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July 21, 2008

Emailed "thank-you" notes are low and tacky; if you mean it, handwrite it.

A good thank-you--a real thank-you--means something. It is notable, memorable, important.--Tom Chiarella, A Little Gratitude, Esquire Magazine, April 2007

In case your mother never told you, you're from the boonies, or you were stoned all five years at Andover, let us remind you to never thank anyone for something truly important--a meeting, referral or a dinner--with anything but a prompt handwritten thank you note. Good

stationery. We suggest Crane's or something better. And no excuses for not doing it; many, many business people and some lawyers with taste think that no written (typed is okay--but handwritten is better) thank you note means no class. Even if you are not convinced that thank you notes are noticed and appreciated (they are), pretend that WAC? knows more than you and do it anyway.

However, "electronic thank-yous" by e-mails or in comments for links or mentions in posts or articles on the Internet--let's say 3 different people link to your blog every day and you are working full time--are okay. And you'll always miss a few who mention you in cyberspace. But if you don't regularly thank people at all for links to or mentions of you, your blog or website, you are fouling your own nest. Not thanking people in the blogosphere is not just tacky and low but (1) arrogant and (2) dumb. And adds to the notion that (3) bloggers are insular, passive-aggressive weenies and geeks lacking in people skills. No one will give you any business or invite you to New Canaan, Grosse Pointe or Aldeburgh for the weekend. Oh yeah, if your site is so damn successful that your links, e-mails and comments are through the roof, hire someone else to do the thank yous--written or electronic--for you.

Posted by Holden Oliver at July 21, 2008 12:59 AM

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