5 Groups to Thank for This Year’s Success Besides Your Donors
Donor Detectives Team
I often think how blessed are the charitable organizations to have the support of their communities. Without community support, a lot of nonprofits cannot exist and provide the vital services needed in those communities. I think the communities, on a whole, should be thanked more and then, thanked again!
Many nonprofit organizations do a decent job thanking their donors for their gifts. Although I am sure, we all agree that there is a lot of room for improvement. However, most nonprofits do a very poor job thanking the community as a whole. It is so important to thank all of your partners:
1. Volunteers at your events, at your site, at the gala, etc. Don’t forget event coordinators and their staff for their tireless work to make the nonprofit stronger and their community better
2. Media partners who provide space in their newspapers, air time on their radio and TV stations for free or for near nothing
3. Reporters who cover and write about your events
4. Board chairs who use their network of people to expand the organization’s reach
5. Professional and committed staff for their passion in performing their jobs
How to thank them, you ask? In your social media channels, post an online video of those you have helped so they can talk about their gratitude. Simple to the point short video will do the job.
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a gift and not giving it.”
Run PSA’s on radio and television. Place Thank You space ads in newspapers, and magazines just to thank all media partners. These expressions of gratitude will help you develop long-term media relations. Send personal notes to the reporters.
Write and distribute news releases expressing your gratitude. Go on interviews to talk about how the community’s contributions, financial and otherwise, have helped all those in need of help.
The goodwill that you build within the community will far outweigh any financial investment. You should express your gratitude publicly and every chance you get.
One of America’s most quoted writers of inspirational proverbs, William Arthur Ward, said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a gift and not giving it.” Could not have said it better myself.