Let me guess… your To-Do list probably has “write thank you notes” on it. And, it is probably not an item you get to check off as “done” because tomorrow or the next day brings more donations and more thank you notes.
Handwritten thank you notes are widely regarded as an effective donor stewardship tool.
Yet, donors report, “not being thanked” as a top reason they stopped giving.
This is one of those fundraising paradoxes that is easy to miss.
Of course, donors would stop giving if not thanked. Duh! And, we then look down on those [insert pejorative word] nonprofits who don’t thank their donors.
However, in the 16 years of fundraising and consulting work, I have only encountered a handful of nonprofits that were not consistently thanking their donors.
What gives?
In this blog from England, the fundraiser makes a connection to memory and thank yous from a recent TED Talk.
In the podcast, Kahneman recalls a conversation with one of his students who had been listening to a recording of a piece of Classical music. At the end of the recording there was “a dreadful screeching noise”. The student wasn’t happy, passionately telling Kahneman “it ruined the whole experience”.
Kahneman points out that this statement can’t be accurate. The screech wasn’t until the end of the recording. By the time the unpleasant noise occurred the student had already enjoyed an incredible performance. However, when it came to recalling his experience the quality of the performance counted for nothing. The student’s perception of the whole experience was solely defined by one negative moment.
I would encourage you to read the whole blog because he goes on to show (a) how our donors don’t remember all of the ways we thank them; and (b) instead truly don’t experience all our efforts as appreciation for their donations. In addition to his thoughts, I would like to add one more.
Often, our handwritten thank you notes and other donor stewardship activities are disconnected from our mission. This, in turn, has two unintended consequences.
First, when our thank you notes and donor stewardship activities sound and look like any other organization, the gratitude is not sticky. It is not stored as a long-term memory.
Second, those thank you notes and donor stewardship activities become monotonous to the staff and volunteers because they are not connected to our passion for the cause. And, they can also begin to create resentment, especially if the staff members believe the stewardship activities are taking away funds from the work of the organization.
What is a memory-sticky, low-cost and life-giving solution?
- Scrap the stewardship activities that have become rote or were copied from another organization.
- Lean into the fact that your cause is “cool” and donors are giving because of the “coolness.” Is the Executive Director a leading expert in the field? Do your clients have amazing stories to tell? Are your artists fascinating people? This is what is “cool” about nonprofits – we are doing the work people want to be a part of.
- Brainstorm ways that donor stewardship can be an extension of your mission and programs. Do what your organization is already doing and involve your donors.
- When you encounter the “but confidentiality” obstacle, seek ways for your clients to express their gratitude that maintains their dignity. Most of our clients are grateful and do want to thank those who made it possible. It’s not breaking confidentiality when the clients want to express their gratitude.
These ideas not only create more sticky memories for donors, but they also make our work as fund development people more meaningful.