The most important thing about your donation thank-you letters is not what you say or how you say it but how quickly you say it.

According to Stephen Hitchcock in Open Immediately!, for many donors, a brief thank-you note pre-printed with just the amount and date of the gift can be more effective than long-winded thank-you letters that arrive long after the donor mailed you a gift.

Your gift acknowledgement notes and cards need to leave your office within 48 hours of receiving a donor