Creative ways to thank your donor
When it comes to fundraising, the most important thing you can do is to acknowledge and thank your donors. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to reach your goal and your chosen charity wouldn’t be able to provide their services.
As the heart and soul of your fundraising campaign, it’s important to take dedicated time to thoughtfully acknowledge your donors. In fact, research shows that when donors are thanked, they are four times more likely to donate to the same cause again.
We’ve put together our top tips on creative ways to say thank you to the friends and family who are supporting you throughout your fundraising journey.
1. Personalise:
Think first and foremost about specific acknowledgement to the individual donor. Instead of a generic message, make sure to use their name and say thanks in the most appropriate format for that person--whether that’s direct on your fundraising page, via email, or calling on the phone. The more personalised the message, the better the donor will feel about making their donation and the more likely they are to engage with any fundraising you may do in the future.
2. Shoutout on social media
Publicly thank your donor by giving them a shoutout on social media. By updating your Facebook status or adding an Instagram story and tagging your friend, you are demonstrating your gratitude on a public platform. Everyone loves feeling like they're making a real difference! When others see your continued promotion of your event, it will inspire additional donations to come through - so use this is another opportunity to spruik your fundraising page or upcoming event.
3. Explain the impact
Your donor’s dollars count toward something bigger than supporting you. With every contribution, your chosen charity cause can continue to provide their life changing services to those in need. Ensure that this impact is clear to your supporters so they can spread the message about the importance of your fundraising efforts. For example, you could reiterate that their $50 donation will go towards providing three children with educational resources, if that is the figure that has been provided by your charity of choice. This helps bring home the tangible impact they have made, and will encourage others to donate too so they can also make an impact.
4. Send a video
Go the extra mile and create a quick video on your phone to send to your donor. This is a thoughtful gesture and a lovely way to check-in with your friends and family.
5. Keep your donor engaged
Your donor cares about you, and cares about the cause that you support. Be sure to share continued updates about how you are progressing towards your personal and team fundraising goals and the ongoing impact of your fundraising.
