“Hey, check out this fun video put together by UConn students! It's a lighthearted way to thank our donors and highlight just some of the many ways that private giving is making a huge difference at the University of Connecticut. While gift fairies may or may not actually exist, the ‘magic’ of your generous support lives on through the passion and achievements of so many talented students and faculty. Thank you!"
(In consideration of those in noise-restricted environments, the video will not play automatically.)The UConn Foundation sent the message and whimsical UConn Gift Fairy video to different donor segments, with landing pages tailored to each segment—eight different ones.
The UConn Foundation’s approach was just one of the many different kinds of thank yous you can employ to show your donors how important their gifts are.
Research shows that donors remain loyal when they are recognized in a personal way, when they know their gift makes a difference, and when they know their gift was used the way they intended.
It is essential to segment and personalize your thank yous, just as you would your appeal letters. This way, your donors feel you know them and know their interests. You also have the opportunity to show how their gift connects the school to their passion, interests, and values. Written, electronic, face-to-face, different types of campaigns—thank yous cannot be taken for granted to as an afterthought to the appeal.
Joanne Fritz, a 30-year veteran of the not-for-profit arena including teaching at the secondary, college, and university levels, offers up some tips for thanking your donors in letters on About.com.
- Make your thank yous timely—within two days of the donation is ideal. But within a week would be an appropriate target. The sooner you thank the donors, the better. The donor will know the gift arrived and is appreciated right away.
- Generic thank you letters are a no-no. One of the cardinal rules is to personalize your thank yous. Somewhere in your letter, reference, for example, how long the individuals have been donors, the types of programs their child or grandchild has been involved in, or the last event they attended. You can also acknowledge something in their own lives, like a promotion.
- When thanking donors, remind them how their gifts will be used, and how they will make a difference in the lives of your students. Again, this ties your donor’s heart to the life of your school.
- Real signatures only please—remember, this is a personal letter. Depending on the level of the donor, it would be appropriate for your Board Presidents, your Head, or your campaign leaders to sign it. Then, if appropriate, you can also include a handwritten note from your Board President, a key Trustee, or your Head.
- You can use your thank you as a tax receipt, since this is required, but if you send the tax receipt separately, you have two opportunities to thank the donor and reinforce the importance of their support for your school.
For Joanne Fritz’s complete Ten Tips, click here.
