We have reached the end of the 2014 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® season, and it’s a great time for all of you who raised money for the Komen 3-Day this year to give some special thanks to the donors who supported you. Here are a few simple ways to say thank you to your 3-Day® donors:

Thank You Note – You’re probably saying, “Well, duh!” But throughout my years as a 3-Day coach, I was always surprised when I’d hear that some participants didn’t send thank you notes to their donors. Even if you had thanked them in person or in some other way, a hand-written note of thanks is a small gesture that goes a very long way.

Acknowledge their connection – When you thank your donors, take a minute to acknowledge their reason for donating. If they were supporting you in memory of someone, remember that person with them. Honor the survivors in their lives. If they donated to you just because you’re awesome and they wanted to support you, tell them they’re awesome too!

Tell Them How They Helped – This graphic chart shows the direct impact that donations to Susan G. Komen^® (through events like the 3-Day) have on the fight to end breast cancer. Click to print:

Don’t Ask For More…Yet – Many 3-Dayers are already registered for a 2015 3-Day, and may be tempted to use their thank you notes to ask for donations toward the next walk. Hold off on that for now. Now is the time to shine some light on the amazing contributions your donors made to you and to Komen already. It will leave them feeling warm and appreciated, and if you’re coming back to the 3-Day next year (and we hope you are!), when you are ready to make your ask for new donations, your donors will remember how gracious you were and show their generosity again.

Keep It Simple – If you want to write a detailed thank you note to a donor who had a particularly strong impact on your 3-Day experience, that’s fine, but for the most part, it’s okay to keep your thank yous simple and heartfelt. I found a great post called “22 Delightful Ways to Say Thank You”, which has some fun and concise ways to express your thankfulness.

Share the Love on Social Media – Print this sign, personalize it with a message or your donors’ names, and take a picture of yourself holding it up. Then post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (wherever your friends are) and tag your donors. They will appreciate the acknowledgement.

Record a Video Message – Thank you notes are timeless and always an effective way to convey your gratitude, but if you’re of a more technological and visual bent, you can send a video thank you message to your donors (or post it on social media and tag them in it). You should still follow the other suggestions above (keep it simple, acknowledge connections), but a video message could be a fun and dynamic way to express your appreciation to your donors.

However you decide to thank you donors, make it from the heart. They are the real heroes of the 3-Day, and they can never be thanked enough for their part in moving us toward our goal of a world without breast cancer.