This post was inspired by an article written for Real Simple magazine. An important part of hosting and guest etiquette is to send thank you notes afterwards. Not only is it respectful, but it shows the recipient that their efforts made an impact and were appreciated. A thank you note should be personalized and genuine. It should have more of a sentiment than a typical “thanks for your gift.” Inserting memorable moments from the event give the card a more personalized and warm feeling.

As shown in the Real Simple birthday note, there are a few simple tips to include and personalize any card, for any occasion!

• Compliment the recipient’s best qualities. Take advantage of the opportunity to say why loved ones are special: “I’m so lucky to have such a caring, supportive, funny friend” or “I’m so proud of you for being such a compassionate person.”
• Turn a birthday card into a thank-you note. Tell someone what a difference he or she makes to your life.
• Focus on the year ahead and what you hope it brings: joy, success, a new job, celebrations, possibilities. This goes a long way toward personalizing a card.
• Don’t assume people are thrilled about a birthday. Some folks aren’t. And if age is an issue, don’t point out the number in the card. Emphasize the person, not the milestone.

Here at Penta, we have our own tips for writing personalized notes:

• Recall the gift: don’t just say “thank you for your gift” – state what it was and why you appreciate it.
• Remembering the event: If you spent the weekend at a friend’s summer house, write in the note about your favorite or memorable part of the weekend.
• Show support- Even if it was something simple, sending a thank you note to somehow who helped or supported you to advance in some way is important and shows the recipient how much their efforts meant to you.
• Follow up – especially if you’ve just applied for a job; your future employers will be more likely to stay interested in you if you show you’re interested in the company.

– Lisa Glover, Summer 2011 Intern

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 14th, 2011 at 3:29 pm and is filed under Event Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.