How to write a professional thank-you note

(Editor’s note: This was one of the top viewed stories of 2014. We’re rerunning it as part of a look back at the articles that captivated our readers the most.)

Someone in your network gave you valuable advice. You want to thank him.

What’s the secret to writing a great professional thank-you note?

Do you send an email, a handwritten note or a little gift? What do you say? We’ve all heard that you shouldn’t push an agenda, ask for a job or try to close a sale.

I am going to answer all those questions, and show you how to get a response like this:

How did my professional thank-you note get that response?

I sent a handwritten note, which is extremely rare these days, and two helpful books. I also followed an acronym I created called G.R.E.A.T (grateful, reference, explanation, action, thanks). I use it when I write all my professional thank-you notes.

Thank-you notes are tricky to write. They are not as straightforward as networking follow-up emails.

Let’s get into it.