The simple gesture of showing our gratitude has become a fading art form. When and why did we become so comfortable asking people to support our dreams and visions, and then not thank them, or, not thank them properly? Treating others like we want to be treated has somehow gotten buried in our fast-paced, self-serving world. Thanking donors now can go a long way in encouraging them to give the next time around. By not showing your gratitude now, you might as well not even think about there being any "next time around".
Why They Give
Donors give for many reasons, but in some part, they all give because they want to make a difference to your cause. Think of it in the simplest of forms - they give you the gift of money, so that you can accomplish your goals and make your vision a reality. Behind every gift - every dollar - is a living feeling person. If you fail to communicate that their gift was valuable in helping to reach your goals, they could make the assumption that their contribution didn't make a difference. Every gift deserves to be acknowledged and appreciated.
Who's Behind the Dollar?
We can get too accustomed to a person morphing into "a dollar figure". "What's he worth this quarter?"... "How much can we expect out of our old files?"... "We should be able to pull in $25K from one or two of these". Well, the "old files" and the "these" -- are people. Instead of viewing donors and potential donors as a means to an end, we need to view them as our partners. They are people who are on our team.
Make it Personal
Don't think of it as an "added" step when it should be a regular part of your donor communication strategy. And, what an important part it is! We have all received greeting cards where the sender does nothing more than scrawl their name at the bottom. There are others who always write a little something special. Doesn't it make you feel like they took the time to pay attention to you, that it was important enough to write you a personal message? Yes of course, it makes you feel appreciated. That's how your donors feel too.
Make it Meaningful
It doesn't have to be tedious or formal every time, it just needs to say "Thank You". As a matter of fact, it's nice to mix it up a bit. The same old letter saying the same old thing every time can get stale too, like it's obligatory. You don't want them opening your letter and just skimming through it thinking "Yeh, yeh, yeh, blah, blah, blah...thanks for coming out".
Small Adds Up
Smaller donations often get passed over and not viewed as part of the whole picture. Every gift is worthy of your appreciation. Do you even know how much all of your smaller donations add up to in a year? Oftentimes we get stuck on what we perceive to be the "bigger fish" - the donors with more potential, and we put all of our eggs in a handful of baskets. On a cautionary note, don't overlook or snub smaller donations. Do your own analysis. Pull a report of the total amount received from small to medium donors. How would it affect your goals if that amount were not a part of your total income? It might surprise you!
Morphing Paper Fish by Grand Illusions
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2382929
Why They Give
Donors give for many reasons, but in some part, they all give because they want to make a difference to your cause. Think of it in the simplest of forms - they give you the gift of money, so that you can accomplish your goals and make your vision a reality. Behind every gift - every dollar - is a living feeling person. If you fail to communicate that their gift was valuable in helping to reach your goals, they could make the assumption that their contribution didn't make a difference. Every gift deserves to be acknowledged and appreciated.
Who's Behind the Dollar?
We can get too accustomed to a person morphing into "a dollar figure". "What's he worth this quarter?"... "How much can we expect out of our old files?"... "We should be able to pull in $25K from one or two of these". Well, the "old files" and the "these" -- are people. Instead of viewing donors and potential donors as a means to an end, we need to view them as our partners. They are people who are on our team.
Make it Personal
Don't think of it as an "added" step when it should be a regular part of your donor communication strategy. And, what an important part it is! We have all received greeting cards where the sender does nothing more than scrawl their name at the bottom. There are others who always write a little something special. Doesn't it make you feel like they took the time to pay attention to you, that it was important enough to write you a personal message? Yes of course, it makes you feel appreciated. That's how your donors feel too.
Make it Meaningful
It doesn't have to be tedious or formal every time, it just needs to say "Thank You". As a matter of fact, it's nice to mix it up a bit. The same old letter saying the same old thing every time can get stale too, like it's obligatory. You don't want them opening your letter and just skimming through it thinking "Yeh, yeh, yeh, blah, blah, blah...thanks for coming out".
Small Adds Up
Smaller donations often get passed over and not viewed as part of the whole picture. Every gift is worthy of your appreciation. Do you even know how much all of your smaller donations add up to in a year? Oftentimes we get stuck on what we perceive to be the "bigger fish" - the donors with more potential, and we put all of our eggs in a handful of baskets. On a cautionary note, don't overlook or snub smaller donations. Do your own analysis. Pull a report of the total amount received from small to medium donors. How would it affect your goals if that amount were not a part of your total income? It might surprise you!
Morphing Paper Fish by Grand Illusions
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2382929
