Donor care
It costs a great deal less to retain a donor than it does to acquire a new one.
More and more organisations are investing in good quality donor servicing, beyond the occasional newsletter (which if well done, can be very effective).
Sample donor care letters:
Brain cancer - Cancer Council NSW
Thank you letters
When you write a thank you letter, if you’re just sending a few cursory words of thanks with a receipt attached, you could be making your donor feel more like they have paid a bill than taking an important step in making a difference through your cause.
The thank you letter is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your donor, to remind them of what moved them to give in the first place, to reaffirm their decision and to make them feel thoroughly appreciated.
Don’t let this opportunity go to waste.
A few things you’ll usually find in strong thank you letters include:
- re-statement of the case, so that the donor remembers what they’ve given to, and why
- provide some new information to refresh their interest and make a further connection with them
- thank them in several different ways, so that they feel really appreciated and put the letter down with a real sense of achievement
- explain exactly how their gift helps, to reinforce the value of their gift and open them to the idea of giving again in the future.
Sample thank you letters
Autumn 2010 thank you letter - Victorian National Parks Association