10 Best Practices for Netting and Keeping Donors

3. Thank donors. How you thank donors can have either a positive or negative effect on how they view the organization. Timeliness is key. Thank donors as soon as possible after receiving their donation, either with a phone call, a card, a letter or e-mail. “The gift is fresh in their mind, and by responding quickly, it secures their faith in your organization,” Burton said. A thank you is a chance to reiterate your campaign message. Have a strategy in place for thanking donors and test different communication methods. One idea Burton recommended is sharing a success story along with a photograph. By doing this, she said, “You are supplying the donors with the immediate gratification that their dollars are making a difference and are being used for the donor’s intended purpose.”