Last updated September 18th, 2023
In today’s trying times, raising money for your non-profit can be more difficult than ever. While many companies are using email, Twitter, and Facebook campaigns to drive donations, many people forget about the effectiveness of using handwritten direct mail for nonprofits.
There are many reasons why handwritten notes work. Namely, emails get lost in the clutter.
The average household gets just 2 pieces of mail a day, compared to over 130 emails.
People are overloaded with emails and other mass communication. Handwritten notes really stand out in the sea of junk mail. Recipients open handwritten envelopes three times as often as traditional print pieces.
Here are just a few ways to leverage handwritten notes for your donor outreach.
Handwritten notes should be personal. While you should always include a personalized salutation, if possible, also include a personal snippet that only pertains to the recipient. This could be something like “thanks for coming to our fundraising gala” or “it was nice meeting you when you stopped by”. With Handwrytten’s bulk import spreadsheet, it is easy to add a custom snippet for every note recipient. To get yourself started, we’ve even put together an extensive list of donation thank-you letters to help you out.
We know you’re busy. Sending notes gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. It can be hard to find the time to get handwritten notes out. But, it is so important to “strike when the iron is hot”. This could be when you really need funds (such as during this COVID-19 outbreak) or after someone makes a generous donation.
Using an automated platform like ours makes it easy to send hundreds or thousands of handwritten notes at once. To get the word out, you can upload a list of notes to go out and get off your plate.
For the timely thanking of donors, automation is even a better solution. Depending on your donor system, it can be very easy to automatically send a handwritten thank you note upon receiving a donation. Check to see if your donor system integrates with Zapier. If it does, we can walk you through connecting your account to Zapier for a truly hands-off, automated approach.
The need for donations has never been greater. As such, you’re unfortunately competing with many other organizations for the same money. Follow up often, across channels, for the best results.
In business, it’s so important to “ask for the sale”. We train our salespeople to say “why don’t we sign you up?” or “are you ready to place your order?”. Asking for donations is no different. Include your web address where donations are accepted or include a return mailer for their check. If you’re working with Handwrytten, we can include those return mailers for you.
Alright – now that you’ve journeyed through this article, you understand how and why handwritten notes for nonprofit donor outreach are so important. To make your life even easier, here are 8 professional handwritten note templates for you to leverage:
Dear [Name],
We at [Organization Name] are reaching out with an earnest request for your support. These are uncertain times, but with your help we can continue providing [services/mission] to those who need it most. Even a small donation goes a long way. Please consider contributing what you can to keep our community strong. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Board Member/Member of [Organization Name]
Dear [Name],
On behalf of everyone at [Organization Name], thank you for your unwavering support. Monthly donors like you are the backbone of our organization. Your recurring gifts allow us to plan ahead and make an even bigger impact. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to our cause.
With appreciation,
[Name]
[Organization Name]
Dear [Name],
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for attending our [Event Name]. Your presence and generous donation were a huge help in raising funds for [mission/cause].
Thanks to your generosity, we are now one step closer to achieving our goals. We hope to see you again at another event soon!
Sincerely,
[Name]
Board Member/Member of [Organization Name]
Dear [Name],
Words cannot express how thankful we are for your exceptionally generous gift of [amount]. Your tremendous support inspires our entire team and gives us the fuel to keep driving forward.
You are making real change possible through your selfless philanthropy. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
With gratitude,
[Name]
Board Member/Member of [Organization Name]
Dear [Name],
Welcome to the [Organization Name] family! We are thrilled you have joined as a new donor and want to personally thank you for your contribution. Your gift will help us further our mission of [mission/cause].
Please find the small token of appreciation in this letter – just a humble thank you for your generosity. We hope to see your continued involvement!
Thank you again,
[Name]Board Member/Member of [Organization Name]
Dear [Name],
We are so thankful for your generous contribution of [$amount] to our organization. Your donation will make a huge difference in the lives of those we serve and was instrumental in helping us reach our goals.
Thank you again for your kindness and support. We hope to continue working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Board Member/Member of [Organization Name]
Dear [Name],
On behalf of the [Organization Name], we would like to thank you for your generous donation. Your contribution will help us continue our mission of[mission/cause]. We are so grateful for your support and kindness and cannot thank you enough.
We hope to work with your company in the future, so please, don’t hesitate to reach out so we can collaborate again!
Sincerely,
[Name]
Board Member/Member of [Organization Name]
Dear [Name],
We cannot thank you enough for volunteering your time over the past [days/weeks/months]. Our organization depends on the passion and dedication of people like you. Thanks to your efforts, we have made meaningful strides toward [mission/goals]. Your service is so valued and makes a real difference. We hope you’ll continue to be involved!
With gratitude,
[Name]
Board Member/Member of [Organization Name]
No matter what kind of donor outreach effort you’re making, it’s important to show appreciation through handwritten notes.
Handwritten notes for non-profits are a powerful tool for your next donor outreach campaign. With new tools like Handwrytten, we hope to make those campaigns as painless as emails while being much more effective.
We can help you print and mail hundreds of handwritten notes in just a few minutes. We also offer integrations with popular donor systems like MailChimp, Salesforce, and HubSpot, so you don’t have to worry about copying and pasting data into our platform.
Plus, we’ll customize the handwriting for each note; we’ve collected over 200 different handwriting styles, so you can find the perfect one for your organization.
Try Handwrytten today and see how easy it is to personalize your donor outreach!
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