6 costly ways to undermine your donor thank you letters

Thanking donors is a must. If you want them to keep giving, you need to keep thanking them.

And you want t do it right! There are a lot of common, easy-to-make mistakes that can drive donors away.

Here are some of the most likely errors in thanking, thanks to Clairification, at The Thank You Mistakes That Quietly Cost You Donors:

1. Always address your friend by their given name. This is an important moment. Don’t depersonalize and undercut it by calling them “Dear Friend”!
2. Include a specific description of the gift your friend gave you. It’s so important to thank them for what you asked them to do. Talk about the specific impact their giving is having. They did not give you “general support” — even if that’s what it counts as in your financial books! They gave to make something happen. Thank them for making that happen.
3. Describe how you’ll use the gift. Use the same language, descriptions, and emotions you used when you asked. That was what moved them to give. Not what excites you about the program.
4. Use “I”. You are a human being talking to another human being. Not a faceless organization that uses the impersonal “we.”
5. Do not be rude and describe how you could’ve used more. You almost certainly need more funds. But this isn’t the time for talking about that. Just thank them for what they’ve done. That’s the best way to get that additional money.
6. Do not solicit your next gift. This is all about thanking. Don’t change the subject to what you want them to do next. Including a gentle reply device and/or return envelope is okay. But stay away from asking.