There are many occasions when it is a good idea to send a thank you message to someone, rather than just saying the words. Sometimes it is appropriate to do both, it depends on the circumstances. One thing you can be certain of, if you send an attractive card to thank a friend or family member, for a birthday gift, a wedding present, or just for lending a hand when needed, they will treasure both the card and the thought behind it for a long time.

There is something about the written word, even if it is sent in an email for quickness that makes it far more tangible than verbal appreciation. Courtesy is more important than ever these days, everyone seems to be rushing around and the fact that you have stopped to think about someone and thank them properly shows that you are a considerate and polite person.

So realizing the importance of sending a thank you message, how do you write it? How long should it be? The first thing to remember is that time is of the essence, it is better to quickly send a simple brief message written on an attractive card, in the mail, or by email as soon as possible. Don’t worry about being creative, that can wait for another time! It is also very important to make sure your spelling is correct, if in doubt use a dictionary, or a spellchecker on your computer.

Here are a few examples of what to write for various occasions. This is a suitable thank you message for an lunch invitation provided by the company you work for after a successful sales campaign. It could be adapted to suit other situations;

“I felt I must write a note to thank you for the delicious lunch you provided last Monday at the sales meeting. Having to rush off to meet a client I didn’t get the chance to thank you properly for your kind and generous hospitality, which I know was appreciated by all of us.”

Here is another example which would be suitable for thanking people for help in a general way, it could be used for several situations;

“Just a note to say thank you very much for all the help you have given me. I would never have been able to get it done without you! I really appreciate the amount of time you have given up for me and  your efforts to help me,  I can’t thank you enough!”

And after a birthday celebration…..

“Thank you so much for celebrating my birthday with me. The dinner was delicious, the wine excellent, all shared with good friends, what more could I ask for? I also loved the cards and the gifts, it was an awesome birthday!

These are a few shorter messages which you could add to if you wish;

“Thank you for being there for me, for ignoring my faults and encouraging my good points…..”

And a little more formal; “In sincere appreciation of your valuable help, this is to convey my thanks and gratitude”

Or;

“I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to you, ….”

Hopefully this will give you a few ideas, but when sending a thank you message, remember the three “S’s” swift, simple and sincere!