When a new year begins – it’s tempting to leave last year completely behind.

But we must remember those who gave in the previous year with loud and proud gratitude for donors who contributed in the last few months.

If, like many of the organizations CBA works with, you saw an influx of support in November and December. A prompt and sincere thank-you message can make a difference in retaining these supporters.

Here are some tips to help:

1. Send it as soon as possible. It is important to recognize and thank your donors as soon as possible after they’ve made a gift. Having an automatic acknowledgment email in place is a start, but adding a more personalized and strategic thank-you message that mentions the campaign and its success will go a long way toward engaging your recipients over a longer time.

2. Thank your donors across platforms. Move beyond emails to thank your donors via social media, text messages, and on your website. And don’t worry if non-donors can also see these messages – thanking your supporters publicly and sharing your campaign’s impact with the world may motivate others to join in and support you, too.

3. Include specifics and metrics. Let your donors know how their money is already helping and how it will help in the coming months. If you set a goal and met it, let them know (and attribute that to their support).

4. Thank the non-donors too. Yes, you read that correctly – you can create a thank-you message for those on your list who did not donate. As you start the new year, you can thank these individuals for their ongoing support in other ways – like subscribing to your emails or following your work. You can also consider a light ask in a P.S. that reminds them it’s not too late to support your organization financially if they’re in a position to do so.

These four tips can go a long way towards making your donors feel valued and showing that you care about them. A happy donor is a loyal donor.

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