So what are some guidelines?

Keep it brief—three to five sentences is all that is necessary.

Try not to start off by saying “Thank you for…..” however, instead try something like…  “I enjoyed our lunch meeting on Thursday….(then thank you for whatever)….thank you for your thoughts on the project (then a compliment) - You are always so creative! (Then a positive comment about the future) - It was a pleasure seeing you and I look forward to talking to you on Wednesday.”

Writing a thank-you note shows gratitude and can help build relationships and good will, which can inevitably aid in your success personally and professionally.

What to write on

Is writing a thank-you note proper enough or is there a proper paper on which to write?

The paper on which a thank-you note is written is important.  It ought to be good quality personal stationery (a man’s personal stationery may be approximately 6” to 8.5”, a woman’s may be approximately 5”-7.5”).  It could also be a flat correspondence card for a man and either a flat or a fold over note card for a woman.

Thank-you stationery should not be cute in business, but rather have your name, company name, or both printed on it.

You may want to avoid a card that has the words thank-you pre-printed on it.  Etiquette suggests those are hand written words.    

By writing thank-you notes to others for their efforts, you are recognized for yours.

Side Note: We conducted two surveys on our site about thank you notes. Seventy-nine of the people that took the survey said that writing a business thank-you note is very important. On a second survey, 81 percent of the people recognize that people are busy and felt it is never too late to send a thank-you note.    

The Charleston School of Protocol and Etiquette specializes in the Critical 10 percent…Personal Savvy for Professional Success. Teaching business etiquette as the subtle redefining difference enabling people to excel and succeed in today’s corporate culture. We offer seminars and consulting services in business etiquette, and medical office protocol. www.charlestonschoolofprotocol.com.