They Stuck by You — Now It's Time to Say 'Thanks'

A club that honors longevity
A program that doesn't pull people out of the regular mail but rather honors them once a year with a letter or e-mail thanking them for giving X years in a row is a great way to show how much you appreciate their consistent giving.

A side benefit: If you develop a program with graduated levels (topaz for giving three years, ruby for giving five years and diamond for giving eight years in a row, for example) and tell a donor when he or she will move up to the next level, you may reduce your attrition rate.

Including a membership card (does not need to be personalized) reminds your donors that they matter to you and gives them something to hold on to that consistently reaffirms this message. Or send a key fob as a membership token. Your organization (and your appreciation) will get frequent attention as donors sort through the fobs on their key chains to find the grocery store loyalty swipe card, the gym membership fob or the frequent shopper discount card.

An invitation to a private phone briefing
Invite all your donors who have given for three or more years in a row — regardless of the level of giving — to be part of a telephone call to hear your president or a program staff person talk about a new project, great results or another celebratory activity. Choose someone to speak who is a compelling speaker, and be sure to begin and end by telling your donors that their faithful support is what makes your work possible.

Your goal isn't to lay out a new support opportunity, but rather to give your most faithful donors a sense of going "behind the scenes" with you to hear about something before it is public knowledge. Being invited to be on the inside is a great way to feel valued.