So you just received a meaningful donation from a donor. What should you give the donor that makes him feel valued so he wants to give again and again? If we want to build long-term relationships with our bigger donors to ensure their continued giving, we have to get this right, all the time. I tell the mosdos Torah I guide that the donor really wants you to tell him three things:
- ‘Tell me how you appreciate my gift’
- ‘Tell me how you appreciate my giving’
- ‘Tell me how you appreciate me’
So how do you do that?
The best way of showing you appreciate the donor and their donation is by saying an immediate “THANK YOU.”
Don’t count on the tax receipt/thank you letter that you’ll send two weeks later to do this job. The reason is that it’s not personal, it’s not immediate and it serves a different purpose, since it’s primarily a tax receipt.
So what should you do?
Call the donor within 12 hours to say ‘Thank You’ and to let them know you received their check/bank transfer. Be yourself, be warm, be appreciative. And focus on the three things they want you to tell them:
‘How you appreciate their gift, how you appreciate their giving, and how you appreciate them.’
If they don’t answer your call, then leave a warm voicemail letting them know the same thing and then write an email/text letting him know the same thing.
If you really want this donor to feel appreciated and valued, then within 24 hours write a handwritten thank you. And tell them ‘How you appreciate their gift, how you appreciate their giving, and how you appreciate them.’
Here are a few examples that may help:
Shmuel,
THANK YOU!
Your early morning idea was a catalyst for a day of great efforts and much success, B”H. And your evening generosity boosted it so much more!
Thank you for showing us what can be done and for leading the way. Your gift has strengthened our ability to serve Klal Yisroel. May HKBH continue to bless you and your family.
Again thank you,
Avraham
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Dear Joe,
Thank you for your strategic and generous support. You were the catalyst for our own Purim miracle!
You certainly created a sense of challenge that pushed each member of the board to step beyond their comfort zone and raise the funds that will allow us to be there for the community in a more dedicated, professional and well-equipped way. So thank you for fueling this important growth.
May you see continued brocha and hatzlacha in all your endeavors. Again, thanks on behalf of the yeshiva.
Avraham
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