I get this question all the time! And I’m sure there are a lot of people who will disagree with me on this topic.
My standard response to development directors and executive directors who ask this question is a resounding, ABSOLUTELY!
The most frequent argument against including reply envelopes in thank you letters is that donors won’t really feel like it’s truly a thank you if it contains another ask. Fair enough.
However, including a reply envelope is incredibly passive – and I’d argue it’s not an ask at all. From where I sit, it’s an added convenience for donors, and a very soft reminder that the donor’s continued giving is appreciated. And when your thank you letter copy is warm, appreciative, and authentic, the inclusion of a reply envelop shouldn’t be an issue.
Here’s what the data on this topic shows us:
- Nonprofits that include reply envelopes in their thank you letters have 2nd gift conversion rates that are anywhere from 8%-12% higher than those organizations that don’t include them.These organizations also tend to have better long-term retention rates than those who don’t include reply envelopes in their thank you mail.
- Organizations that consistently include reply envelopes in their thank you letters have built large and predictable income streams from this one simple tactic.
- Many of the organizations I have worked with use this tactic, and many consistently receive $100,000+ annually from responses to their thank you receipt mail.
- [bctt tweet=”On average, response to thank you mail delivers as much as 10% incremental additional income.”] For example, if a campaign generates $500,000, you can expect it to deliver an additional $50,000 from thank you receipt responses just to that campaign.
Even high capacity donors will respond if you include reply envelopes in your thank you letters
- A few years ago I advised a new client to begin including reply envelopes in his thank you mail. He did. A new donor who made a first gift of $1,000 in response to the organization’s direct mail acquisition campaign was then sent a thank you letter that included a reply envelope. Eight days later, this donor returned the envelope from that thank you letter with an additional check for $5,000.
- Another organization I work with has received multiple five-figure gifts in response to their thank you letters over the last three years. This charity received unsolicited gifts of $20,000, and $35,000, directly in response to their thank you letter mail.
Are there exceptions to this approach? Sure there are. For example, I wouldn’t include a reply envelope in a thank you letter for a major gift that was personally solicited. And I’d absolutely recommend that you incorporate other stewardship contacts in addition to a standard thank you letter. Things like handwritten note cards, thank you calls from staff, boards, and volunteers, and invitations to tours, volunteer days, etc.
Do you include reply envelopes in your thank you letters? Why/why not? What has been your expreience?
Cheers!
Andrew
As a donor I absolutely disagree with you. Maybe it’s a ‘tactic’ that works, but for me, leaves a bad taste. I donated a small amount to a community college scholarship fund ($200), these schools are often passed over, I received a heartfelt thank you with NO ‘ask’ for more money. I was so impressed gave them more money and will continue to do so.. It feels like only purpose of the ‘thanks’ it to get more money. They could at LEAST wait a month or so and followup with another ask for specific need, match grant etc, It’s akin to a bride who includes her unfulfilled registry items along with your thank you note. Many of the Dev types come across as mercenary this tactic does not help dispell that image.
Hi Kathy – Thanks for sharing your perspective. This is one of those simple things that actually becomes very complicated because of the feelings around it. I don’t disagree that it feels opportunistic. I also can’t disagree with the data that shows just how significantly it can impact revenue, retention, and long-term donor value. So it’s one of the areas that I often suggest organizations test. And don’t hesitate to change if your donors respond differently than you expect. Thanks again for sharing!
[…] o incluso de inmediato. Andrew Olsen de Fundraising Fundamentals está entusiasmado por incluir sobres de respuesta en cartas de agradecimiento. Descubrió que las organizaciones benéficas que usan esta táctica […]