It’s all about the thank you

Gratitude is the name of the game, and it’s critical to letting your donors know how much their gifts mean to you. Without showing gratitude to reinforce the impact of gifts, it is all too easy for donors to disengage with your cause. Just how bad is it? According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, a group dedicated to helping nonprofits raise as much money as they can as quickly as they can, most organizations only retain 23% of first-time donors. Yikes! But how about the 23% that donate again? FEP found only 46% of repeat donors become three-peat donors. Double yikes!

When you think about how hard it is to bring in new donors, these stats can be flashing red lights. But wait, there is good news! Donors that receive a timely thank you note after donating are 51% more likely to continue donating – how is that for a case for thank you notes?

We will cover seven tips for writing the best thank you note your donors have ever read!

Tip 1. Get personal. With modern data management systems, you know who your donors are. Your team should also have developed relationships with key donors, so cut the formalities! Skip the stuffy “Dear Dr. and Mr. Smith,” and go with “Hi Jack and Jane,” – the warm familiarity will make them feel like part of the family, not a stranger kept at a distance. This also goes for your signature – don’t sign “Sincerely, The Children’s Fund.” Organizations don’t write thank yous, people do! You will have shared all about who their donation benefitted, so close your personal note with your name.

More tips to come!

Post by: Spencer Elkinton, professional auctioneer, bid assistant, and all around amazing human