How to Turn a Simple THANK YOU into a Lasting Impact

Over the last few years, I’ve moved my banking online and tried to go paperless in my home. But there’s still a drawer in my office filled with old-school papers. I’ll never throw them out, because I really value them.

It’s a stack of hand-written thank you notes received over the years from people I’ve known or respected. Emails often get deleted but these hand written thank you notes are kept.

It’s not enough just to BE grateful. You actually need to SAY thanks. And one of the best ways to do that is to send a hand-written thank you note sent through the not-yet-bankrupt US Postal Service.
Here are four reasons this really, really works.

1. Hand written thank you notes are simple.
Digital giving, quarterly contribution statements, annual planning…all of these things work. But something as simple as a personalized, hand-written thank you note is one of the simplest things you can do to connect with donors.

Everyone can send thank you notes. You don’t need a big staff, a big budget or a big church. You don’t need training, technology or tools. You can absolutely thank someone today.

2. Hand written thank you notes are affordable.
It doesn’t cost a lot of money to send a thank you note. The price of a stamp is well worth the return on investment. Imagine if everyone who has given money to your church got a personal note of thanks. If you want to know how it would make them feel, think about how you would feel if a pastor you respected sent one to you.

3. Hand written thank you notes are powerful.
George Reynolds, the Lead Pastor of Linglestown Life in Harrisberg, PA sent me this:

We made the intentional effort to send thank you notes to givers who made capacity gifts to our Easter Offering. This past Sunday I was overwhelmed with the number of those people who received the hand written notes who sought me out to say thanks for the note. Several people made the statement that they had never before had a thank you note from the pastor.

One of the most powerful ways to increase giving in your church is to personally thank those who are already giving.

4. Hand written thank you notes are memorable.
In an age of email and social media, hand-written thank you notes do more than stand out. People often keep them.

When you send a thank you note to a donor, there’s a good chance he or she will read it AND KEEP IT.

We’ve created a special resource to make this even easier—What Happens When You Give. Learn how this special 48-page booklet can save you time and create meaningful connections with your donors.