We all understand, or should understand, that thanking your
donors after your fundraising auction event has concluded is an absolute
must. However, the way that you thank
your donors for their generous contributions to help your cause is so very
important. Many organizations simply
send out a form letter showing what was purchased/donated and a generic message
thanking the donor for their contribution.
This is obviously a good idea for their tax purposes, but how personal
is this for the donor and does it make them feel special?
Imagine being a donor
that just gave $5,000 or $1,000 or $250 of your hard-earned money to a cause
that you believe in and just receiving this form letter, which is really a
must for tax purposes anyway. Do you
feel special in any way? Do you feel
that the organization values your participation in such an important
event? Do you have any excitement or
feeling of obligation to attend their next event? In some cases yes, but in most cases not
really.
I suggest that you
get together your entire board and staff and have a Thank-A-Thon party. Provide some food and beverages for your
board and staff and start calling your donors on the phone. Spend 30 seconds to a minute explaining how
thankful your organization is for their donation and how the funds will be
utilized to better your cause. The
purpose of this call is not to ask for anything but to simply thank your donors
and inform them of how the funds will be or are being utilized to better your
cause. If the donor does not answer just
leave them a message, no need to keep calling until they answer. If you
had 150 people give at your event then a board and staff of 10 people have to
spend about 15-20 minutes each or about 15 phone calls each.
Most organizations do not do this simple step, so imagine
how much this will put you in the minds’ of your donors versus other organizations
that they give to throughout the year.
Simply put, it makes them feel special and valued which can many times
equate to future support.
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