{"id":10283,"date":"2018-06-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-06-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/?p=10283"},"modified":"2024-05-08T21:34:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T21:34:17","slug":"the-power-of-thank-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/blog\/the-power-of-thank-you\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power Of Thank You"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the server who draws a smiley face and \u201cthank you!\u201d on the back of your check, to giant brands like Zappos<\/a> going on a \u201cthank you tour\u201d businesses understand the power of \u00a0\u201cthank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are the businesses who go out of their way to thank their customers simply very polite folks? Maybe, but in the for-profit world, everything is analyzed in how it affects the bottom line. Customer appreciation is more than polite, it has a major impact on the customer\u2019s future behavior.<\/p>\n

\"Thanking<\/p>\n

Thank yous are a big part of nonprofit fundraising, too. You may have sent out a thank you letter<\/a> or six today, even. But is donor acknowledgment part of your fundraising strategy, or just an item on your to-do list? Are you getting all the power out of your thank you?<\/p>\n

Customer Appreciation Works<\/h2>\n

So let\u2019s talk about those smiley faces on the back of your restaurant check. It\u2019s cute, right? It\u2019s also a practice that has been shown to increase tips<\/a>. People like to be appreciated. They like it so much that it influences their behavior and mindset.<\/p>\n

HEX, an accessories company, sends off their packages with a special enclosure: a handwritten thank-you note<\/a>. It\u2019s a little thing, but it can have a big impact. Customers notice it, even posting pictures of the notes on their social media. It ensures a nice, personal touch after the act of completing a purchase is over, prolonging the relationship.<\/p>\n

I understand that it\u2019s not exactly groundbreaking for me to tell you that you should thank your donors. Most nonprofits thank donors who make gifts. But thanking donors is more than an obligation or even plain old good manners–it\u2019s also an opportunity to build their trust and increase their loyalty.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Talk About Donor Retention<\/h2>\n

Making a donation<\/a> feels great at the moment. Most donors are pleased while making a gift. As time passes, though\u2026well, your mileage may vary, but donor retention stats<\/a> say that 60-70% of new donors do not give again.<\/p>\n

Blech. That\u2019s disappointing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It also makes sense. As fundraising professionals, we track giving and keep donor data<\/a>, put people on lists, and consider their giving potential. It\u2019s quite possible that we think way more about our donors than they ever do of us, especially first-time donors. Many of them forget they ever gave. A thank you is their first reminder.<\/p>\n

Moreover, new donors don\u2019t have any loyalty to the organization and haven\u2019t seen that the organization is trustworthy. They haven\u2019t yet seen that the organization uses their money wisely to make an impact, is working for the change they say they are and is efficient and competent. A thank you is their first demonstration that you can be trusted.<\/p>\n

But donor appreciation isn\u2019t just about new donors. While new donors should be part of your overall development strategy, they should not get all your attention and resources. You\u2019ll get a larger return on your investment by deepening your relationship with the donors you already have.<\/p>\n

New donors are the most expensive to acquire, and the hardest to keep. You have to market to them, engage them, educate them on your cause, and ask them before they give. Moreover, the first-time gifts are rarely the biggest a person could give. Without established trust and loyalty, few people will give an organization the largest gift they can afford.<\/p>\n

In contrast, established donors already know you exist and care about what you do. They\u2019ve already made the decision to support you-you don\u2019t have to \u201csell\u201d them on it. It costs less to engage them because they\u2019re already engaged. And, in general, people increase their giving over time, as they can afford to, especially if they feel involved<\/a>. You just have to keep them coming back.<\/p>\n

Take a look at this thank you video from Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada. Throughout, they emphasize that change is happening because of what they are doing\u00a0together\u00a0with their donors.<\/p>\n

Appreciation Strategy<\/h2>\n

Thanks influence future generosity.<\/p>\n

In a 2010 study<\/a>, participants were asked to provide feedback to a fictitious student. Half of the participants received a thankful reply, the other half a neutral one. When asked to help him again, 32% of the people who received a neutral reply were willing, while 66% of the people who received thankful replies were ready to help again. The result is clear: receiving a message of gratitude makes people significantly more inclined to help down the road.<\/p>\n

Imagine you helped a friend with something, something important. When your friend asked for your help, they really built the case that you\u2019d make a big difference. So you got on board, helped them out, and then …<\/p>\n