You’re All I Need to Get By: How To Love On Your Donors

Ahhhhhh – Valentine’s Day.  Some might think it’s a “lady holiday”, but not me! I think it’s for the gents too. And if you are the kind of person who quips, “It’s for suckas because folks should show love every day”: Here. Is. Your. Slow. Clap.

Because if you have a partner and you’re loving on them year-round, you are righteous, but also the minority report. For the rest of us – come on cards, gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and physical touch on that one cheesy day! I am here for ALL of it.  

OK… OK… Kishshana – what does this have to do with social good? Well here’s the thing. If you work for a social-impact organization (b.k.a. a non-profit) you have donors, right? And if you’re an entrepreneur doing good in the world, you have clients or customers who support you. Well guess what? They also need lovin’ on a regular basis in the form of stories of impact, ROI, and good old-fashioned thank-yous from you to them! Now that we are six weeks into the new year, that end-of-year campaign push is done and all those tax-letter thank yous (necessary but dry and uninspiring) should be in the mail. So why not dazzle them with a lil love on VDay?

How?

Here are three things you can do right now to say “thank you” and “you are the bomb-diggity” to your tribe.

1. Send a Thank-You note telling them that they are awesome. I mean donations and support are transformative, but nothing is more important than the person behind the cash. So give them an enthusiastic High Five! No time to get a handwritten note in the mail? Try a service like Postable, Punchbowl, or Paperless Post, so they can get some thank-you goodness today.
2. Pay them a visit and get out of the office. It’s so easy to get caught up in the business of raising money or running your organization that you put off spending time with your donors (unless you’re asking them for money.) But DON’T skip this step. Think of it as building a long-term relationship with a damn good friend and that takes time and effort.
3. Shine a light by giving THEM the spotlight. I am sure that you can think of someone right now whose involvement in your passion project has been transformative. Highlight why they are such an important part of your organization and what makes them special – on your website, in your newsletter, at the top of an email to your board. Others will want to join the lovefest, too!

There are tons of other ways to say “thank you” to your tribe. But start with these three and you are off to a great start. Be Authentic. Be Thoughtful. Be Grateful. Thank me later.