It’s rarely possible to thank your donors too much. Donors like being acknowledged and appreciated, and they like to know they are making a difference. There are three main elements of a good thank you, and whether it’s in a thank you note or a newsletter, your thank you should always do these three things:
1. Acknowledge the received gift.
This is time-sensitive. It is best if you respond with a thank you within forty-eight hours of receiving a gift. At most, the thank you should go out within a week.
2. Appreciate the gift.
Donors want to feel appreciated, and your attitude should always be one of gratitude, not expectation. Remember, they didn’t have to give you money.
3. Show the impact of the gift.
Donors also want to know that they’re making a difference. This is a good time to share a story or give an example of what their money is going toward. This might be challenging with a $25 gift, because $25 doesn’t have the power to change the world. But, if you can share a moving client story or show what $25 can buy, it will show progress to the donor and motivate them to donate again.
Thank you notes aren’t the only way to thank your donors. Here are ten ways you can show gratitude:
- Include a thank you in the receipt letter.
- Thank current donors on your website.
- Mail a hand-written note (which is rare, nowadays).
- Have a staff or board member do a thank you call.
- Ask a client to send a hand-written note to the donor. For instance, at a preschool, have the kids draw pictures for the donor.
- Acknowledge donors in your newsletter.
- Send an email with a short thank you video.
- Take pictures of your nonprofit and send them as postcards.
- Invite them to dinner.
- Take them on a personal tour of your facility.
There’s a lot to learn about your donors. Dickerson, Bakker & Associates offer Major Donor training, which can improve your fundraising efforts. Contact us today to see how we can help you to start saying Thank You.
