Thank-You Notes: To Send or Not To Send? (2024)

FAQs

When not to send a thank you note? ›

“If it's something they've sent because there was a death in the family, a new baby, or something time-consuming or emotionally taxing going on, I might take them up on their offer not to write a thank you—even if it's for a short time and only until I can send a note once things aren't so hectic,” says Southern Living ...

Send your thank you as soon as possible following the event, preferably within one week — but in a bind, it's okay to send it up to a few weeks after. If this thank you is going to a friend, keep things casual and use your own voice to make it sound conversational.

Sending a quick thank-you email after getting a question answered is a polite way to let someone know you received their response. It doesn't have to be anything special–oftentimes the shortest ones are the best.

The right thing to do after someone sends you a note of appreciation is to respond. But not because thank you note etiquette demands it. Responding to a thank you is a great way to build on a relationship and validate the writer's good feelings about you! Your response doesn't have to be a long one.

Responding to a “thank you” email is considered discretionary. Consider your personality and your audience. If you are a chatty person in face to face conversations, it may be best to respond to a “thank you” email. However, if you are not very outgoing, you can probably get away without a response.

Not sending a thank you card after a business meeting, interview, referral or deal can make you seem rude, ungrateful or forgetful. It can make the other person feel unappreciated or ignored. It can also make you look unprofessional or inexperienced.

In general, you should send business thank you cards as soon as possible, while the event is still fresh in the other party's mind. However, for all other gifts and kind gestures, etiquette on thank you notes dictates you likely have one to two weeks to send out your cards.

While you may have noticed that thank-you notes for birthday gifts are not the norm they once were (back in the days when kids sent and received mail), the etiquette experts that HuffPost consulted all agreed that saying thanks is one gesture that never goes out of style.

Finally, if you still don't receive a response to your thank-you note or your follow-up message, you should learn from the experience and move on. Don't take it personally or let it discourage you. Sometimes, hiring managers are too busy, forgetful, or rude to reply.

Is it appropriate to email a thank you note? ›

Often overlooked, a simple thank-you note or email can be appropriate in various situations, such as when a former manager writes you a reference letter or after a coworker helps you solve a tough problem.In this article, we explore the steps for writing a professional thank-you email, complete with examples and ...

If you want to thank someone for their prompt response, you can outright thank them with a phrase like, “Thank you for your quick response—I really appreciate you getting back to me so soon.” But if you want to show more appreciation (which is always good!), you can write a longer message explaining more about how ...

Mail promptly. Timely thank-you notes are preferable however, the time frame is dictated by the occasion. Following a wedding, proper etiquette suggests sending thank-you notes within one year, but sooner is always better. After attending a dinner party, however, it's best to send your note within one week.

“No problem” is a commonly accepted response to thank you in many contexts. While some may prefer a more traditional reply such as “you're welcome,” “no problem” is generally viewed as an informal, friendly way to express gratitude and acknowledgement.

“Sometimes a quick text will suffice, like if you thank someone for the flowers they sent for watching their pet when they were away,” said Ms. Pantzer, who started her brand to revive the tradition of written letters. “But in most cases, a note is appropriate.” The ideal note is short and to the point.

Millennials and Generation Z have radically different attitudes toward things like work culture, dining and even thank-you cards. We simply do not place value on thank-you cards like previous generations.

While you may have noticed that thank-you notes for birthday gifts are not the norm they once were (back in the days when kids sent and received mail), the etiquette experts that HuffPost consulted all agreed that saying thanks is one gesture that never goes out of style.

Like an earnest compliment or heartfelt gift, a thank-you note is a thoughtful gesture that—more important than the specific thanks it expresses—shows the recipient that you value your relationship with them. And for that reason alone, we say it's never too late to send a thank-you note.