Do “thank you” notes work?

Yes and no. As a means of expressing gratitude for (fill in the blank), absolutely. You simply can never say thank you enough. Yet do “thank you” notes gain you any favor or advantage. Possibly.

The problem with most “thank you” notes is they say little more than that. A “thank you” note is an opportunity to get the last word in a conversation, to enhance the impression the recipient has of you or your company. A form letter just doesn’t get that done.

Handwriting a “thank you” note can do the trick. It shows you put a little more effort into the note than a cut-and-paste. But if you want to top off a “thank you” note with a grander gesture, some sort of free offering can make the impression you’re looking for. If you’re in business, sharing some of your wisdom and tricks of the trade is not a bad road to go.

Now, we’re not talking about giving away secret family recipes. But if your company offers white papers, special reports, even recent copies of your newsletter, send a link or include a copy with your note. Ask for their opinion on the piece. Anything you can do to enhance the lasting memory of you and your company is worth including in a “thank you” note. You may only get one chance to make a first impression, but you have just as many chances to create a lasting one. A “thank you” note done right can wedge your foot in the door just enough to kick it open.

READ THIS…please

Getting people to at least open your e-mails has become like leading the proverbial horse to water. You can send the e-mail to the horse. The horse might even be really thirsty and expecting your trough of refreshments, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll drink, er open up the e-mail.

By now, most e-mail readers ignore “Read Request” notifications. Ditto marking an e-mail “High Priority.” So, what’s left?

Like leaving a detailed voice mail message, you can do the same with the subject line of your e-mail. Be as specific as possible with your subject line so the recipient knows why you’re writing. A colleague of mine has even taken to writing “ALERT” and other short descriptive phrases in caps at the beginning of the subject line to get people to read important e-mails. It may sound a bit hokey, and read that way, too, but it can work. And if the bottom line is to get them to read the e-mail, does it really matter? Not a lick.