Okay, so we can probably agree on the idea that a postcard is a pretty non-traditional mode for nonprofits to communicate their gratitude. How come? Well, postcards are letters that are extra easy to send in the mail because they don’t require envelopes. Because of this, their general size is kept small. This means there isn’t a whole lot of room to write. You’ve got to keep it short and sweet. And while shooting for brevity can be a great idea, especially when the content of the thank you is super impactful, this is probably as short and sweet as you can get.
Creativity in conveying thanks will ultimately get you further when done right, so why not try something new? I’ve never been a fan of thanking with a postcard, but Preemptive Love, an organization dedicated to providing heart surgeries for children in Iraq, recently sent me one that I wanted to highlight. In a postcard, PL has given me something that I want to hold onto.
- It’s short yet very personal by virtue of its handwritten message. There are other little touches, too, and all together, this is one compelling piece.
- The message is addressed to me, Pamela. Not Ms. Grow.
- I’m spoken to like a true hero. I’m helping save lives! They think I’m amazing! Wow.
- With you. We’re together in doing this amazing, life-changing work, and they consider me a part of their collective effort. That’s pretty special.
- The image on the front is lovely: a red, hashtagged “love anyway”. It is directly tied to who PL is as a US-based organization and the work that they do in Iraq.
I think you can understand why when I came across their thank you, I immediately wanted to save it so that I could show you. Have you ever thanked your donors with postcards? What were your reasons for doing so, and did you feel that this method of communicating gratitude was equally effective (or even more so) than the typical letter? I’d like to hear from you.
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I can’t wait to meet with you personally.
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