As we approach the holiday of giving thanks, it’s the perfect time to think about how we can use thank-you notes in our businesses and lives to express our gratitude to others.

When to Say Thank You

There are many opportunities in business to say thank you:

• When a client or associate sends you a referral that results in business
• When an employee goes out of their way to fix a problem or make a customer happy
• When a customer makes a large purchase
• When a vendor over-delivers
• When someone sends a gift
• After a speaking engagement or an event when someone has hosted you
• When someone provides advice that has been helpful, whether face to face or in a book or article
• When someone does a favor or something nice that you’d like to reward

Keeping thank-you notes top of mind will help you think of more opportunities to use them.

What to Say in Your Thank-You Note

You don’t have to be a professional writer to make a thank you note sound good. Just write from the heart. Let the recipient know what you are thanking them for. Express a detail about the item or activity involved. And then thank them again.

If you are unsure about what to say, write a draft first that you can edit. Then transfer the version that you are happy with to your stationery. It’s far better to hand-write your thank-you note than to use a computer-generated one.

Personalized stationery for thank-you notes is definitely recommended. They add a formal and professional touch to your thank-you note, enriching the experience for the recipient.

Sending gift baskets can be a good idea, but sending a hand-written thank-you note alone can be the most powerful action you can take, especially if it is not expected.

While many businesses send holiday cards each year, thank-you notes can be far more powerful. If your budget is limited, you might want to replace your holiday mailing with thank-you notes instead.

One more thing to consider NOT doing is making your thank-you note into an advertising event for your company. If you want to send promotional items such as t-shirts, mugs, or other items, do NOT do it with your thank-you card. Sending thank-you notes is not a marketing event; it’s a time for gratitude. Sending clients promotional items can be very welcome; just don’t do it at the same time.

Helping others feel gratitude is the fastest way to experience happiness. Sending thank-you notes is not only good business, it’s good for our health and wellness, too.