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When you’re a non-profit you know that your best donor is the one who repeats. Whether it’s $5 a month or $20K a year, these supporters are golden. So how do you cultivate a one-time donor into an ongoing one? There’s more than one answer to this question (provide a sense of community, continue or improve the services they value), but a key to every relationship is the thank you. So here are 5 effective ways you can thank your supporters, from the obvious to the unexpected.

1. Pick up the phone. In a world where emails are ubiquitous, a phone call or text carries more weight than you can imagine. Pick a donation threshold to separate text thank-yous and actual phone calls. If your donor doesn’t answer, leave a message of heartfelt thanks. And make sure the call is just a thank-you, not a veiled request for more support.
2. Send a thank-you video. Just like your phone outreach, you should have two different thank-you video tiers. First create a “general” thank you for donors that welcomes them into your community. This can go out with every “confirmation” email. For high-dollar donors, send a personalized video that addresses them by name and lets them know just what their contribution means to the organization.
3. Send a hand-written thank you note. The best thank you notes don’t begin with ‘thank you.’ If you want to stand out, think about how to make your note exceptional by speaking to what the donor is accomplishing and/or how rare they are to appreciate the importance of giving to you at this time. Everyone responds to praise. A recent study by donor-centered fundraising expert, Penelope Burk, found 45% of donors reported it was receiving an exceptional thank you letter that inspired them to give again. 40% of respondents said they had received at least one thank you letter in recent memory they would describe as exceptional. Its “warm, personal tone making the letter feel like it was written just for me” was cited most often.
4. Publicly thank them. There are many ways to publicly thank your donors. You can create a “wall of thanks” with photos of every donor. Make special mention of them in your newsletter. Create a web page just to thank your donors. Or mention them by name in a presentation.
5. Invite donors to an exclusive event. It could be a tour, a class, or a brunch.
6. And don’t forget the swag. There are so many products you can brand with your organization’s name, from t-shirts to binoculars. Find a product that reflects the work you do and get your name on it.

At the center of all these thank-yous is the idea of “community.” You’re inviting these donors into your community (which hopefully you’ve been building through your brand and daily activities!).

Bonus tips – Don’t and Do’s

Don’t thank donors for helping your organization be successful do thank them for the impact they are making for the cause you both value.
Don’t think of your email as a thank you; they think of it as a receipt. Instead, do write and send a personal note by mail.
Don’t (and this bears repeating), don’t let your thank-you have even a whiff of solicitation. Don’t include a donation button or link. Don’t say more help is needed to reach your goals.

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