A tax receipt proves a transaction happened. A thank you proves a person noticed. Most organizations mail the first and believe they have delivered the second.
When Penelope Burk asked donors how they would feel about a personal thank-you call from a board member, 95 percent said they would appreciate it. 85 percent said it would influence them to give again. 84 percent said they would give more.
No donor in history has ever said that about a receipt.
Gratitude has a name, a voice, and a pulse. If yours is generated by your database, it’s not gratitude. It’s paperwork.
