Thanking is a Strategic Touchpoint That Drives Loyalty and Repeat Giving
Thanking is the foundation of your supporter journey. It could be the first time you interact with a new supporter, or a time when a supporter feels most engaged with your charity following an interaction.
It’s essential you get that next action right, and out the door fast! It’s something we talked about in our Supporter Journeys and Thanking webinar which you can watch now on demand. In this blog we look at what you need to get started with great thanking.
Main take-outs:
- Thanking is an essential step in retention
- Use your data
- Take time to get it right
- It can feel complicated but there are solutions
Why Retention Matters More Than Ever
We’ve been talking about the importance of retention for some time now. Just take a quick look back at some of our blogs like this one from 2020! Today, it’s essential. Helen Daw, Head of Data Strategy and Insight at Woods Valldata explains: “Acquisition is hard. Keeping the supporters we’ve got, and hopefully growing them, is vital so we can move them onto higher value, more long-term income-generating products.”
In a climate where response rates are down (CAF 2025), retention strategies help build relationships with existing supporters and increase lifetime value – you can read more about this in this blog.
Thank is the first step in a more detailed supporter journey. If you do nothing else towards retention, a considered and considerate ‘thank you’ goes a long way.
Automation Creates Value
Automating your thanking means you can personalise your communications at scale. But first you need to have the right information at hand. Some examples might be:
- Preferred channel
- History including tenure and average gift
- Last gift or last interaction (that you’re thanking against)
- Whether they are a Gift Aider
- Whether they are in your legacy programme
Their connection to your cause and any relevant information relating to this i.e. an animal shelter might keep a record of their dog’s name.
Once you have these data building blocks you can personalise your thanking and make your supporters feel seen and valued by your charity. It’s worth taking the time to do this. John Grain as part of the Secret Giver Scheme cited in 2018 that: “Often an inspiring 'thank you' will be one of the most memorable engagements our Givers have. Thus, it achieves a very high recall versus other interactions.”
The Power of Thanking: Don't Overlook the Basics
A beautifully crafted thank you letter can be transformative. “Four out of five people who give say that a beautifully crafted acknowledgement letter is all it takes to want to give again,” shared Chris Allum from Guide Dogs during the Supporter Journeys and Thanking webinar. “As fundraisers, we need to work harder on thanking, not just on the appeal. Sometimes less is more.”
That’s where A/B testing or fallow-cell analysis comes in. Make sure you’re constantly reviewing what has the biggest impact for what segment of supporters.
Thanking isn’t just an admin task—it’s a strategic touchpoint that drives loyalty and repeat giving.
But it can feel complicated to add the personal touch to so many variables.
Woods Valldata Makes it Simple
Getting it right is easier with the right partner. Woods Valldata’s Response Handling Services support large-scale fundraising programmes, ensuring every supporter receives timely, accurate, and compliant communications.
For smaller and medium-sized charities, ResponseGo offers a simple, scalable, and affordable solution—making professional response handling accessible to all.
When it comes to thanking, SmartThank takes the complexity out of personalised thanking. With hundreds of variable text options, SmartThank ensures every supporter feels valued, driving loyalty and repeat giving.
And for the wider journey? Why not reach out to a specialist like Sequoia Insights who will help you develop a journey that works for you and your supporters.
Ready to take your thanking to the next level?
Contact Woods Valldata today to learn more about our Response Handling, ResponseGo, and SmartThank solutions. And don’t forget to watch our Supporter Journeys & Thanking webinar on demand for even more expert insights!
