The thank you note often is created and sent without much thought.
Purposeful and well thought out thank you notes keep donors. Consider the following:
Get the letter out quickly! The faster you get your thank you notes out the door, the better. Donors want to be sure that you received their gift and a thank you note is the best way to let them know it arrived safely.
Personalize. Instead of sending out a generic letter, customize your thank you note by
(1) calling the donor by name
(2) thanking them for the specific dollar amount they sent
(3) being sincere -this means cutting the formality and generalities
Tell the donor what you will do with their money. Make sure the donor knows how you plan to use the donation he or she has sent you. This creates a feeling of satisfaction for the donor.
Not the time to ask for more. The sole purpose of this note is to thank the donor with deepest, sincerest thanks for their donation. This is not an opportunity to make an additional ask.
Use a real signature. Use blue ink and sign the note. Digital signatures save time but technologically-savvy donors know the difference between a digital signature and a live one.