Are you patting the wrong back?

Kiva sent me this infographic to thank me for my giving. Ten points (out of ten) to Kiva for being thankful and expressing it.

But two points for the way they thanked me.

Take a look at the infographic and see if you can tell why I'm taking such a churlish attitude toward their gratitude:

905,086 loans? Totaling $774 million? In 83 countries?

Excuse me, but I've given two or three loans. Adding up to not much over $100. In a couple of countries.

My part in all that success is tiny. Barely a droplet in a great lake of success. Kiva is thanking Kiva, not (quite) me!

Thank the donor for what she did.

Paint a word picture -- or show an actual photograph -- of what happened because of her gift.

There is a place -- a small place -- for some of the big total numbers: social proof. Let the donor know that other people also did what she did, and it really added up to something amazing.

But when it's time to thank your donors (and it's time now!) thank them. Don't pat yourself on the back while saying "you."

from Future Fundraising Now http://ift.tt/2bmFuIG