Tag Archives: Kilt

I once had a friend who used to bid me farewell by exclaiming, “Up ’yer kilt!” Where Jock is today and how many pals he still has I cannot tell. But his original and startling phrase reminds me of a vital truth in direct mail fundraising: How you thank your donors and how your donors hear you thank them can be two different things.Strangely enough, in the process of thanking donors, some fundraisers actually offend them. Here are some of the classic mistakes to avoid in your gift acknowledgement letters, notes and cards.Mistake #1: “Dear Friend” I think I can affirm without fear of contradiction that the only people who address you as “friend” are the people who are not your friends. If they knew you well, they’d address you by name. If you thank a donor with a letter that begins “Dear Friend,” you are likely to thank them Read more…