Thank You, Thank You!

It was the eve of 2016 and because the office was quiet with so many clients away on holiday, it was a good time to catch up on some reading. I found a real gem in the December 22 publication of the Chronicle of Philanthropy where they compiled a toolkit of tips that had been collected throughout the year on the topic of “how to thank (and retain) a donor.”

For the benefit of our readers who might have missed it, these tips are worth repeating. More importantly, you should keep them in your files and make them part of your 2016 stewardship plans. The highlights include:

• How to write a better thank you letter
• How to go beyond the standard gift acknowledgment letter
• How to thank donors in meaningful ways
• Sending “anniversary” cards
• Ensuring that no donor gets the same thank-you letter twice

As I was reading the article, I actually received a very personalized thank you for my year-end gift from a charity to which I have made small donations for the past several years. I was even more surprised to receive a call on December 31^st from a volunteer of that same organization thanking me again. She explained how my gift would be used and invited me for a visit. Next year I will remember to give more.

In this month's eRate (PG Calc's monthly eNewsletter - subscribe here), our featured article, Your Best Donors Are Hiding in Plain Sight, presents a variety of scenarios that represent missed stewardship opportunities. It’s important to remember that stewardship done appropriately can result in larger or additional gifts.