Are you thanking donors, or just using the moment to brag?

Have you ever been thanked in a way that made you feel not so thanked? It's what happens when the thanker uses the occasion not to thank you, but to remind you how awesome they are.

Here's an example I came across recently. I've changed the name of the organization to protect them from embarrassment...

Thank you for your gift of $39.00. Your generous donation at this critical time will help Awesome R Us create real and lasting solutions to dire poverty.

I hope you take great pride in your contribution and the work that it supports. As one of the world's largest international humanitarian organizations, Awesome R Us staff works with families and communities to transform lives through our poverty-fighting and disaster-relief programs each and every day. In fiscal year 2017, Awesome R Us worked in 85 countries around the world, implementing long-term programs to fight poverty, responding to humanitarian emergencies, and advocating for policy change to improve the lives of more than 83 million people.

Through your generous donation you're joining us on the front lines of that work.

Thank you again for your support.

Thanking your donors is important. But to get the full impact, you need to really thank them. Tell them they're great. Tell them what their gift will do. Tell them how important they are to you. Give them the credit for the awesomeness.

That will make them feel a lot more connected to you than a brag-fest like this one.

(This post first appeared on February 11, 2015.)

from Future Fundraising Now http://bit.ly/2Cs43hY