As a kid, my mom would make me write thank you notes to everyone who got me a gift for my birthday. Pen in hand, I’d crank them out like it was a 9 to 5.

“Dear [whoever], thank you so much for getting me [some gift], I really appreciate it.” Signed, sealed, delivered.

Fast forward a decade, and that formulaic note is going to alumni and professors, instead of my grandparents. It’s time for a change.

To send a good thank you note, there are three things to keep in mind (advice sourced from my high school English teacher).

#1

Be Specific

Identify exactly what it is you’re grateful for about that person. Offering precise details that “show” your gratitude is more memorable than simply “telling” the person you’re grateful.

#2

Be Sincere

Syrupy language is off putting, especially from a relative stranger. Don’t overpraise, engage in disingenuous flattery, or feign enthusiasm. A smarmy note is worse than no note at all.

#3

Be Short

Mark Twain wrote, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” For the sake of the reader, keep it brief. It shows you’ve written with care and you value their time.

EXAMPLE

My Thank You Note

To make this advice more concrete, here’s an example of a thank you note from me to you:

Dear Reader,


Whether this is the first email you’re seeing or the 46th, thank you. I appreciate you supporting a passion project of mine and having the attention span to scroll down this far. I started Hoo You Know back in February of this year, and couldn’t imagine I’d be writing to 752 subscribers, let alone 1.


I have big plans for the future of this newsletter, and your readership keeps me going. Thank you again, and I hope you stick around because there’s lots more to come.


Best,
Ryan