Only thank half of them

Yesterday I mentioned reaching out personally to thank first-time donors.

It takes a little time, but it does sound like a good thing.

But I don't recommend starting out that way.

Instead, only thank half of them. Record which ones you thanked and which you didn't. And then measure the difference over the next several months in terms of metrics that matter to you:

How do they respond to other campaigns? How long until they give again? Is their second donation larger than their first?

See, here's the thing:

Thanking people individually takes time, and time is a limited resource.

How can you know it's worth your time if you're not measuring the benefit of spending that time?

If your measurements indicate it’s a big win, then you can start thanking everyone (and you can try measuring and comparing a couple of different methods: email vs. handwritten note vs. phone call, etc.).

And if they indicate just a small improvement, or none at all, you can have confidence in deciding to spend your limited time on something more effective.

All the best,
A.