How to Word a Business Thank You

Business thank you cards should be carefully worded to convey respect.

Showing appreciation in the workplace is a crucial way to maintain good relationship ties amongst colleagues, supervisors and clients. There are many ways to say thank you, but one of the most popular is to send a little note of appreciation. In business, however, there is a need to maintain a platonic and respectful relationship colleagues. Wording the perfect business thank you is not always easy, but it can be mastered with practice.

Things You'll Need

• Letterhead
• Thank you cards
• Envelopes
• Stamps

Instructions

1. Open your thank you note or letter with a greeting that communicates you understand the person's position in the company, especially if they are above you in superiority. Write something like "Hi Boss" is unprofessional and could be misinterpreted as disrespectful. Use the name you would normally call him with their title, such as "Dr. Smith." Do not overdo the greeting adjectives such as "Dear." In the professional world, it is appropriate to simply open with a person's name and a hyphen before the body of the letter.

2. State the reason you are sending the thank you card in the opening sentence of your body. Thank them for their business, the interview or other gift. The card, though meant to be kind, serves a purpose, so let them know why you are bothering to send them a note. Do not write extremely long generalized platitudes about how amazing, generous or fantastic they are. These will seem fake and unnecessary, especially if geared to your employer.

3. Describe the benefits of the gift. If you were given an interview or pay raise, list exactly one reason why you are incredibly grateful. Do not just say the gift was amazing using general terms. List the exact reason why you are glad to have had an opportunity which others did not receive.

4. Suggest in your last sentence that further action be taken somehow to continue the professional working relationship which exists between you and the recipient. If you are sending the card to a client, let them know your company is always there for support in the post-purchase time period. If you are sending the note to a colleague, suggest a lunch meeting. If you are sending it to a prospective employer, mention that you are looking forward to the next steps in the interviewing process.

5. Close your card effectively with a professional salutation, such as "Sincerely," "Cheers," or "Best Wishes." You should never use romantic phrases like "Love" or "Hugs and Kisses." Keep your card friendly, but do not cross a line that some may confuse as a romantic advance.

References

• Forbes: How To Write A Winning Thank-You Note
• Daily Writing Tips: Writing a Thank You Note
• Wilbers: The Do’s and Don’ts of Saying Thank You