When was the last time you sent or received a thank you card?
What if the thank you card (or just a simple thank you note) was seen as an essential seed for a relationship to blossom?
Many high school graduates have fond memories of a parent reminding them to send thank you notes to people who attended their reception or sent them gifts.
No, you can’t send a text. No, you cannot send an email. Handwrite a thank you note.
My mom taught us the subtle art of writing thank you notes right after receiving a gift. No child wants to do that, of course; but the discipline of doing it right away helps you avoid the embarrassment of remembering that she didn’t send a thank you card for a meeting she had 3 months earlier.
Over the years, I’ve talked to countless people who have saved thank you notes or heartfelt thank you notes. When someone is feeling down, opening their collection of thank you cards and letters breaks them out of a rut of complacency.
After the concert in NYC:
Several musicians and I went out to dinner after performing a successful concert in New York City. I was already an established musician traveling the world, and the others were just beginning their professional journey. I decided to pick up the bill for our party’s dinner.
3 days later I received a beautiful duet for viola and piano dedicated to me by one of our musicians who was a composer. It was a wonderful thank you!
Dream Job Interview:
Jay has just been interviewed for his dream job. He thought the interview had gone well! When he called a week later, they said the position was filled. He was in shock!
He asked the secretary of the corporation “what made the winning candidate different from the other candidates?” She responded, “The winning candidate sent a handwritten follow-up note immediately after the interview.” Jay learned a valuable lesson that day!
Stand out from the competition
Amy Segelin, president and co-owner of Chaloner, a national executive search firm, says, “The message is simple when it comes to thank-you notes after a job interview: no follow-up, no job.”
“We reached out to more than 50 people from different industries who had hired at least three communication professionals in the last year (including some who hired many more).”
“We were surprised to learn that more than 75% of the people surveyed did not receive any type of thank you note from the majority of the candidates they interviewed, and for 30% of those surveyed, the lack of follow-up meant that there were no further steps for the candidate.”
One hiring manager said, “Follow-up is the lynchpin for me. If the interview goes well and I feel energized and excited about someone, I wait to see what kind of follow-up efforts they proposed”.
New York fashion publicist Cristiano Magni says: “It’s very important, in a digital world, to have the dignity to sit down and write something with your own hand.”
Landing an interview is a great demonstration of what you can say. A simple thank you note shows that you are capable of delivering.
Do I need to write a long and complicated thank you note?
No. Even something as simple as “It was a pleasure meeting with you and your team. I appreciate your time and hope to see you again soon” will do the job.
If you would like to integrate a more detailed follow-up, Ted Chaloner, founder of Chaloner, commented: “A good follow-up communicates interest, confidence, and enthusiasm. Thank the interviewer for their time and affirm your belief in their ability to do the job. If there is an opportunity To follow up or close the loop on a topic or event that came up in your interview, take this opportunity to do so.”
Amy Segelin says, “With so many factors out of your control in your job search, take the easy opportunity of a thank you note to show humility, confidence and passion.”
Tim Ventura, a digital marketing executive, says that with many candidates to consider for a job and “with a stack of resumes and notes, a thank you follow-up will tend to give your resume a little more weight, because it puts them back on track.” your radar.” A thank you note shows real interest, genuine enthusiasm, a self-motivated and “go-getter” attitude.
Ventura also says, “I’ve written a lot of thank you letters myself, and I usually try to start the letter with a sentence describing what went well in the interview (obviously, don’t mention the things that didn’t go well). Then , I try to touch on some of the key points discussed in the interview and offer brief reminders of why my skills are a good fit for those requirements, then I end with a line of “I look forward to contributing to your team”, and of course, your information. at the bottom. The “thank you” part is more important than the summary, in my opinion, keep it short, don’t write a book. But it’s good to remind them why you’re a great candidate.”
“Hey, you’re not done yet! Set a reminder to follow up with them in a week, 2 weeks, and then if they haven’t made up their minds yet, space out the follow ups a bit more.” so you don’t look desperate.”
Don’t let engagement stop with a single thank you. Sharing an article you found on LinkedIn with a simple, “Read this and I thought of you… All the best!” Reinforce that you are interested and involved in the relationship, not just the transaction.
“Notes of Encouragement” by Dr. John Maxwell: Dr. John Maxwell, the #1 Leadership Coach in the World, thought it was so important to write thank you notes that he recently started “The John Maxwell Stationary Series – Note Box of Encouragement.”
Be grateful in everything:
Rev. Matthew Henry’s wallet was stolen one night. Instead of lamenting his ordeal, he wrote the following in his journal that night:
“Let me be grateful first because they never robbed me before second because even though they took my wallet they didn’t take my life third because even though they took everything it wasn’t much and fourth because it was me who was robbed, it’s not me who stole.”
Sure, Fire Way to write a thank you right after:
Says Amy Segelin, “I’ve met a candidate who carries stationery with her at all times and disciplines herself to write the note right after leaving a meeting so she can mail it right away. Consider this strategy if you’re having a hard time practicing the tracking. And don’t worry too much about the format – the gesture itself is what people remember.”
The most memorable thank you note from composer Joseph Haydn:
John Bland, an English music publisher, was visiting composer Joseph Haydn at his home in Vienna, Austria. His aim was to convince Haydn to go to London in 1787 for a concert and to publish Haydn’s music.
When Bland arrived at Haydn’s home, he found the composer struggling to shave with a blunt razor. The world famous composer’s face and neck were covered in nicks and cuts and he complained of the headache of shaving with a dull razor.
Haydn said: “I would give my best quartet for a good razor.”
Bland hurried back to her room, grabbed her new British razors, and ran back to hand them over to Haydn.
True to his word, Bland received the manuscript of the Quartet, op. 55 No.2, the Razor Quartet. It was quite a thank you gift!
Building strong relationships:
That day was the beginning of a strong connection and friendship between the two men. John Bland became Hayden’s music publisher and when Haydn arrived in England he stayed at John Bland’s home.
And if:
What if the thank you card or a simple thank you note were seen as an essential seed to blossom a relationship? Would you take the next step?
