“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).
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