Thank your donors well — or watch them leave

I believe some day we’ll pay as much attention to how we thank donors as we do now to how we ask.

Thanking donors is just as important as asking. Because thanking is part of what prompts repeat giving — without which, your fundraising program is a huge waste of time and money. Poor thanking practices are one of the top causes of poor retention.

Here’s some help from Get Fully Funded, at 9 Steps to a Powerful Thank You Letter:

1. Send it QUICK.
   
2. Make it match. (Thank them for the same thing you asked them to support.)
   
3. Share your plans for their money.
   
4. Use a real signature.
   
5. Add personal notes to the letters.
   
6. Include cumulative giving data.
   
7. Make it clear if the letter is also a receipt.
   
8. Include an offer for a tour.
   
9. Give the donor a contact.
   

Do these things! Make it a priority. Otherwise, all your hard and smart work in fundraising is just immediately going to waste.