How To Write an Appreciation Letter (with Examples)

Receiving a letter of appreciation makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. You know that your actions have been noticed and valued and that you’ve made a real difference in someone’s day.

Wouldn’t it be great to make someone feel like that? When someone in your life does something deserving of thanks, take the time to write them a heartfelt letter of appreciation. But how exactly do you go about writing an appreciation letter?

In this article, we’ll look in depth at appreciation letters – when you should write them, what you should include, and how you can make exactly the right impression. We’ll also look at example letters to different people in your life, to make sure you get the tone exactly right.

Aren’t letters a bit old-fashioned?

If you think that letter writing went out with the ark, think again. There’s nothing quite like receiving a handwritten note through your front door. However, a letter of appreciation need not be handwritten – or even printed at all. You can show your gratitude just as well with a well-composed email. For very close friends and family, you may even get away with a text or other instant message, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on professional communication in the workplace.

When should I send a letter of appreciation?

There are an infinite number of occasions when a letter of thanks may be called for – maybe someone put in a good word for you that resulted in you getting a new job, maybe your team has smashed all its targets, maybe a friend rescued you when your car broke down, or maybe Auntie Betty spent time knitting you a toasty new jumper. It’s hard to get through a day without needing to say thank you! If someone has gone out of their way to do something that has benefited you personally, it’s time to show your appreciation.

That’s particularly true in the workplace when a little note of thanks could help cement your professional reputation and build your personal brand. You want to be remembered for the right reasons, after all, and if people know that you’ve noticed their efforts they’ll be left with a positive impression of you.

Whatever you’re showing appreciation for, the golden rule is to say thank you soon after the event. As a child, no doubt your parents made you sit down to write your Christmas thank you letters and Auntie Betty would receive hers sometime in June. Well, better late than never! But to sound genuinely grateful, the thanks are better off coming immediately after the act. Ideally, aim to get the letter sent in less than a week.

How to write a letter of appreciation

Needless to say, every letter should be personalized to the situation and the individual you’re addressing. No one wants a generic, boilerplate letter. That said, we have some top tips for you to follow to make sure you’re not committing any faux pas.

How to start an appreciation letter

Genuine thank you letters aren’t addressed “Dear Sir” or “Hi”. Addressing the person by name will ensure that they know they’ve not just received another impersonal round-robin. The name you use will depend on your relationship with them. If you’re on first-name terms with someone, go ahead and use that – “Dear Fred,” or simply “Fred,” is a perfectly acceptable start to a letter of appreciation. For someone you’re less familiar with, however – maybe your boss’ boss or a friend of your parents – you may prefer to use a more formal greeting. In that case, using a title and surname, such as “Dear Mrs. Martinez,” would be suitable.

Explain why you’re writing

You want the person to understand WHY you’re saying thank you, so begin by acknowledging what exactly they’ve done that’s caught your attention. Whether it’s a particular contribution to a project or a helpful piece of advice, make sure they know specifically what’s prompted the letter.

Say thank you (of course!)

The point of the letter is to show your appreciation, so make sure that’s the focus. 

• Thanks

• Thank you

• Cheers

• Nice one

• Thanks a lot 

Choose the right words for the relationship but keep the tone professional. That means that “thank you” is almost always the right option here. The other options are too casual and flippant. Keep the message warm and genuine – we’re aiming for that fuzzy feeling, remember!

Sign off

Conclude your letter with your name, as you would with any other type of correspondence. For work-related communications, where the recipient doesn’t know you personally, you may want to include your professional title or department too. It doesn’t hurt to reiterate your thanks one last time as you sign off, just to reinforce your message.

Give it a final check

There’s no point spoiling a well-intentioned letter with sloppy writing. Check your spelling and presentation before you send the letter on its way. Receiving a poorly written and badly spelled letter doesn’t scream gratitude, it screams rushed and thoughtless.

Formatting a letter of appreciation

There’s no mystery to formatting your letter – just think of it as another form of professional communication. Choose a standard, sans serif font (serif fonts are harder to read on a screen and can look dated) and divide your writing into logical paragraphs.

If you choose to handwrite your letter, it should go without saying that your missive should be composed in your best and most legible handwriting. There’s really no point writing a letter that no one can read!

How long should a letter of appreciation be?

