In a recent webinar hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Shanon Doolittle presented some insights about thanking donors:
- Donors want a:
- Prompt and personal thank you, preferably within 48 hours
- Confirmation that the gift from the donor will be used as intended
- Meaningful report on what the gift made possible
- The thank you letter or note needs to be personalized by:
- Having a “feel good” opening line, like, “You are amazing!”
- Having far more “you” language than “we” or the name of the nonprofit
- Confirming how the gift will be used
- Inviting and encouraging personal contact with the donor
- Being hand signed with a personalized note
- Telling the donor what to do next
- Mechanics of the thank you letter:
- Put the receipt information on the second page or at the bottom of the letter
- Rewrite the thank you letter at least four times each year
- You need to remember:
- “Fundraising” begins with “Fun”
- The difference between “ordinary” and “extraordinary” is the “extra”
- Thank your donors with your heart, not with your head
Click Shanon Doolittle for more information about Shanon and her insights on Fundraising. Shanon is an energetic and inspiring fundraiser with over 10 years of experience and a topic expert on CharityHowTo