Goodwill Letters

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You'll get sample goodwill letters for each of these topics:

• Express appreciation to an employee
• Express appreciation to long-term customers and those who pay their bills promptly
• Introduce gifts to customers and prospective customers
• Keep a customer up to date on progress
• Network by discussing publications or speeches
• Note the anniversary of a customer's company
• Note the anniversary of an employee's service
• Offer voluntary services
• Send a gift with a sympathy letter
• Write a letter acknowledging achievements
• Write a letter on the anniversary of your company
• Write a letter to accompany a contribution to a good cause
• Write to former stockholders or investors

How to write a goodwill letter

1. Your goal is to show genuine kindness.

2. Whether expressing approval, concern, support, gratitude, appreciation, recognition, or condolences, be sincere in your remarks. Most people can tell when you are not.

3. Keep your letter focused on the recipient, not on yourself or your company.

4. Do not write this letter solely for the purpose of making a sales pitch. The purpose of this letter is to spread goodwill, without promoting any hidden agenda.

5. Keep your letter brief.

6. Be specific when writing this letter. For example, rather than writing vague generalities about a job well done, include details that demonstrate what the person did to deserve the recognition.

7. Try to stay away from clichés and canned expressions. Be creative.

8. Remember, goodwill letters often come as a surprise, are greatly appreciated, and are an effective way to build relationships.

Related Goodwill Letters

Announcement

• Announce a company savings plan
• Announce an employee's achievement

Apology

• Apologize for a defective, damaged, or incomplete product
• Apologize for a late payment
• Apologize for a missed deadline
• Apologize for a shipping delay or error
• Apologize for an invoice or billing error
• Apologize for betrayed trust
• Apologize for hurt feelings
• Apologize for missing an appointment
• Apologize for missing an event or for overlooking or forgetting someone
• Apologize for missing or being late to a meeting or appointment
• Apologize for offensive behavior
• Apologize for poor or inadequate service
• Apologize for providing incorrect or incomplete information
• Apologize for someone else (business)
• Apologize for someone else (personal)
• Apologize to an employee or employees
• Write a business apology
• Write a personal apology

Appreciation

• Grant a promotion or raise

Congratulations

• Congratulate an employee on the anniversary of his or her service
• Congratulate an employee, friend, or associate on an advancement or promotion
• Congratulate an official on an appointment or on winning an election
• Congratulate someone on a religious occasion
• Congratulate someone on a speech or presentation
• Congratulate someone on an achievement, an accomplishment, or on a job well done
• Congratulate someone on his or her birthday
• Congratulate someone on his or her engagement
• Congratulate someone on his or her graduation
• Congratulate someone on his or her retirement
• Congratulate someone on his or her wedding or marriage
• Congratulate someone on publishing a book or article
• Congratulate someone on the anniversary of their marriage
• Congratulate someone on the birth or adoption of a child
• Congratulate someone on the opening of a new business, store, or office
• Congratulate someone on winning a contract
• Congratulate someone on winning an award or receiving a scholarship or other honor

Farewells

• Write a farewell letter to a person who is leaving employment
• Write a farewell letter to a person who is retiring
• Write a farewell letter to management, co-workers or clients

Sympathy/Get Well

• Offer sympathy for a marriage separation or divorce
• Offer sympathy for loss or damage caused by a theft, vandalism, or natural disaster
• Offer sympathy for the death of a business associate
• Offer sympathy for the death of a business associate's family member
• Offer sympathy for the death of a child
• Offer sympathy for the death of a friend or relative
• Offer sympathy for the death of a person who has been ill
• Offer sympathy for the loss of a job
• Offer sympathy for the loss or death of a pet
• Offer sympathy in a case of serious or terminal illness
• Write a get-well message regarding an employee's or business associate's family member who is suffering from illness or injury
• Write a get-well message to a child suffering from illness or injury
• Write a get-well message to a friend or relative suffering from an illness or injury
• Write a get-well message to a teacher suffering from illness or injury
• Write a get-well message to an employee or business associate suffering from illness or injury

Thank You

• Thank a business for good service, low prices, or professional courtesies
• Thank a customer for purchasing a product or service
• Thank a doctor or health care facility
• Thank a religious leader
• Thank a retiree for his or her service
• Thank someone for a favor
• Thank someone for a pleasant occasion
• Thank someone for helping in your absence
• Thank someone for hospitality
• Thank someone for visiting a place or attending an event
• Thank someone for volunteer work

Welcome

• Welcome a new business to town
• Welcome a new customer or client
• Welcome a new employee
• Welcome a new resident to the neighborhood
• Welcome a new shareholder
• Welcome a new student to school, class, or a training seminar
• Welcome a potential customer or client to the area
• Welcome a son-in-law or daughter-in-law into the family
• Welcome someone into a group, association, religion, or club

Miscellaneous

• Explain an error you have made
• Extend holiday or winter season's greetings to employees, customers, and business associates
• Extend holiday or winter season's greetings to friends
• Extend Labor Day greetings to employees
• Extend Mother's Day or Father's Day greetings (personal)
• Extend Mother's Day or Father's Day greetings and/or announce sales or promotions for these days
• Invite or request suggestions from employees and customers
• Respond positively to negative feedback
• Send a late payment after a mutual agreement to do so
• Strengthen relationships with customers
• Write a letter to accompany a gift

Related Goodwill-Letter Topics

• Announce a business anniversary
• Announce a change in your company's name
• Announce a change of address
• Announce a change of business address
• Announce a drug testing program
• Announce a new business, store, or branch office
• Announce a new partner
• Announce a new product or service
• Announce or introduce a new salesperson
• Announce the birth or adoption of a baby (personal letter)
• Announce the death of an employee or an employee's relative
• Approve a loan
• Approve a proposal
• Approve a vacation or leave of absence
• Approve attendance at a conference or seminar
• Authorize medical treatment
• Cancel a wedding
• Confirm an appointment, meeting, or interview
• Confirm an error correction or revision
• Confirm an oral agreement
• Confirm that you have given authorization to someone
• Correct a customer's error or assertion
• Correct an error in a payment made or received
• Correct your own error in a transaction
• Disagree with a subordinate, a superior, or a person in authority
• Dismiss an employee for reasons beyond the employee's control
• Extend invitations to seasonal parties: Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, etc. (business and personal)
• Extend invitations to winter holiday parties (business and personal)
• Follow up during a job search after a lapse of time
• Follow up during a job search after a telephone contact
• Follow up during a job search after an interview
• Grant an appointment
• Grant approval for credit
• Grant permission to use or publish materials
• Inform employees of another's illness
• Offer a suggestion to a customer
• Offer a suggestion to a religious leader
• Offer a suggestion to a superior
• Offer a suggestion to a supplier or retailer
• Offer the use of a charge account
• Prepare a prospective customer to receive a sales telephone call
• Request a favor
• Request an individual to volunteer services
• Request assistance or cooperation from someone in another firm
• Request confirmation of an authorization to take action
• Request correction of a billing error
• Request correction of an error in a check
• Request correction of an error in a credit report
• Resell to long-time customers
• Respond to a complaint and treat it as valuable feedback
• Respond to a complaint of discrimination or sexual harassment
• Respond to a complaint while avoiding agreement or denying liability, and refusing to make an adjustment
• Respond to a complaint while avoiding or denying liability, but making an adjustment
• Respond to a complaint, but needing more information
• Respond to a sales rejection
• Respond to rumors
• Write a recommendation or a reference about someone