Saying Thank You

“If only there was enough space on this tiny card to evoke my unfettered joie de vivre for what you have done. The gaiety, the mirth, the heavenly bubbling of every effusive cell that sings inside me for your kind and pithy offering.”
― Joshua Braff, The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green

If sorry seems to be the hardest word to say/express. We’re going to throw out a vote for “Thank you” being the hardest phrase to say/express. Do you handwrite a card? What should the card say? Should there be a word count? Do you send a little gift in return? Is there even a best way to show the giver how much their gift has meant without seeming cheesy or fake? Maybe we at Purple Is The New Black have spiraled down the rabbit hole a bit with this, but it IS important to make the small effort of thanking those who have provided any kind of donation or support to your team!

 

The classic thank you card  Maybe this is giving you flashbacks of being forced to sit at your kitchen table and write out thank you cards for each birthday or Christmas gift from your relatives (just me?)  Give that classic handwritten thank you card new life! Remember that this ISN’T a thank you to your grandma for the socks. You can’t get away with a fast line and a hasty signature. Instead consider having each team member write a small note in each card. If you’re holding fast to the classic business-like thank you letter make sure to keep it structured. Begin with a line of thanks, continue with a fun memory or detail from your walk, and then conclude with heartfelt wishes. These do not have to be long sentiments but they must sound sincere (take your time and if you get tired pause or stop for the day to avoid sounding generic).

I just called to say…  This could be a fun one for the more outgoing members of your team. A popular thank you method for bands, calling your donors to have a quick chat and personal thank you is a great way to connect and give a more personal feel to your cause. *For the phone-phobic: this does not have to last an hour. It should go a little something like this:

RingRing

“Hello”

“Hi, is this Donna Lewis?”

“Yes…”

“Hi, Donna! This is Lauren from the Lupus walk team, Purple Is The New Black. I just wanted to call and thank you so much for your donation. My team and I really appreciate you taking the time to donate to this cause and our team specifically.”

“Oh, of course! No trouble at all!! How was the walk?”

…Convo continues for another minute and then you hang up.

AND SCENE!

See? Not a big deal. If the person doesn’t answer you can always leave a short and thoughtful message. If you aren’t able to acquire donor phone numbers you can always send a thoughtfully worded email.

It’s in the details Sometimes it’s the little details people notice and remember. Instead of buying generic thank you cards from the store consider having a team building night with your walk team to make and decorate cards in preparation. An idea I’m really loving is a plain white card on which each member of the team leaves a purple lipstick kiss . With individual notes inside this is not only a great reason to buy that purple lipstick you’ve been eyeing, but it’s also a great way to add a personal touch to your thank you!

 

Gifts (tacky vs too much) This is one you’ll want to treat carefully. Gift giving for donations can be a bit tricky, so you might want to use this sparingly. Perhaps gift the big donors with your team t-shirt or a specially designed “I donated to…team name…” shirt. The t-shirt idea is a suggestion that could be substituted with anything else, but remember there is little more people love than free t-shirts.

 

Smile! I think this is the cutest idea, but it needs to be done in a timely manner! Make sure to take a few team pictures during the walk (upload to all social media, obviously) but also turn them into fun magnets and send two or three to donors as a thank you!

 

Maybe none of these ideas appeal to you, but you’ll want to keep in mind that creating a personal connection to your donors will not only help you stay connected in the future but it will also give a face to the cause.

Happy Walking!

Purple Is The New Black