One of the most important qualities that people lack is being grateful after someone has done something good for them. Writing a thank you card is one of the simplest ways to show appreciation after something wonderful has been done to you. The sad news is that, there are people who feel the importance of showing appreciation after something great has been done for them, but end up doing it all wrong because they do not know how to effectively communicate through thank you notes. Here are a few tips on how to write a thank you card.
Tip one: consider the purpose of the card you are writing
The obvious purpose of a thank you card is to express gratitude for something wonderful that has been done. However, you have to take time and think of the specific act and how it helped you. This will help you decide the type of information you want to display on the thank you card. In short, try and answer the question of whether the card has conveyed the message that you wanted it to. Do not be afraid of explaining in detail how the act of kindness by the other person helped improve your life.Show them that without their help, you would be still struggling with something.
Tip two: being completely honest
Unless you are interested in expressing sincere gratitude, then it will be useless to write-up a thank you card. There are questions that you must ask yourself as you prepare to write the card. These include:
1. Am I being sincere in my appreciation?
2. Are there aspects of the appreciation that I am afraid to talk about or am I holding something back.
3. Are there things that I appreciate about the good thing that was done to me but I haven’t talked about them?
Answering these questions will help you approach the writing of the card from a completely sincere point of view.
Tip three: choice of words as you write the card
One of the major downsides of writing notes is that unlike saying thank you in person where your body language and gestures will express your feeling, words on paper can come out as cold and blunt. You therefore need to make very careful word choices and create an appreciative tone. Here, are some strategies that can help you word a thank you card in the right way.
The greeting
How you start your thank you note is one of the most important determinants of how effective it will be. For instance, if you are writing to Julia, and you want to express gratitude for a wonderful Christmas gift, there are several ways you can start the card:
Julia: this will sound really rushed and emotionless.
Hi: This one is even worse than just mentioning her name. It sounds like an idea that just popped in your head or as if you are writing the card because you have to.
Dear Julia: this form is too formal and serious. Remember that thank you cards are supposed to make friendships closer and tighten the ties.
My dear Julia: this one is appropriate if you are referring to a member of the family. For instance, an aunt writing a note to their favorite niece might decide to use this particular form when thanking her favorite niece.
Those are a few of the headings to avoid. The question is what the most proper way to start a thank you note is. The best suggestion for the case above would be’ Hey Julia!’ This is because it instantly creates a cheerful mood and makes the reader feel drawn closer to you. Note that these aren’t strict rules. The exact words you use will depend on the nature of your relationship with the recipient of the words.
The body of the card
The body of the card is where you will express how you feel about the kind act that was done for you. The first essential rule in writing the body is to make sure that you express emotion. Stick to the facts and get right to the point. Secondly, make sure that you are very specific. Saying, ‘I am really grateful for that thing you did for me’ for instance will be really vague and might even be considered rude. Fill your card with emotion and gratitude. Tell the other person the specific reason you are grateful. Thirdly, make sure you tell the recipient of the card how it has improved your life. For instance, if you did not have a washing machine and your friend gets one as a Christmas gift, explain to them how happy you are that you no longer have to go all the way to the town laundries and pay for the service. Show the recipient that you remember the past and try to paint the future.
How to close the card
How you end your card is also very important. Like the starting, there are several ways you can choose to end your thank you card:
Sincerely, Jamie: you only use this when the card is very formal and you are trying to keep the recipient at an arm’s length.
Love, Jamie: This should only be used with family
Thank you, Jamie or Many thanks, Jamie: this one is appropriate to use in expressing gratitude. However, of you are aware that the favor the person is doing for you is probably going to cost them a lot or even inconvenience them, you can use ‘Take care, Jamie’. This will express empathy about the fact that the other person is sacrificing a lot to help you gain something. However, if you are not really sure about the relationship between yourself and the other party, simply go for ‘Thank you, Jamie.’
Those are some of the most important tips to follow when writing a thank you card. Remember that when you are sincerely grateful about something nice that was done; you can never lack great words to express your feelings on the card. With the above tips in mind, writing an amazing thank you card will be really easy.