Sending a thank you card is a great way to build and maintain a business or personal relationship. It can be simple and to the point, yet still pack a punch with the receiver in demonstrating that you are a sharing and caring person. In our impersonal world, the simple act of saying "thank you" is very powerful.

When is a Thank You card appropriate to send?
Certainly after any business meeting where you have been introduced to ore met someone for the first time is very appropriate. If someone has gone out of there way to give you a "random act of kindness" this certainly warrants a Thank You card as well.

More importantly, there are many people in our lives that we take for granted that never hear the word "thank you" from anyone. Who do you come in contact with that deserves a heartfelt "thank you". Could it be a teacher, family member who lives far away, a retired coach, a bank teller, or hairdresser?

Thank You cards are appropriate for anytime you want to let someone know they are special and you appreciate the contribution they make to your life.

When should Thank You cards be sent?
A Thank You card should be sent out no later than 24 hours after a business meeting. Especially if you are going for an interview, follow-up with a card the minute you return home.

In a random act of kindness, Thank You cards can be sent out at anytime. In fact, Thank You cards can be a way for you to start focusing on the positive things in your life and turn your attention away from yourself and start thinking of others.

For example, if you have had a bad day, take a moment to write down five people who are always there for you and send them a Thank You card. Let them know how important they are to you and that it doesn't have to be a holiday to get a card from you.

What do you say in a Thank You card?
Since Thank You cards are usually only about 3-4 sentences, you have to get to the point quickly. If you are like me, the first sentence is the most difficult to write, so I developed a formula for writing Thank You cards that works. Here is my formula for writing Thank You cards after a business meeting or interview.

1. Start all Thank You cards with this phrase:
"It was a pleasure to meet and visit with you today."
2. Remind them what your meeting was about:
" Thank you for taking time to tell me more about the XYZ company."
3. Give them some feedback on your experience:
"I enjoyed meeting the team members and getting a sense of what XYZ is all about.
4. Close with:
"Thank you, Mr. Jones. I look forward to hearing from you soon." Sincerely, Jack Smith

So let's look at the final Thank You letter:
Dear Mr. Jones,
It was a pleasure to meet and visit with you today. Thank you for taking time to tell me more about the XYZ company.I enjoyed meeting the team members and getting a sense of what XYZ is all about. Thank you, Mr. Jones. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Jack Smith

What about e-cards Thank You notes??
My advice is to always send a REAL card. An e-Card is very impersonal and may get lost in the spam filter. Stand out in the crowd. Your potential employer deserves a real card. Now, if you were asked to provide additional information via email, go ahead and send it but send a real Thank You card too.

Now let's examine a sample for a simple random act of kindness Thank You card:

Dear Sue,
Thank you for taking the time to visit with me today. Your words of encouragment lifted my spirits and I have a much better perspective on "the big picture". I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Thank you,
Valerie

The Thank You card may be a simple little card, but it can open doors to new business opportunities or mend a friendship. Make it a habit to send out cards on a daily basis to friends and business associates to build and grow relationships. I hope this article was useful and that you will print and save it for future