Volunteer Appreciation The Art of Saying Thanks
There’s no better time of year for saying thanks than the month of November. It is nearing year end and administrators and leaders are reflecting on the year’s accomplishments and milestones. Volunteer appreciation is often overlooked and not given the time and attention that is needed. It is important that you set aside time to recognize and remember those who helped your organization achieve those goals.
Saying thank you in a memorable way not only makes a lasting impression. it will help you to retain your volunteers. Here are some ways to say thank you and show your volunteer appreciation.
4 Key Ingredients of a “Thank You” that counts
- Make it personal. It could be a handwritten note, flowers, dinner out, etc. I once received a hand written note from the pastor at a church we visited personally thanking us for coming. We’ve now been members of that church for 6 years.
- Make it public. Give favorable attention to your volunteers via social media shout outs. This can provide a sense of appreciation, security and inclusion.
- Make it specific. Know what you are saying thank you for and mention that in your thank you. Nobody likes receiving a generic thank you card or email. It comes off as ingenuous and fake and is worse than saying nothing at all.
- Make it a habit. Saying think you and showing appreciation shouldn’t be stored up for special events. Rather it should be a lifestyle. Be timely with saying thank you. It will mean more when you say it and show it when it is due.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks and sincere gratitude to the readers of this blog. It has been a a labor of love for us and we truly hope that it has added value and been a resource to you in your fundraising campaigns. We thank you so much for your comments, likes and shares of our posts. We are proud of the work we are doing and the growing community that you are helping to create. We hope you’ll continue to follow us because we’ve got so much more to share. In fact, the best is yet to come. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. We hope you have a blessed Holiday!