Write The Most Engaging Donor Thank You Calls Script Today

Published on
April 2, 2023

To begin with, let me share an example highlighting the importance of an acceptable donor thank you calls script.

Rachel was making fundraising calls to thank her donors for their contributions:

“Hey Malcolm, it’s Rachel from Hope Society. I am a board member here. You recently donated to…”—“Yes, I’m aware I did. What do you want now?” he answered curtly and warily.

“Well, Malcolm, we don’t want anything! I was calling to thank you for your generous contributions—because of you, our ‘Save the Children’ campaign received a fantastic boost, and we achieved our yearly goal.”

“Oh, that’s great to hear. I was worried you were calling to ask for more money! Can you tell me how your campaign was successful? I’d love to hear more about it,” he replied politely and relaxedly.

When nonprofits call their donors, the latter are generally wary since they think you want more money from them. So imagine your impact on your relationship when they learn you’re making phone calls to thank them instead. Having board members or staff call donors within 24-48 hours of the donation or campaign closing can significantly impact how they perceive your charitable organization.

It is indeed a nice gesture of yours to appreciate them, whether they are first-time or recurring donors. That’s what you want to communicate when writing a donor thank you calls script.

donor-thank-you-calls-script-primary-elements-experience
Gratitude calls enhance the donor experience. If board members make the call to major donors, it adds even more value.

A thank-you script is essential when making calls to donors because it reminds you of what to say and how to react to different responses. For your most dedicated supporters, these calls are an additional feel-good factor.

However, creating your script for the first time may seem challenging, so we’ve talked about some simple tips to make it easier! We conclude with a donor thank-you calls script sample.

You May Also Like: 5 Grave Mistakes that Hamper Donor Relations (And How to Avoid Them).

Write an introduction in the donor thank you calls script

When you speak with your donors, addressing them by their name makes your phone call more personal, as opposed to calling them “Sir” or “Ma’am.” Since your thank-you call aims to maintain donor relations, personalizing it is a good strategy. Using their name also makes them more alert since they’re now aware of a connection between you and them.

The next step in drafting a script for donor thank-you calls is to include an introduction—this gives listeners context so they know where you’re calling from and don’t have to rack their heads thinking of who you could be. For instance, your script could include something like: “Hello {donor name}, this is {your name}. I’m a {your designation} with {nonprofit name}.” Saying you are a volunteer or board member or mentioning your exact role gives more weight to your introduction.

Begin with gratitude in the donor thank you calls script

Once you’ve got the introductions out of the way, jump straight in toward the purpose of your call: to express gratitude. By doing this, you’re clearing out any doubts your contacts may have that you’re calling to solicit another donation from them. By thanking them, you’re making them feel at ease, and they won’t be wary during your next call either. Add a simple sentence in your script which explicitly conveys this. For instance:

“I am not calling you to ask for a donation. I just wanted to say how grateful we are at {your nonprofit’s name} for your generous gift. We are always deeply thankful to our most dedicated supporters like you.”

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Acknowledge their donation as part of the donor thank you calls script

The next step is to specify what the gift helped achieve. Mention the campaign or project it funded and discuss the results. This is useful as it makes donors feel their decision to donate to your organization was validated. It makes them feel good because their money helped an important cause. It also reassures them that their donation was used as intended.

“Because of your generous gift, we could {mention its impact on a particular campaign}.”

Read Next: Donor Recognition: Best Practices to Nurture Donor Relationships.

Give room if they want to talk.

Most donors have other things on their minds and will probably want to wrap up the conversation quickly. Sometimes, donor thank-you calls can last only seconds. If that’s the case:

“Well, that’s all I had to say to you, {donor name}. Thanks again for {their gift/increasing their spending/their support}. Have a great day!”

However, If they seem interested in talking, use this opportunity to learn more about them to help your next call: their motivations, any insight about the cause, or an experience they might want to share. Remember, after all, this is a conversation you’re having and is a great chance to bond further. You can even ask a few open-ended questions to get them to share their thoughts. Recurring donors are likelier to have a more extended conversation because they are engaged with your charity.

Include something like this in your donor thank you calls script:

“I wouldn’t want to take up too much of your time, but if you could just talk about {ask a question such as: why they decided to donate to your cause, what inspired them to start donating, or if they’d like to be involved in other ways apart from being a donor}.”

Feel free to include whichever questions seem relevant to you. The goal here is to make the conversation flow naturally and smoothly. Also, note down their responses in your survey forms so you can use them to personalize your future outreach. Remember that every touchpoint—phone calls, text messages, or emails—can provide valuable information to personalize future communications.

You May Also Like: Done With Giving Tuesday? Here Are Some Of The Best Ways To Thank Your Donors.

Leave a voicemail— create a different donor thank you calls script for this.

If you aren’t able to reach the donor, don’t fret! Leave a voicemail so that donors are aware that you called. Since you’d probably be using an autodialer tool to make your calls, your staff can leave a pre-recorded voicemail with a simple click and move on to your next call. Here, too, mention your name and designation from the organization. Knowing a board member or dedicated member can nudge a contact to give a callback.

Now that we’ve discussed what to include in your phone calls let’s examine a sample thank-you call script that encapsulates all these points.

Read Next: Donor Recognition Ideas: 10 Easy Ways To Thank Donors.

Sample donor thank-you calls script.

“Hi Alan, this is Jennifer, a volunteer/staffer/board member with Blessings For All. I am not calling you to ask for a donation. I just wanted to say how grateful we are at Blessings for your recent contribution and generous gift and how much it means to us. Because of you and our most dedicated supporters, we have provided food to 15 villages in Senegal! We cannot do our work without generous supporters like you, Alan, so we wanted to thank you personally.”

{Brief pause}

If they don’t seem very interested in chatting:

“Well, that’s all I had to say to you, Alan. Thanks again for your contribution. Have a great day!”

If they seem like they’re open to talking further:

“I wouldn’t want to take up too much of your time, Alan, but if you have a moment, I would love to hear why you feel so strongly about our cause and what your motivations are for donating.”

{Be natural and try to understand their point of view and if you can gain valuable insights or stories from them.}

Having staff call to thank your donors and highlight their impact is an unmissable step in maintaining and strengthening donor relations. Use these ideas to build your script, but use them only as a guide so that your conversations don’t seem forced.

For your next set of prospective donors, use these phonathon scripts so you:

  • Cover every detail,
  • Set a tone that encourages your prospects to support or donate to you,
  • Use words that resonate with them.

Featured Image Credit: bruce mars