Your mother has some risk management advice for you: Say "Thank
you."
Cynics may argue - convincingly - that mass-produced thank you notes
and automated voice and email responses that begin with a cheery "thank
you" have lent a hollow ring to the simple expression of gratitude.
Ann Massie Nelson is a Madison writer and a public
member of the State Bar of Wisconsin Communications Committee.
On the other hand, those who remember a more genteel era - when men
removed their hats during the national anthem, women went to the powder
room to apply their lipstick, and children never called adults by their
first name - are offended when someone doesn't say thank you.
Social etiquette may be more relaxed these days, but business
settings still call for you to be on your best behavior. Good manners
are part and parcel of civility and professionalism.
"The astute lawyer knows that it costs nothing to be nice. A sincere
`please' and `thank you' go a long way toward appeasing even the most
difficult client," says Sally E. Anderson, vice president of claims at
Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co.
Multiple Purposes
Writing a thank you letter combined with a disengagement letter at
the end of representation should be a routine part of your file closing
procedure, according to Anderson.
A thank you letter at the end of representation is the ideal way
to:
-
assign an end date to your representation,
-
remind clients of any remaining actions they need to take,
-
list the original documents that you have enclosed,
-
remind clients of your file retention policy (which you should have
described at the outset of representation),
-
invite clients to comment on their experience with your firm,
-
offer to be of service in the future,
-
express your gratitude for the confidence the client has placed in
you.
Besides putting the final finish on a client matter, there are other
business occasions that call for a written thank you note or letter:
-
Referrals. When colleagues or clients refer
potential clients to your firm, they are expressing their confidence in
you and risking some of their own reputation in making the referral.
Even if the potential client doesn't retain you, the affirmation of your
capability calls for a thank you note.
-
Hospitality. If a professional acquaintance invites
you to lunch, you can simply say "thank you." However, if a colleague or
client invites you to dinner or another social occasion at his or her
home or club or a restaurant, you need to write what your mother called
a "bread-and-butter" note. If your spouse or companion was included, you
will impress everyone by writing the note yourself instead of delegating
the task to your spouse or companion.
-
Outstanding Service. Don't gush or express surprise
about routine tasks done well. When people put your needs ahead of their
own or go the extra mile for you, acknowledge their generosity with a
thank you note.
Thank You Writing Tips
Here are 12 tips for crafting the business thank you letter.
1) Use your firm's letterhead and a quality printer to print the
letter. Handwritten notes on firm note cards or purchased note cards
give a nice personal touch, but are not obligatory for business thank
yous.
2) For a social occasion that involved clients' or colleagues'
spouses, handwrite a thank you note and mail it to their home
address.
3) Address your letter to a specific person. Take extra care to spell
the recipient's name and title correctly.
4) Refer to the reader by first name in the salutation only if you
would feel comfortable greeting him or her by first name in person.
5) Be direct. The recipient should know immediately that the purpose
of your letter is to express your gratitude. If you are requesting
action or a response, let the reader know in the first sentence or in
the subject line.
6) Be specific about the act that prompted your appreciation. Vague
references to "good service" or "continued support" lack meaning. Recall
a particular example for which you are grateful.
7) Tell how you benefited from the reader's kindness. One sentence
will suffice.
8) Share what you expect to happen next, if anything.
9) Close by restating your thanks.
10) Personally sign the letter. "Dictated but not read" is
inappropriate for a letter in which sincerity supersedes expediency.
Signing your first name only is appropriate if you know the recipient
well. Otherwise, avoid appearing chummy and sign both your first and
last name.
11) Enclose business cards if you have not met recipients in person,
when presumably you would have handed them a card. Enclose another card
only if you have a reason for doing so: "Our firm recently moved to a
new location," or "I've enclosed an extra business card for your
assistant."
12) Print the envelope using a quality printer. Mailing labels,
inkjet bar codes, and metered postage look mass produced. Keep a roll of
stamps on hand for these special letters.
What about thank you gifts? Don't give a gift when a simple, sincere
expression of your gratitude will suffice. Giving the appropriate gift
is challenging and may go against your or the recipient's ethics rules,
Anderson says.