Here are some simple things you can do to show your donors that you have a heart, that they are more than just “money” to you …
- Drop a handwritten thank-you note from a staff member or volunteer.
- Mail an annual letter of thanks instead of an appeal letter — no request for help, no reply form or envelope — to the entire donor file. How could you survive financially, since you couldn’t expect a lot of donations in response to such a letter? Break your mailing list into 12 parts, and mail the thank-you letter to one-twelfth of your donor family each month over the course of a year.
- Show your donor how her investments are paying off by inserting a leaflet in the receipt envelope which shares the true story of someone whose life has been impacted by the ministry.
- Give a gift to your donor, without prior notice, without fanfare, with no strings attached – not necessarily a big expensive gift – maybe just a booklet, a tape, anything that comes with a brief note of thanks. The fact that you sent it at all is more important to the donor than how much you spent on it.
*Like what you just read and want to learn more? Check out, 7 Deadly Diseases of Ministry Marketing: Confessions of a Christian Fundraiser
ServantNetwork's Blog 