Comments on: Does Asking for a Gift in Thank-You Letters Help or Harm? Test and Find Out https://www.expertfundraiser.org/2011/05/15/does-asking-for-a-gift-in-thank-you-letters-help-or-harm-test-and-find-out/ Fundraising ideas and how-to advice for non-profit organizations Fri, 11 May 2012 14:04:43 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.com/ By: Murray M. Kramer https://www.expertfundraiser.org/2011/05/15/does-asking-for-a-gift-in-thank-you-letters-help-or-harm-test-and-find-out/#comment-1255 Fri, 11 May 2012 14:04:43 +0000 https://www.raisersharpe.com/blog/?p=762#comment-1255 I dislike asking for an additional gift in a thank-you letter, as if the only time you correspond with a donor is to ask, ask, ask for more money! However, I have nothing against enclosing a business reply envelope and a form stating that an additional donation can be made In Honor or In Memory of someone and a notification sent. This would temper the additional ask and make it more palatable. M. M. Kramer

]]> By: Alan Sharpe https://www.expertfundraiser.org/2011/05/15/does-asking-for-a-gift-in-thank-you-letters-help-or-harm-test-and-find-out/#comment-109 Tue, 17 May 2011 02:10:59 +0000 https://www.raisersharpe.com/blog/?p=762#comment-109 I agree with you. I dislike the practice of asking for gifts in thank-you letters. Always have. But I also dislike telephone fundraising, and it works well for many charities. If Zi had my way, no charity would ever ask for gifts in their than-you letters, and, if they did, no one would respond to these rude, ungrateful fundraisers. OK, time to dismount my hobby horse.

]]> By: Michael J. Rosen, CFRE https://www.expertfundraiser.org/2011/05/15/does-asking-for-a-gift-in-thank-you-letters-help-or-harm-test-and-find-out/#comment-108 Mon, 16 May 2011 22:37:43 +0000 https://www.raisersharpe.com/blog/?p=762#comment-108 Alan, first let me thank you for including my name in the same sentence with Penelope Burk. It’s an honor. As you know, Penny and I are huge proponents of donor-centered fundraising. In keeping with that belief, I’d like to offer a suggestion: The default position of a nonprofit organization should be to NOT put an ask into a thank-you letter. The only time this should be violated in the short-term is to conduct a limited test, something along the lines of what you have suggested. In the long-term, an ask in a thank-you should not be used unless the test data justifies it. What do you think?

]]> By: Alan Sharpe https://www.expertfundraiser.org/2011/05/15/does-asking-for-a-gift-in-thank-you-letters-help-or-harm-test-and-find-out/#comment-107 Mon, 16 May 2011 20:34:46 +0000 https://www.raisersharpe.com/blog/?p=762#comment-107 I recommend a test to settle the matter. I am not encouraging organizations to increase their attrition rates. I’m recommending that they test to see if asking their donors for gifts in their thank-you letters harms or helps their organization. Each side on this issue feels strongly they are right. I dislike the practice of thanking and asking at the same time. I think it’s tacky. But I can’t say it’s harmful to donor retention or lifetime donor value for every charity all the time. That’s why I recommend each charity test.

]]> By: Donna Caputo https://www.expertfundraiser.org/2011/05/15/does-asking-for-a-gift-in-thank-you-letters-help-or-harm-test-and-find-out/#comment-106 Mon, 16 May 2011 15:41:12 +0000 https://www.raisersharpe.com/blog/?p=762#comment-106 I agree completely that you have to test to validate (or disprove) your beliefs. Thanks for laying out the process so simply! Long live fact-based decision making.

]]> By: Pamela Grow https://www.expertfundraiser.org/2011/05/15/does-asking-for-a-gift-in-thank-you-letters-help-or-harm-test-and-find-out/#comment-105 Mon, 16 May 2011 10:21:34 +0000 https://www.raisersharpe.com/blog/?p=762#comment-105 The vast amount of small nonprofit organizations don’t have the time, resources or sheer volume of donors to test the practice of asking for a second gift in a thank you letter.

I concur with Lisa Sargent (https://www.sofii.org/node/270) that the practice is very short-term strategy. What’s more it’s crass. We’re looking to build long-term loyalty here, remember?

What I have found quite effective, for the small npo, is to include a “pass it along” packet with thank you letters. Something that the recipient can share with a friend, neighbor, or family member.

Why would you even risk using this strategy when donor attrition rates are so high?

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