When is the last time you wrote one of your donors a love letter?
Well, now is the time to show your donors a little love.
Send a letter sent in January detailing their total giving for 2010 for tax purposes. And, more importantly, tell them all the amazing things they made possible with their support.
Some of you may already be doing a letter like this. But I can virtually guarantee that you're not taking advantage of it for the true donor relations opportunity that it is.
First, just doing a letter like this is good for your relationships with your donors. Because you're making it easier and more convenient for them come tax time.
Easy + convenient + thinking about their needs = donor love.
But, I want you to take it to the next level.
I want this to be the mother of all "thank you" notes.
I want effusive thanks, endless gratitude, and sincere appreciation oozing from every sentence.
If it feels over the top, you're probably striking exactly the right tone.
This letter is your opportunity to tell the donor:
- How important she (not her gift, but she herself) is to the cause, your mission, and your organization
- The difference that he (again not the donation, but the person) made, the impact of having him as a donor
- The accomplishments she made possible because she gave
- That none of this would have happened without her
- That he's a critical partner in this work
Of course, there is also the info you need to include for tax purposes:
- The total amount given in 2010 and the dates and amounts of each donation
- The portion of that total that's tax-deductible (if it's all tax-deductible, say that too)
- That no goods or services were provided (as long as they weren't!)
But include all this at the bottom of the page, after you've signed off.
Don't try to incorporate the legal mumbo jumbo into the body of your letter or you'll end up sounding like a robot.
And I'd like you to sound as much like a real, live human being as possible.
Lastly, don't forget these important guidelines for all your "thank you" notes:
- Don't start with "thank you" or "on behalf of." Have a unique first line that will make your reader want to keep reading.
- Have whoever signs the letter add a handwritten note.
- Give the contact info for a person to call/email directly if they need anything at all.
- Avoid jargon and "we-speak." "We did this...," "Our programs do that..." Remember, a thank you is all about "you" -- and "you" means your donor.
- Don't ask for another gift or even allude to their future or continued support.
Let me end with one more benefit to writing these love letters to your donors...
You'll have far fewer last-minute requests from supporters who lost those original acknowledgment letters you sent (within 24-48 hours, I'm sure!). Because they'll have your fancy year-end letter to give to their accountants.
But they'll make a copy of it first, of course. Since this is going to be one of those "thank you" letters that will make them feel so good, they'll want to keep the original for themselves.