Thank-you letters are one of the most important letters that
your non-profit mails to donors. They remind donors that they
made the right decision in supporting your organization. They
show that you are grateful for the donors gift.
As a bonus, thank-you letters increase donor loyalty, strengthen
relationships with your donors and increase your chances of
receiving more gifts in the future. So here are some pointers
for writing effective thank-you letters.
Be personal. Address your thank-you
letter to your donor by name. Don't say "Dear Friend."
Say thank you, thank you, thank you. Show
your gratitude by repeating, in a few different ways, that you
are thankful for your donor's gift.
Be specific if possible. Mention the size
of the gift, or the date that you received the gift, or at least
say "Thank you for your recent gift." Donors are busy people who
need to be reminded that they responded to your appeal.
Show how the donor's gift is being
successful. Reinforce in your donor's mind that
sending a gift was a wise investment in the work of your
organization. Describe a recent success that was made possible
by the donor's generosity. Or show in other specific, tangible
ways, how or where the donors gift is making a difference in the
lives of the people that your non-profit serves.
Thank the supporter, not the donor.
Somewhere in your letter, acknowledge that you value your reader
as someone who supports your organization and believes in your
mission. No one likes being treated like an automated banking
machine.
Encourage dialogue. Show a genuine
interest in your donor by inviting them to write you, or phone
you, or visit your website, or drop by your mission, or in some
other way strengthen your relationship.
Be soft in asking for more funds. Your
thank-you letter should say thanks. If you follow your thanks
with an immediate and aggressive appeal for more funds, you may
cheapen your thanks and offend your supporter. So be gentle, and
soft-sell the request for another gift.
Strive for originality. Be fresh. Make
your letter unique. Avoid langauge that sounds like it was
churned out by a bureaucracy.
An example of a successful thank-you letter. Below is a thank-you letter that Doctors Without Borders
(MSF) mailed to donors who responded to their appeal letter for
their work in Afghanistan.
--sample thank-you letter starts--
Dear Alan:
In response to your recent gift to MSF, I join with the people
of Afghanistan in saying
shúker, thank you, for your
generosity.
As I write, the security situation in Afghanistan is changing by
the day, improving in some areas of the country while
deteriorating in others. At MSF, we are particularly alarmed at
the number of civilians who are being killed or injured in the
bombing campaigns.
On one day alone, we transported 72 dead and 15 wounded to the
hospital. Many of them were women and children. Among the
casualties was a family whose father was killed, mother
critically injured, and four children wounded. A six-year-old
boy lost one eye and had to undergo partial amputation of one
arm and a full amputation of his other arm and one of his legs.
We are seeing increasing evidence of an unacceptably high toll
on civilians due to the military operations in Afghanistan. We
are calling upon the parties involved to minimize the
consequences of the ongoing conflict on the civilian population.
The good news is that, thanks to your generosity, our 60
international staff and over 400 Afghan staff are back to work
in the country again, offering medical help without
discrimination and regardless of race, religion, creed or
political affiliation.
I join with all of them and the staff here at MSF Canada in
wishing you a prosperous and safe
Náwey Kaal, or New
Year.
Yours sincerely,
[signature]
Leslie Shanks, MD, CCFP President - Médecins Sans Frontières
Canada / Doctors Without Borders-Canada
--sample thank-you letter ends--
© 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this
article online and in print provided the links remain live and
the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author"
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More Information:Alan Sharpe is a professional fundraising letter writer, instructor, coach, author and newsletter publisher who helps non-profit organizations to raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors using cost-effective, compelling, creative fundraising letters. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at
http://www.RaiserSharpe.com/ 
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