organization and I can have a long and happy relationship. Marge and I are planning a dinner party of our own in October, and I’ll be sure to call you to check with your calendar very soon.

The fourth piece-Repeat your thanks Restate your appreciation differently than you did at the beginning. Again, thank you for your generosity. I'm so excited about college. I'll let you know all about it when I get settled. We felt so blessed that you made the trip to be with us on our wedding day. We can't wait to see you again soon!

The signature Sign it pleasantly and friendly, no matter what. “Sincerely” is a safe standby, but for closer relationships, you might choose a warmer option.

Other Tips Make Thank Have Make sure your spelling and grammar are correct. There is nothing worse than getting a thank you note with your name spelled wrong. Make Thank You notes should be written in pen. Use your best handwriting. If you need to do a couple of drafts first, that’s ok. Thank Always have someone read your note before you send it out. Have Other Tips

Write a sample thank you note to one of your tablemates Greeting The first sentence- Express your thanks   The second piece- Add specific details The third piece- Look ahead The fourth piece- Repeat your thanks The signature

Write a REAL thank you note to one of your teachers Use thank you note and/or construction paper. Use the format but write in paragraph form. Write a REAL thank you note to one of your teachers