In our fast-paced society, the polite act of writing thank-you letters has become increasingly rare. Many people prefer to thank people with a quick phone call or e-mail, rather than take the time to write and send a personal letter. A note of advice: Take the time. The extra effort will be appreciated and make you stand out from the crowd.
If you don’t write thank-you letters, start now. Thank-you letters are critical to maintaining good relationships. Conversely, not sending a thank-you letter when one is called for can harm a relationship. You may think that other people don’t care if you send a thank-you letter — but they do.
A wide variety of occasions are appropriate for sending thank-you letters. The most obvious is when you have received a gift. You should also thank people for favors, friendship, and effort expended on your behalf.
Tips for Writing Thank-You Letters
• Don’t view writing a thank-you letter as a chore, as so many children do every year at Christmas and their birthday.
• Be enthusiastic and genuine. Even if you don’t like something, there is always at least one nice thing you can find to say about it. So find it — and say it.
• Be warm. Write in a friendly, personal style.
Sample Thank you Letter:
Dear Ms. Jones,
Thank you for sharing the holiday spirit with your sponsored child, Riquelina! Your generous gift of $25.00 will help us make this a memorable time of year for her, as well as for all sponsored children.
I’m happy to share with you what presents you have helped provide. These gifts have been carefully chosen, with input from the children and their families, to ensure the boys and girls receive items they will use and appreciate all year long.
Riquelina will receive a new shirt and a pair of pants. New clothing is always needed and appreciated, especially by older children. They’re learning to take care with their appearance at this age, and new clothing helps raise their self-esteem.
Thank you, Ms. Jones, for remembering Riquelina this holiday season.Your caring support means so much! It’s through the efforts of dedicated friends like you that we can continue to make a long-term, positive impact on the children’s lives.
Sincerely,
James R. Cook
James R. Cook
President
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