Sending thank you notes can help build and maintain professional relationships that will withstand the test of time.

Every once in a while, I take a moment to reflect on the things in my life that I’m thankful for. While my wonderful family certainly tops the list, my career is of high importance to me as well— and I’m not just grateful for my job in an “it pays the bills” sort of a way.

Working for a paper company is a graphic designer’s dream and I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with such talented designers (both internally and externally) and dedicated printers. Lately I’ve begun to wonder… when was the last time I’ve given any of them a heart-felt “thank you?”

Although most of us normally reserve sending thank you notes for the times when we receive a gift, perhaps that level of thanks is in order for the people who bring our creative dreams to life.

So with the idea of expressing gratitude in mind, I’ve come up with a few great letter writing tips a graphic designer should consider when writing thank you notes to professional contacts:

1. Write each letter individually by hand. In this digital age, handwritten notes really stand out and seem more sincere. If you’re in need of stylish and tasteful stationery, we have a variety of different options for you to choose from!
2. Write a draft.When it comes to the handwritten note, there is no “undo” keyboard command, so make sure you draft your thank you letter until you get it right. Misspellings and white out just look sloppy and detract from your message. Above all, make sure all names are spelled correctly.
3. Be sincere.How did this person’s hard work affect the outcome of your project? How was the way they went above and beyond meaningful to you? This is where you can make someone feel special by letting him or her know his or her hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
4. Be nice!It might seem like common sense, but a thank you letter isn’t the time to discuss things that could have gone better with a project. Here’s an example of what’s not appropriate:

“Dear Printer,

Thank you so much working with me on the XYZ packaging project. It’s too bad the oranges printed so muddy, but thanks anyway.

Sincerely,

Ashley Maydak”

Such “constructive criticisms” are better left for a phone call. It’s better to reserve sending thank you notes for projects about which you have no complaints.

The bottom line is this: a little bit of thanks goes a long way. While your career certainly won’t come to a grinding halt if you don’t express thanks to the people you work with, it is a great way to build and maintain professional relationships.