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Personalize Your Thank-You

Lynn Catalano is Executive Director of the Foundation for Mount St. Mary’s Hospital ( Lewiston, New York). She asks: “What do you say in a handwritten note to donors who have given $500 or more?”

I’ll answer that in a moment. First let me remind you about the phone call. If you read any of my books or if you have heard me speak, you know how strongly I believe in calling your donors to thank them for their gift. I used to tell our clients they should call every donor who has made a gift of $1,000 or more. I’ve changed that.

Now, I tell my clients (and everyone else who will listen !) they should call anyone who has made a gift of $100. For smaller organizations where even a $100 gift is a large one, you may want to call donors who have made smaller gifts— $25 or $50.

When someone tells me they don’t have time to make those phone calls, I say: “Tell me what you’re doing that’s more important than thanking your donors?” (I also recognize it’s easy for a consultant to give this sort of advice— we don’t have to implement it !)

But the answer is: Find a way to get it done— spread it out among Board members, get volunteers to do it. If you’re a hospital, ask your auxiliary members. Whatever you decide, figure out a way to do it.

But back to Lynn’s question. Here’s what our studies show. It takes a very special letter to really look and read personal in its content. Often, the effort gets wasted (even if it’s individually typed) because it still comes off as looking and reading like a canned letter.

Those same studies indicate that what is far more effective is a form letter of appreciation with a generic salutation such as: Dear Friend. (Wait ! Don’t make faces yet !)

At the bottom of the page, you put your handwritten note. Use the person’s name (and if you know the first name, all the better). Something quite simple does the trick— a sentence, two or three at the most. “Dear Jane and John— I just want you to know how very important your gift is to us. It means so much to the organization and those we serve. We couldn’t do it without you.” Or something of the sort.

Studies show that the recipient feels you have picked his letter out of a pile for very special recognition. You have taken the time to personally send a thank-you. The recipient feels they are one of the select few. – Jerry Panas