Five Easy Steps: How to Write a Thank You Card
January 16, 2009 by Rita Marshall
Whether it’s for a gift or a great party, thank you cards are always the correct gesture. Here are five easy steps for a great thank you card.
1. Be Brief
Most people find writing thank you cards as enjoyable as having a tooth pulled — don’t feel guilty that you’ll be keeping the note brief. Length does not always equal sincerity or thoughfulness.
2. Acknowledge the Gift Specifically
What delicious chocolates, beautiful blouse or great party! The only exception, of course, is money. Never mention the monetary amount of a financial gift in a thank you card. Instead, it’s a “generous gift”.
3. Explain Why the Gift Is Useful
You love chocolates. The blouse is the perfect thing to wear at an upcoming event. The party was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the host and all your mutual friends. If you hated the gift? It’s the thought that counts, which means you can skip to the next step.
4. Acknowledge the Reader
Really the best thing about the gift is the giver. Write a sentence or two in your thank you card about how and why the giver is important in your life, and why their presence in your life is the best gift of all.
5. End with the Future
End your thank you card with something about both yourself and the reader. The easiest way is to mention an event or time in the future you will meet at, or hope to meet at. “I look forward to seeing you again at February’s meeting.”
Longbow Client Spotlight: JLF Virtual Office Solutions
January 14, 2009 by Rita Marshall
In tough economic times, some businesses are getting the most out of their budgets by hiring a virtual assistant — someone who works off-site from their own home and is only paid for the exact number of hours they spend working. This December I had the chance to prepare a press release for Jody Fletcher, a virtual assistant located in Granton, Ontario.
Jody’s business, JLF Virtual Office Solutions, provides mainly virtual bookkeeping to businesses in Perth and Middlesex counties. I tagged along to see how she drops in a client once a week, scoops up all of their financial paperwork, and then returns the next with completed books for them. Jody estimates that clients only have to pay her for about 4 or 5 hours of work during that time.
I thought Jody’s business made a great story — even in good financial times, businesses are always looking to shave some expenses off their budget, and who enjoys bookkeeping? The Longbow Business Solutions / JLF Virtual Office Solutions collaboration appeared in the St. Mary’s Independent December 2008. Jody can be reached at jfletcher@quadro.net or (519) 225-2098.