There are no hard and fast rules about the length of a thank you letter. Usually, one or two paragraphs are plenty, especially for a work-related message. If you’re writing to a friend or family member, you may like to write a longer and more personal letter, incorporating your thanks as part of that.

Example letters of appreciation

Now you know what to do, let’s take a look at some example letters of appreciation to inspire your own efforts.

Example 1 – letter of appreciation to an acquaintance

Tom,

I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your time in recommending me for the role of Marketing Coordinator. I’m glad to tell you I got the job! I’m sure I wouldn’t have managed it without your support, which was truly invaluable. The role is exactly what I’ve been looking for and I can’t wait to get started. Thank you so much for promoting my candidature – I know that my performance will reflect on you and I hope to repay your belief in me by excelling in the role.

Thank you again for your time, I look forward to working with you in the future.

Laura

Example 2 – letter of appreciation to a colleague

Hi Parvati,

As you know, we’ve encountered several problems in getting the rebrand project over the line. Your help last week was greatly appreciated and has made a significant difference to our ability to meet client expectations. 

I’m aware that the time you spent helping us took you away from your usual responsibilities and I want you to know that your efforts have been noted and appreciated. You truly showed that you live our company values and that you’re willing to roll up your sleeves to help your colleagues. I hope that our team will have the opportunity to work with you again in the future.

Many thanks again for your efforts,

Charlotte (Head of Digital)

Example 3 – letter of appreciation to a mentor

Dear Mr. Saunders,

I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you for the time you’ve spent supporting me as my mentor. I feel a lot more confident following our sessions and genuinely believe that I’m making progress in my career. In particular, I found our session on time management valuable – as you know, that’s something I’ve struggled with for years! Now that our sessions have ended, I wanted to reiterate how helpful I’ve found them and hope that I will be able to pay it forward as a mentor myself in the future.

With thanks,

Ken

Example 4 – letter of appreciation to a boss

Jim,

I wanted to put in writing how grateful I am to you for changing my shifts last week. I know it won’t have been easy for you to find someone to cover at such short notice and I consider myself lucky to have such an understanding manager. Your flexibility really did make all the difference at a difficult time. Please do let me know anytime you need a favor from me in the future.

Marsha

Example 5 – letter of appreciation to a subordinate

Hi Sandra,

As another year draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your contribution to the team this year. You really are the glue that holds us all together! You’ve excelled at wrangling our more difficult customers and I know how much the rest of the team appreciate you planning our social activities.

I hope you enjoy a well-deserved break and I look forward to seeing what nights out you have planned for us next year!

Elizabeth

Example 6 – letter of appreciation to an interviewer

Dear Ms. Leith,

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today to interview for the role of Sous Chef. I enjoyed our conversation and am keener than ever to work for The Great Baking Co. Your community values align closely with my own personal values and I believe that I have the skills and experience you’re looking for. In particular, I’ve supervised kitchen teams to deliver highly commended dishes and consistently plan menus within challenging budgets.

If you have any further questions about my candidature, don’t hesitate to reach out at 555-555-5555. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Birgit

Example 7 – letter of appreciation to family

Dear Auntie Betty,

I hope you enjoyed the festive season! As usual, I indulged in far too much cake but I have no regrets.

I can’t go into the new year without thanking you for the spectacular Christmas jumper you were kind enough to send. Your knitting talents get more impressive every year! I wore the jumper on Christmas Day and you’ll be glad to know it’s a perfect fit.

I enjoyed meeting friends for meals out in the lead-up to the big day and spent the day itself with my parents as usual. They both send their regards and hope to visit you next year.  

Best wishes for a very happy new year and thank you again for the jumper,

Lisanne

Say thank you to build a great professional reputation!

A well-written letter of appreciation isn’t just a question of manners. People are remembered for the way they make other people feel, so your letter will leave a positive impression that will last well into the future. Cement your professional reputation with this quick and easy action.

Impressions matter – and first impressions matter more than most. Is your resume sending the right message? If you want it to be remembered for all the right reasons, why not send it for a no-obligation free resume review from the experts? We’ll make sure you end up on the “Yes!” pile.  

Recommended reading:

• How to Write the Perfect Job Rejection Email Response (+ Example)

• How to Ask for a Job Referral + 5 Templates

• How To Write a Two-Week Notice (+Templates)