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Not only was the painting beautiful (done by an unknown artist), the hand-written message was also a gem:
Cecilia,
hello, I hope that you get this card and love it. I also hope it makes your day! We wanted to say thank you for your support of Redlodge. Please take care and be safe.
Thank You again!!
Redlodge Transition Services
My heart swelled.
I still get a smile on my face when I read this - which I have several times. Don’t we all need a serotonin rush now and again?
There are a lot of “rules” out there about the best way to write a thank you letter. I have posted some of them. They are important. Do not underestimate them – especially if you don’t have much experience in saying thank you (hint: start practicing!).
Here’s how Red Lodge broke the “rules”:
- They waited more than 48 hours to send a thank you.
However, I already knew, because the staff was so small, that they probably didn’t have a lot of bandwidth to write a thank you. I was thrilled to get a card two weeks after the donation.
- It wasn’t signed by the Executive Director. In fact, it wasn’t signed by anyone.
But even better? The letter itself was written (as far as I can tell) by someone who was a direct recipient of Red Lodge Services…the organization that I had just started supporting.
- It didn’t say what my donation was going to fund.
Nevertheless, in between the hand-written words – in the words unwritten – I could tell that my gift was making a difference.
What this thank you did right:
- Expressed appreciation (they said “thank you”).
- Oozed with authenticity (she hoped I would love the card – and I did!).
- Was super positive.
- Had information about Red Lodge on the back of the card.
- Made me want to give a second gift (and I have).
Thank yous are important. They make people feel valued. They can make people feel connected to you and your mission. They matter.
I’ll leave you with one last gift Red Lodge gave me in my thank you card – A Blessing for You and Your Family Circle:
May the sun bring you new energy by day
May the moon softly restore you by night
May the rain wash away your worries
May the breeze blow new strength into your beings
And all the days of your lives
May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty.
Here’s to breaking rules and here’s to thanking your people.
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