When I was in high school and our soccer team needed new uniforms, I wrote letters to local businesses (nope, no email back then) asking if they’d be willing to make a contribution to help us raise funds. We raised all the money and got our uniforms (and had a championship season). Then my mom made me write hand written thank-you notes to each of the sponsors. I mailed the cards along with a team photo of us in our new duds. I didn’t appreciate it then, but my mom was onto something. It was the right thing to do, and it helped earn us a lot of repeat sponsorships for many seasons to come.
If you raise funds for anything—your team, your club, or a non-profit—how do you thank your contributors? If all you do is add them to a list of people to hit up for a contribution next year, that’s just not good enough. When someone contributes, work hard to show that you appreciate what they've given you. Share the story of where their money went to use, how it helped, and why everyone involved is so thankful. Give them a reason to feel connected and they’ll be more likely to contribute again next year.