After I responded to a Million Mom's appeal to help promote sweet potatoes in Africa to boost vitamin A consumption, I got this email thank you from Helen Keller International (the organization that received my donation). My donation was processed by GlobalGiving, and I did receive a brief email receipt from that organization. Within two days I also got this thank you from the communications coordinator at Helen Keller.
I was impressed by the organization's responsiveness, but the email is too short and terse to really build a bond with me beyond this donation. The story of a specific child or family whose lives were made better through my donation would be more effective. It's true that I can link to a video and a newsletter that tell the story more fully. But, never depend on a reader to do that. Tell the story in the letter as well.
Some things that this thank you gets right are 1) the subject line which tells me right away what this email is about, 2) the use of my name in the salutation, 3) the invitation to take further action by subscribing to a newsletter, 4) the link to a video, and 5) good contact information. It would be better to have the CEO of the organization sign the letter which would show me, the donor, just how important I am to the organization.
The email's subject line read: "Thank you for your recent donation!"
Dear Joanne,Thank you very much for your recent donation on Global Giving to Helen Keller International's "Eating Orange for Better Health in Burkina Faso" project.
As you now know, this humble root can have a major impact on women and children by providing them with sight- and life-saving vitamin A. I would like to now invite you to subscribe to our e-newsletter, WorldView, sent once a month, so you can learn more about how your support is helping HKI prevent blindness and reduce malnutrition for the most vulnerable around the world.
Our most recent edition on our orange-fleshed sweet potato program can be viewed by clicking here. You can sign up for the newsletter by clicking here.
I hope you will decide to stay in touch with us.
Best regards,
Maggie
Maggie Jacoby
Communications Coordinator
Helen Keller International
352 Park Avenue South, Suite 1200
New York, NY 10010
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www.hki.orgUntil the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained. - Helen Keller
Watch videos from ABC World News about our orange-fleshed sweetpotato and vitamin A programs.
