How To Write a Personal Note for any Occasion
Letter writing really is a lost art in today’s culture of texts, emails and instant messaging. But there really are life occassions that warrant a thoughtful, handwritten note instead of an electronic message. For some though, the thought of writing a note is an intimidating, daunting or dreaded task. Follow along with our tips and guide below and you’ll be able to pen a well-written note in no time!
1. When to Send a Note?
You don’t have to have a reason to send a personal note. It’s really to make a connection with another person, so don’t stress over it! But here are some ideas for the perfect times to send a note:
- Sympathy
- Get well soon
- Wedding gift thank you
- Gift thank you
- Host/hostess thank you
- Job interview thank you
- Congratulations
- Romantic
- Holidays
- Thinking of you
2. How Do I Start?
A good note really only has 4 components: an opening, the body, the closing, and your signature. That’s it! So start off with opening your note by addressing your reader: Dear {person’s name},
3. What Should I Say?
The body of the note is the heart of what you are writing about, so don’t beat around he bush! If it’s a thank you, the first sentence should be thanking them for the gift/present/interview/time spent, etc. and name exactly what you are thanking them for. The next sentance or two should be a nice personal statement about what you’re thanking them for or the person/event the note is concerning. If it’s a gift, tell them how you have or are going to use it. If it’s time spent together or a loss, tell them what you liked or how you felt about the occasion/person.
4. How Do I Finish?
Writing a final thought about how you feel is a great way to close your note. It can be as easy as saying it was nice to see them/spend time with them, or commenting about looking forward to seeing them again. You can also wish the person luck or tell them you’re thinking of them.
5. How Do I Sign Off?
First of all, don’t just sign your name. How well you know the person or how close you are will determine the appropriate way to close your note. Are they family or a close friend? Then Love, Warmest Regards, Warmly, Fondly, and With Love, work well for personal notes. Sincerely, is the standard option for business correspondence. In sympathy notes, using With Deepest Sympathy, is good to write.
Don’t put off writing a note anymore just because you didn’t want to take the time or know what to say. Four sentences can literally make someones day because you took the time to let them know you thought of them!
