| TIPS ON WRITING
Thanks—and
Thanks Again
10 Ways to Say the Magic Words
By Joseph Barbato
Your fundraising shop may be a well-oiled machine when it comes
to asking, but how well does it handle thanking? Do you simply
send donors a receipt? Or do you look for creative ways to make
much of them? It matters. You must thank your donors immediately,
warmly, and brightly—or you may never get the chance to
thank them again. Saying thank-you is a crucial step toward the
next gift and the next.
Here are ways to help make your donors feel special:
(1) Give your thank-you substance
Say more than “thank you.” Tell the donor how his
gift will help make a difference and offer a concrete glimpse
of how your nonprofit’s work is changing people’s
lives. Quote someone who has found work, a student who has won
a fellowship, or a child who has recovered from illness because
of your program. Even better, write the letter in the voice of
that person and have him or her sign it.
Substance can plant the seed for future giving. Mention the
next exciting advances made possible by the program your donor
has just supported. Maybe she would like to help create that enhanced
sports program for the new gym. Substance can also help educate
donors, explaining how their support will advance innovative aspects
of your nonprofit’s work that they have been reading about
elsewhere.
(2) Send the letter now
The warmest thank-you letter turns cold if your donor receives
it weeks after
making a contribution. Get letters out immediately. Set a house
rule—everyone gets thanked within 48 hours—and enforce
it. Put on extra staff during the crazy year-end giving period.
Have a plan.
What’s the price you pay for a delayed letter? First,
your donor wonders whether you received the check. Then he remembers
that even his ingrate nephew thanks him for a gift more quickly.
Finally, he begins to feel that you don’t care. Oh, happy
day: he may even call to chew you out.
(3) Keep your letters fresh
Don’t send the same thank-you letter to a donor each time
he makes a
contribution—especially if he gives several times a year.
Your letter will bore him and indicate that you take his giving
for granted. That’s no way to win friends.
One of my clients has staff members use down time each summer
to brainstorm a half dozen key messages for the coming year’s
thank-you letters. That way, a series of thoughtful letters are
available for use as needed. No donor ever gets the same letter
twice.
(4) Tailor your thank-yous
You tailored your ask. Now give some thought to the best way
to say thanks to a
donor. Maybe your donor would enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of
your theater program. If she collects unusual objects, you might
send an exquisite item created by indigenous people in the region
where her gift will be put to work.
I’ve helped several clients create one-of-a-kind hand-made
books celebrating the gifts of major donors. These have consisted
of text and photographs outlining the giver’s close ties
to the nonprofit over time and the impact of his benefactions.
Produced in a tasteful and elegant fashion, such a book will please
many egocentric donors—and prompt others to proclaim it
a waste of money. Know thy donor.
(5) Involve board members
Use the individuals perched on your board. Circulate names and
addresses of
top givers and ask board members to send thank you notes to those
they know. Suggest they use personal stationery.
Also ask board members to flag the names of contributors who
could be giving more. That way you can begin encouraging a $500
giver to step up to a higher level of support or even to make
a major gift.
(6) Use your telephone
When was the last time you called a donor to thank him for a
gift? Or maybe
it’s your president or a board member who should be making
the phone call. There’s nothing like an enthusiastic thank-you
call the same day the check arrives at your nonprofit. How thrilled
are you? Let the donor hear it in your voice.
You’ll also send out the usual written thank-you, of course.
Consider using the occasion of the phone call to personally extend
an invitation to a tour, premiere, or other event.
(7) Encourage donors to participate
However you invite them, you will please most donors by encouraging
them to become engaged in your work. By visiting workshops, joining
nature hikes, or otherwise getting a hands-on feel for your work,
donors take ownership and feel a part of things.
More than one such donor goes on to become a top giver. Some
may join the staff or the board. None will feel neglected.
(8) Send a gift
When the opportunity arises, send your up and coming donors
a small gift that
brings your work to them. Do you have an unusually appealing photograph
that illustrates the excitement of your work? Send the picture
with a note. Small things mailed to donors—a reproduction
of a manuscript page, a sample from a new musical production,
a personal health diary—can reinforce the pleasure of giving.
(9) Make a fuss
Of course you will recognize the donor in many ways. Most will
want have
their names listed in publications and the annual report. Others
will expect to see stories written about them. Still others will
want much more—and it will never be enough. Keep working
at it. You can’t fuss too much.
(10) Keep everyone informed
When a wonderful article about your group appears in The New
York Times or
a leading local newspaper, send a copy to contributors. Coverage
in major news media heightens the feel-good experience of people
who have invested in your programs. Let them see the attention
others are paying. In a brief cover note, be sure to say, “Your
generosity helped make this possible. Thank you!”
This article originally appeared in Contributions
Magazine.
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