Tips for writing a Professional Thank You Note

1. Write it ASAP.

It's never too early to thank someone for his or her professional help, or for loyal and continued business. If you are thanking someone for a job interview, you should mail the letter within 24 hours.

2. Address the recipient by name.

Whenever possible, address your letter to a specific person, and refer to him or her again by name and/or title within the body of the letter. If you can, refer to specific experiences or instances the person will remember. You don't want the letter to sound like a generic form you send to anybody and everybody.

3. Use quality stationery.

E-mail has become increasingly acceptable in our society, but if you want to stand out from the crowd, a hand-written note is the way to go. Customized stationery or letterhead lends itself to the professional and memorable image you want to portray.

4. Get to the point.

Thank the person for their time, advice, or business. Do not be overly dramatic or make grand gestures or promises you can't keep. You want to be sincere and succinct.

5. Proofread!

There are few things more unprofessional or annoying than common grammatical errors. Typos send the message that you are careless and unprofessional. If you need to, type a draft of your letter in a word processor to check for spelling and grammatical errors.