It’s been a couple of weeks now since the end of the ride and this is a reminder to all of you to remember to thank your sponsors.
Write a letter of thank you (e-mail is fine nowadays) and you can use the ADA’s online fundraising tools to make sure not to miss anyone (click “Follow ups” then in the drop-down list, select “have donated on your behalf to this event”. That will get the list of all your donors.
Write them a letter and tell them what happened during your ride. All too often, people donate to an event, then never even hear that you actually participated. That’s just not good. Bring your sponsors along for a part of the ride. Did anything notable happen to you? How was the food? What was it like to climb Crawford Notch? Did you meet any new friends? Ever been to Vermont before? How much better did you feel after the massage? Have you stopped eating 5,000 calorie meals since you got back? Have you been back on the bike since you got back? How much money did you raise? How much money did the event raise? What will the money be spent on? How many people participated. How was the weather?
Are you planning on riding next year? If so, tell your sponsors and remind them right now that you’ll be asking for another donation next year. That way, they’ll be expecting it and possibly saving something for you. Remember, your donors have many, many people asking for money; everything from public radio, to churches, to schools, to every charitable organization under the sun. Every one of them is deserving but there simply isn’t enough money to go around, especially nowadays. This is one of the best ways for you to stand out in the crowd, and your sponsors will really appreciate and remember it.
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