Creating thankathons that spark long-term loyalty

I had the privilege of joining Debra Chand, Senior Supporter Experience Advisor at The Leprosy Mission, for a session at Fundraising Everywhere’s Supporter Experience Conference all about thankathons. What are they, why do they matter, and how can they help to nurture supporter satisfaction and long-term giving?

In case you missed it, here’s the low-down on getting started with thankathons at your organisation…

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What is a thankathon?

At their core, thankathons are an opportunity to share gratitude with a large group of your supporters.

Thankathons aren’t prompted by a particular donation or action: they are initiated by the charity. They could take the form of a postcard or gift in the mail; a phone call just to say, “thank you!”; a mix of the two - or something completely different. Very importantly, they’re usually a co-ordinated effort across several teams, which makes them the perfect tactic for bringing more people across your organisation into the wonderful world of supporter experience.

Thankathons are an opportunity to share the gift of gratitude with your supporters. Image credit: Wix Media.

Thankathons have one golden rule: no asking is allowed.

And that’s not just financial asks: this is a moment for sharing gratitude, and not an opportunity for harvesting data. Imagine if someone called you to thank you for their birthday present, and then asked you why you’d given them that present - it simply wouldn’t feel right.

So, whilst thankathons are not the moment to ask why someone has chosen to support you - save that for a different point in the supporter journey - they can be an opportunity to get to know your supporters better, which can lead to richer and more relevant supporter experiences in the long run.

The insight behind the magic: thankathons as a driver of loyalty

There’s no other word for it: thankathons are a perfect example of a ‘magic moment’. These moments create standout memories for supporters, filled with surprise and delight. Or, as one a supporter of The Leprosy Mission put it:

“It’s lovely to be thanked and not just asked for money.”

And it’s not just intuition that tells us this strengthens supporter loyalty. Our research shows that a great supporter experience is driven by three key factors:

• Do supporters feel committed towards our work, goals and the relationship we share?

• Are supporters satisfied with how they are treated?

• Do supporters trust us to behave with integrity and deliver on our promises?

These three drivers have emerged consistently as the most important indicators of supporter loyalty and continued giving. More loyal supporters, who feel those feelings of commitment, satisfaction and trust, donate 20% more income on average over three years.

There is a clear connection between thankathons and the second driver of loyalty: supporter satisfaction. In fact, one of our key measures of satisfaction is whether supporters feel ‘appropriately thanked’, which can be directly affected by a successful thanking campaign. But thankathons can also be a reminder for supporters of your shared purpose - the change you’re making in the world together. And, by their very nature, they’re a perfect opportunity to create authentic connections with supporters that can build trust in your organisation.

How thankathons build a culture of gratitude

Thankathons are great for your supporters, and they are great for your bottom line by driving supporter loyalty - but they’re also great for staff. When you’re taking the time to pick up the phone, or put pen to paper, then supporters become more than just rows on a spreadsheet. Suddenly, they’re people with accents, opinions, personalities and experiences of their own – and vice versa.

It’s a powerful thing, particularly for teams who don’t communicate with supporters as part of their day-to-day. Plus, the act of giving has been proven to have literal health & wellbeing benefits – put simply, it feels good to do good.

Thankathons can be a relatively low-stakes opportunity for improving the supporter experience, with highly tangible outcomes. So, if you’re looking for ways to get senior leadership excited about supporter experience, this could be it.

"When you’re taking the time to pick up the phone, or put pen to paper, then supporters become more than just rows on a spreadsheet."

Your supporters become more than just rows on a spreadsheet. Image credit: Vitaly Gariev, Unsplash.

Where to start?

Whether you’re planning your first thankathon or dusting off the plans from last year, here are three non-negotiables that you need in place from the start:

1)     You need to know who you’re thanking – and why. Consider which groups in your audience would be the best candidates for receiving a message of gratitude – it doesn’t have to be every supporter, particularly if it’s your first time. Regular givers are a great place to start (and you can read more about the case for thanking regular givers here), but you might choose to include long-term supporters, volunteers, or those who are highly engaged in community fundraising.

2)     You need to know what to say – and what not to say. Prepare some key talking points for your team which they can share in writing or on the phone, which can provide a launchpad for them to add their own personal touch. Include two or three examples of the impact that supporters have helped you to achieve – the stories, not just the statistics! And remind everyone of the golden rule: no asking is allowed.

3)     You need to be excited about this! Think about how you’re going to build excitement for the big day (or days). Before you start is the perfect time to recruit your very own dream team – representatives from a range of teams who can help you to champion the event across the organisation.

The magic of thankathons

Thankathons, when planned well, can be a win-win-win for your organisation:

• They can be a fun and creative way of sharing gratitude with supporters. Amongst the rush of deadlines, budgets and fundraising appeals, they’re an opportunity to do something really special and make a tangible impact for supporters.

• They help teams who aren’t as close to the world of supporter care to connect with the people that make their work possible, creating an internal culture where great supporter experiences are understood and championed.

• And by creating those standout experiences, thankathons are a valuable tool for nurturing supporter loyalty – which is vital for ensuring sustainable income in the long-term.

Check out part two, by Debra Chand, about the path to building and delivering a Thanking Retreat at The Leprosy Mission: The Leprosy Mission: how we created and delivered our thanking retreat

P.S. What can you do to share a little bit of gratitude today?

If you're not ready for a mass thanking event just yet, simply take time today to pick up the phone or put your thanks into a postcard. Sharing your gratitude has been proven to have a direct impact on supporter retention and lifetime value, so don't wait until tomorrow to start!

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