The power a simple thank you can have

The New Year is very often a time for reflection, a time for re-evaluation and change. New targets are set, people look to the future, set new goals and perhaps we forget to be thankful for what we already have and those that support us both in business and our personal lives.

The feeling that you get from being thanked and to know that you have made a difference to someone’s life is very satisfying, it can feel like a great big hug and leave you with a warm glow inside. Individuals don’t act to receive thanks but when it comes that simple personalised message can give you a sense of belonging and bring you closer to those that you support.

Within the charity sector it is necessary to recruit new supporters in innovative and engaging ways. However, we must not forget to thank those who pledge their support already. The challenge lies in making the thank you genuine and personalised so that warm feeling can be felt by all.

St Mungo’s is a charity that helps homeless people rebuild lives and they understand very well the power a simple thank you can have. They approached Access DM to create a social video that could be used to thank their regular supporters, major donors and event participants for their support.

‘Turning Lives Around’ was the concept devised. We felt this message strongly depicted what St Mungo’s stood for. It was important to let the recipients know right from the start that they were being thanked for their support and our video wasn’t a request for more donations. Strong, real life stories were used enabling us to showcase how supporters’ pledges had impacted positively on the people who are supported by St Mungo’s. Importantly, clients chose their own words which really personalised the message and brings supporters closer to those who they are helping. This is really demonstrated in one of the comments we have subsequently received from a regular supporter on social media:

"Really beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes and made me so glad that I have a standing order to donate to St Mungo's. Keep up the brilliant work!​"

Over a two day shoot we got to meet and enjoy the company of some amazing people, understand a little about their lives and gain a deep understanding of the complex work and support St Mungo’s offer.

The staff at St Mungo’s have a real passion for the charity and are making a tangible difference daily. To them and to the clients who are on the path to a new life we’d like to say THANK YOU for letting us discover your world, understand more about the challenges you face, share a few laughs and create the social video you can view here