Hard to believe we’re two days away from Thanksgiving. Your office chatter, like ours, has probably temporarily turned from planned giving to potlucks.
Whether you’re enjoying goodies or tying up plans for Giving Tuesday: Press pause and give thanks to those who support your nonprofit’s works through every season.
We’re not talking anything big here in terms of the thanks we’re suggesting today. Just a quick note. (We’re fresh off World Kindness Day, which was on Nov. 13. Let’s keep the kindness rolling forward.)
It’s especially meaningful during these hurried days to receive a note of gratitude, acknowledging how much you appreciate—and notice—other’s good deeds and donations.
Don’t you feel inspired to do more when someone shows gratitude for your efforts?
Here are some ways to show your donors gratitude this Thanksgiving:
USE THESE SOCIAL IMAGES
Feel free to use these social images to thank donors on Thanksgiving, courtesy of Stelter. Just click and save. No need to thank us.
For Instagram:
For everything else:
SEND A TEXT
Talk about using what works: Research shows that 90 percent of texts are read within three minutes.
If you already have a text list in place, use it to send a last-minute note of gratitude. It’s far more likely to get read than even an email, especially among younger donors.
Don’t text yet with donors? It’s something to consider for future outreach, not only for quick reminders or touch points, but also to share latest news, breakthroughs or upcoming events. Read more about first steps to take to text donors.
POST A RECIPE
You may have just the pumpkin pie recipe someone has been searching for—and will be remembered in family legend as the [insert your org. name here] recipe! (“I got it off their Facebook page!”) Post a recipe from a staff member or supporter, or something special served in your kitchens; whatever’s unique to your group or organization.
Remember: Add hashtags such as #Thanksgiving, #grateful or #TurkeyDay to connect with a larger audience and increase awareness. We’ve also included a short list of top hashtags to add to your posts across all social media for even larger exposure; just keep reading.
ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO SHARE GRATITUDE
Ask people to share what they’ll be grateful for around their Thanksgiving table. Kick off the conversation by asking a few teammates around the office to share their thanks, captured as a video or story to post, or use the opportunity to connect with a donor in a deeper way. You might even be able to extract from these responses a larger impact story to use in the future.
Remember: Use that hashtag here too. “Share what you’re #grateful for with us to help spread the thanks and share the love.”
GIVE VIDEO ANOTHER GO
Whether you posted a video for World Kindness Day or opted out, doesn’t matter. People rarely shy away from watching a quick video of good works coming to life. Even showing staff members working behind the scenes or connecting with recipients makes viewers feel like they’re in the moment, helping other alongside you.
Try this: If you’re a nonprofit who serves others or cares for others on Thanksgiving, show special holiday preparations in action. Cooking, setting up tables or creating decorations make for strong, heartwarming visuals. Who wouldn’t get behind a story like that?
OTHER QUICK SOCIAL IDEAS
- Share kids’ artwork, short letters or excerpts of a thank-you letter from a program or scholarship recipient.
- Have a recipient share why they are thankful for your nonprofit through video or a short story.
- Work with animals? Show furry friends or zoo animals eating their own Thanksgiving “dinners” at mealtime. Go light-hearted: “Maybe it’s not pumpkin pie, but we sure give thanks to you for the food you help provide that’s so good for us!”
- Include a short call to action at the end of the post. Nothing long or too serious, just a quick reminder of your mission by linking to your website or other social spaces.
Any other last-minute but thoughtful ways your nonprofit has shared gratitude on Thanksgiving or at key times throughout the year?
We, at Stelter, give thanks for you. It’s an honor to be able to work with you to further your mission and build meaningful donor relationships. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, from your Stelter family.
Use these 10 General Hashtags Popular Around THANKSgiving in social posts for wider audience reach:
- #thankful
- #thankyou
- #givethanks
- #givingthanks
- #giving
- #friends
- #thankfulness
- #gratitude
- #giveback
- #givingback
Or these 5 Top General Nonprofit Hashtags (to use with gratitude/Thanksgiving theme)
- #socialgood
- #dogood
- #philanthropy
- #4charity
- #giving