The reason a thank-you note works is that almost nobody sends them. The reason most of the ones that get sent are forgettable is that they are written like the email they replaced.
What to write
Three sentences. The first names something specific from the work, not the deal. The second is small, personal, and probably not about business at all. The third says what you hope happens next — without selling.
An example. After a renewal:
Karen — thank you for sticking with us through the integration mess in March. You said something on our last call about your daughter starting at NYU — I hope she settles in well. Looking forward to hearing how the second half of your year goes, whether or not it involves us.
What to skip
- The word “partnership.”
- Anything that reads like a recap.
- Anything that asks for a referral. (Wait six months. Send another card. Then ask.)
- Your title under your name. If they don't know your title, the card is not why you're sending it.
On stationery
Folded cards are warmer than flat. Cream is more neutral than white. A small logo — on the back, not the front — is fine. A return address is not.
Every GiftLoft order ships with a free handwritten card. Browse the catalog.
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