Should you write Thank You at the end of business email?

Thanking people in words is a social custom. We do it often in our daily lives. It is considered a good grace and our parents and teachers teach us from our childhood days to do it.

We continue to do so in our careers and business communication. But how good is it to thank people thus? Should we do it and end things with a thank you?

Thank you and gratitude

We thank so many people in our day-to-day lives. These words of gratitude are considered good manners and our parents and teachers instil them in us from a very young age. We thank people in person, in letters, on phone, and also at the end of emails. It has become a social custom.

These two words are an expression of our gratitude and make our inner self happy. But what about the thanking word you insert at the end of any form of business communication. Do you mean it or is it just a platitude? Is it an authentic expression or just written as a routine?

Research has proven that the receiver of an email expressing gratitude answers it more often. Then what about emails that remain unanswered. Are they lacking in the word or is the gratitude expression not authentic?

Specificity and gratitude

When we thank a military veteran and just shake hands and say

“Thank you for your service.”

The veteran understands that the feelings are unreal. Hence be specific. The veteran is happy when you say

“Thank you for making sacrifices to protect our liberty and borders. I thought about joining back in the day and chickened out. I’m thankful for you and how you protected us … ” 

It is best to not write those two words of gratitude if you do not feel like it or if there is no reason to thank the person. Even if there is something to thank for, be specific about it such as:

“Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be of service.”

Or,

“Thanks again for all your collaboration on this with us. We understand it’s a distraction from your regular work and there are a lot of moving parts.”

Or,

“Mike, we appreciate your partnership and take our commitment very seriously to bringing you the best solutions for ABC, Co. We understand there is a lot at stake and our aim is to continue earning your trust.”

Hence avoid empty platitudes and be specific to get a better response and build a better relationship.

The message and the bottomline

Hence in a nutshell one has to be thankful to others for what they do for you and touch your lives. As a society, this social custom is of great importance and a sign of politeness and good manners, and etiquette.

Even in a business circle or while building a new building collaboration, the two words as a form of gratitude is needed. But here, it has to be specific.

Talk about it only when there is something to thank about. And when there is something to thank about be specific about what it is. That would help the person to understand your real feelings and gratitude.

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Hence while closing a business email, please be specific and polite. Do not use empty platitudes. Write a thankful only if there is something to thank about. In that case, use specific words to spell out the reason for the gratitude.

This will go a long way. If there is nothing to thank, use a different sign-off instead of a ‘Thank you’. The recipient will respect you for your Genuity.

Source: Business Insider