Has Your Gratitude Gone Stale?

I overshot the mark once in a donor thank you letter.

This was in my first full time fundraising job, and I was writing a thank you letter to a regular donor / volunteer. I guess I leaned into some flowery language, and the donor wrote back, basically telling me to dial it back a bit.

That’s a common pitfall when it comes to donor acknowledgments and stewardship. Sometimes, nonprofits either go too far in one direction (Your $20 gift will literally change the world) or in another (Dear FRIEND, thank you for giving).

Of course, this is important stuff. We know that thank you messages are the cornerstone of a stewardship strategy.

And stewardship leads to retention.

And donor retention is the name of the game.

In this week’s video, I’m talking about stewardship – and how your donor thank you process should start with (and not end with) a great gift acknowledgment. After you watch the video, let me know one way you’ve personalized donor stewardship that made a lasting impression.

Stewardship isn’t just a checklist – it can be a transformative part of your fundraising strategy. Ready to build a strategy that works for your team and mission? My Align & Accelerate program will help you get the fundraising results you need. Set up a call and let's get started!