Videos are a powerful relationship building tool. A technique that can help your nonprofit quickly begin building a relationship with your donor is to create a personalized thank you video. This creative way of expressing gratitude to your donor communicates how much you care. There are a number of platforms that help facilitate the personalized video process.
The platforms allow you to create a list of emails, record a custom thank you video, and send an email message with a link to a custom landing page. Here are a couple of platforms that you may want to check out:
Once you make the decision to send thank you videos, you need to define a great script that helps the donor feel appreciated, understand the impact of the donation, and feel like they are building a relationship with your nonprofit. Here’s an outline for a great thank you video:
- Thank the donor by name.
- Tell the donor what the donation will be used for.
- Tell a story of impact.
- Thank the donor and give her next steps.
With these key elements in mind, here are a couple sample scripts you can use:
Script #1
Hi Jane, I’m John Smith and I want to personally thank you for the $35 donation you made to our emergency response fund. On behalf of all of us at WeCare, we truly appreciate your donation and the impact that you’re having. Your $35 donation is going to work immediately to provide emergency supplies to the refugees in Bangladesh. You’re providing emergency food, shelter, and winter garments to people who have very little to nothing when they fled the violence in their communities. Thank you.
One refugee you’re help is Rehan, a beautiful 8 year old girl from the Tutak region of Nepal. Rehan and her family fled violence with just the clothes on their back and is being served in a refugee camp we’re serving in. With the support of donors like you, not only is Rehan and her family receiving emergency supplies, but you’re also helping Rehan receive an education … something that is often very difficult to do in refugee camps.
I also wanted to take a minute and let you know what you should expect. In a couple of days, you’ll receive a welcome letter from me and a little information about WeCare and how your support is making a positive change for children like Rehan and families. Thanks again for your support, if you have any questions at all, please simply reply to this email or give us a call at 1-800-999-1234.
Script #2
Jane, thank you very much for your $55 donation to the Moving Forward building fund. Your donation is a crucial part of our ability to complete the family shelter that will help 100 families at a time find help in some of the most difficult times in their lives. Thank you Jane for your support of this project, you are making a big impact in the Atlanta community. I’m John Smith, the Executive Director of WeCare.
I’d like to share a story of Holly with you. Holly and her two children came to our WeCare shelter after Holly lost her job as an administrator at a local manufacturing firm. Holly was being evicted from her home and had few options, WeCare provided a safe environment for her and her children, job placement assistance, and an after school program for her two kids. With help from donors like you, Holly found a new job and saved enough money to find an apartment and get her life turned around. With your support of the Moving Forward building fund, you’re changing the lives of family just like Holly’s!
Thank you again for your support and helping change the life of families in Atlanta!
Script #3
Hi Jane, your support means so much to us! I’m John Smith, the Executive Director of WeCare. Thank you for the $40 donation you made to build the well in Uganda. This well is a crucial part of serving a refugee community in northern Uganda with clean water. Once we break ground on the well, it will take 4 months before we’re serving clean water in the community of Chatel in Uganda.
I want to share a story of Haleem which is about a 30 minute drive from Chatel. With help from donors like you, we completed a well in the community 9 months ago. Before the well was finished, Georgina, a woman with five children living in Haleem, walked 45 minutes to collect water from a stream that was shared between livestock and three different communities. The water was dirty and caused health problems for Georgina’s family. Now, she’s able to get clean water in her community. Her kids are able to attend school as their health problems have gone away. This is the difference your donation will make.
Thank you again for your donation to provide clean water to the families and children in Chatel. You’re making a huge difference in these lives! If you have any questions at all, please simply reply to this email or give us a call at 1-800-999-1234.
Why is it important to thank donors?
In the world of nonprofit fundraising, there is always more to be done. New campaigns to launch, donor prospects to cultivate, events to plan… the list goes on and on. With so much on our plates, it can be easy to forget the importance of expressing gratitude to our donors – but we shouldn’t. Research shows that showing donor appreciation can have a major impact on our bottom line, making it one of the most important things we can do as nonprofit professionals.
Gratitude Increases Donor Retention Rates
One of the most important metrics for any fundraising professional to track is donor retention rates. After all, it costs six to seven times more to acquire a new donor than it does to retain an existing one. Therefore, anything we can do to increase donor retention is a major win for our organizations. And according to a 2017 study by DonorVoice, expressing gratitude is one of the best ways to do just that.
The study found that when donors felt appreciated by the organizations they supported, they were 38% more likely to maintain or increase their level of giving. Furthermore, donors who did not feel appreciated were almost twice as likely to reduction or discontinue their support entirely. These findings underscore the importance of showing our donors some love – if we want them to stick around (and keep writing those big checks), we need to let them know how much we appreciate them!
Gratitude Increases Donor Loyalty
Not only does expressing gratitude help us retain our current donors; it also helps us build long-term relationships with them. In fact, according to another study by DonorVoice, donors who felt appreciated by the organizations they supported were 30% more likely to say they “definitely will” continue supporting those organizations in the future.Furthermore, grateful donors are also more likely to recommend their favorite charities to friends and family members – meaning that not only will they continue supporting us financially, but they’ll also act as brand ambassadors and help us expand our reach even further.
There are many ways to show donor appreciation, but it is essential to do so if you want to build lasting relationships with them. By taking the time to express your gratitude, you will not only make donors feel valued, but also inspire them to continue supporting your organization for years to come.
What is a reactivated donor?
A reactivated donor is one who had stopped giving for a period of time, usually over 12 months, who starts giving again. A lapsed donor is someone who has made a donation to your organization in the past, but has not donated recently. Reactivating these donors is an important part of fundraising, as it can provide a significant boost to your bottom line.
There are a number of ways to reactivate lapsed donors, but the most effective approach is to personalize your outreach. This means reaching out to lapsed donors on an individual basis, and crafting a message that speaks to their specific interests and concerns. In addition, you should make it easy for lapsed donors to donate again, by providing plenty of opportunities and making the donation process as simple as possible. By taking these steps, you can re-engage lapsed donors and turn them into active supporters of your organization.
What do you say to lapsed donors?
The key is to tailor your message to the lapsed donor’s specific interests and needs. Don’t simply ask for a donation – instead, explain how their support will make a difference. Be personal and efficient in your communications, and be sure to express sincere appreciation for their past support. With the right approach, lapsed donors can once again become valuable partners in your fundraising efforts.
