Email fundraising is a tried-and-true method for nonprofits to acquire donations. 99% of people check their emails at least once a day (with some checking much more frequently!). That’s why these “17 Ways to Increase Donations with Email – Tools & Tips” are integral to your organization’s success in acquiring much needed funds.
Write Powerful Fundraising Emails
1. Send Messaging that Talks About a Problem
Write about a specific problem you want the donor to solve. Does your organization need to feed more hungry people, house more homeless, or provide veterinary care for neglected animals? An example of a problem statement is, “Veterinary care is needed for sick and abandoned cats.”
2. Tell the Donor How to Solve the Problem
Ask the donor to help solve the problem by showing them how their gift will make a difference. The donor solves the problem by making a donation. The donation is the solution. An example of a solution statement is, “Your generous gift will help provide veterinary care for sick and abandoned cats.”
3. Include Dollar Value Statements
In your story, include an array of dollar values that are associated with a variety of solutions. Dollar value statements convey transparency and informs donors as to how their hard-earned money will be spent. It lets them know how far their donation will go towards helping something tangible. An example of a dollar value statement is: “Your generous donation of $50 will help provide veterinary care for sick and abandoned cats.” It’s important to engage donors with real-life experiences.
Read copywriting strategies for fundraisers for additional in-depth information about crafting donor responsive copy.
4. Elicit Emotion
Appeal to the emotional side of the reader by offering success stories about the people they helped, the number of animals saved, or the number of mouths fed — and how many more animals or people need the donor’s help. When a story draws readers in emotionally, they are oftentimes more inclined to donate.
5. Use Short, Easy-to-Skim Paragraphs
Maintaining your donor’s attention is vital. Write short, succinct sentences and concise paragraphs that provide copy that is easy to process and understand. Nowadays, people don’t want to read long emails.
It’s also always a good idea to break up the text into short paragraphs and utilize underscores in the text and bold-faced headings between paragraphs. All these techniques make your copy easier to read.
Email Strategies for Nonprofits
6. Segment Your List
Direct communication through email is a great way to engage and inform supporters about your cause, especially when asking for a donation. However, when creating an email blast, it is essential to have your email database segmented by recency, frequency, and donation amount. In addition, separately flag your volunteers and any prospects acquired through social media.
Consider segmenting by:
- Donor recency: new, active, and lapsed donors
- Donation frequency: one time, multi-year, and monthly donors
- Dollar amount: small, midsize, and major gifts
- Non-donors: volunteers and prospects
7. Send Targeted Messages
The more relevant the message is to a recipient, the more likely the individual will connect with your cause. When an individual feels a connection to your cause because your message was specific to them, they have a higher propensity to donate.
Send frequent messages to your core email donors. Use copy to speak directly to your these donors that identify them as “loyal supporters” and thank them for their continued support.
Try to get lapsed donors to give again by including the date and the amount of their last gift. Tell them they are missed and remind them how important they are to your organization.
Let new donors know what their first gifts accomplished and that their continued help is needed.
By knowing who you are writing to and targeting the copy to that specific segment of your list, your donor will more likely be inspired to donate.
8. Make it Easy to Donate
Make it easy for donors! There’s nothing worse than donors having to spend time looking for ways to donate. That alone will result in lost donations. It’s important to have a special landing page where they can click on links such as “why donate,” “donate now,” or “give today,” and how their donation is going to help. This reinforces their decision to give.
Millennials may want to donate by using their credit cards via mobile, while seniors may want to donate by check. Know your audience and how they want to give to your organization. Give them the option to support your organization by providing various ways to donate, whether by check, credit card, or another online method they’re more comfortable with.
9. Use Images and Video
Images are a great way to grab attention, but make sure they evoke emotion. A smiling child, a cute puppy, and a warm embrace are all images that make people feel good. Furthermore, you want the reader to have a positive emotional response when deciding whether or not to give to your organization. An emotional response will result in more donations.
Alternatively, utilize video interviews by including individuals who have been impacted by your organization. Have them speak directly to donors via video about why more donations are needed to make a big impact.
10. Create Compelling Subject Lines
Higher open rates for emails result when the subject line is personal and descriptive, which in turn gives the reader a reason to read the email.
One reason we click on the email in our in-boxes every day is because of catchy subject lines. If the subject fails to catch our attention by saying something interesting, chances are we won’t read it. The subject line should be a cue to the actual email copy. Keep your subject line short and succinct, and if the issue is urgent, say so.
11. Incorporate Personalization
The basics of personalizing your email copy are simple. Use the donor’s name in the salutation and consider using it in the subject line. Gift asks should also be personalized.
How to Increase Donations with Email
12. Create a Content Schedule for Online Fundraising Campaigns
Decide how often you are going to send emails. Consistent communication will ensure that you stay at the forefront of the donor’s mind; and oftentimes, if done correctly, donors begin to look forward to what your organization has to say and anticipate the next email.
Start scheduling emails on a monthly basis and work towards developing a content schedule with more consistent and targeted communications as time goes on.
Here are a few types of content to consider sending throughout the year:
Welcome emails, thank-you appeals, updates, milestones, first-time donor appeals, success stories, holidays, matching donations, monthly donations, and surveys.
13. Send a Welcome Email
Thank a new donor for contributing within 48 hours. Include a piece of information they might not know about your organization. Just in case they want to give again, include a link to your donation page and a link to your website to provide additional information about your cause. Read proven welcome email strategies for detailed strategies and tips about welcoming new donors into your organization.
14. Encourage Donors to Get Social With Your Organization
Include all of your social media buttons, allowing readers to follow and like your posts for every online fundraising campaign. Also, make the email easy to share by including share buttons. Ask readers to forward your appeals and communications to friends, co-workers, and family members. When donors share your emails, your organization has the potential to not only raise more awareness but oftentimes acquire more donations for your cause.
Keys to Successful Email Fundraising
15. Thank Donors
Send a thank-you email every time someone donates via an email campaign. Consider, on occasion, sending a video of those helped by your organization and have them convey their heartfelt gratitude in the message along with why the donor’s continued support is needed.
16. Be You! People Can Feel the Energy You’re Putting Out
Personality, transparency, and openness go a long way. The energy of your emails is easily transferable to the reader. You want to make sure you’re being honest about what you want to accomplish, and why.
17. Test and Measure Your Strategy Consistently
Analyze your email open rates and conversion rates regularly to better understand what’s working and what’s not. It’s important to run tests on a continuing basis to avoid falling short in the future.
I see many nonprofits struggling to improve their email fundraising efforts because they are unable to get their marketing strategies into high gear. “17 Ways to Increase Donations with Email – Tools & Tips” provides essential tips needed to bolster your campaign.
We know you’re busy, and we know your donors are busy. Let us help you connect with your donors by writing inspiring email appeal copy and developing an effective email marketing strategy. An online presence that motivates and informs will keep your donors engaged and foster growth at every level. Please connect with me, either by phone or email, and let’s see what we can do together.
Email appeals are one of the most important ways to create donor loyalty. Above all, if you’re not sending them out, you’re missing out on creating an important bond with donors—one that will result in continued donations to your organization.
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Write Choice Marketing-Helping nonprofits raise donations through compelling copy, engaging content, and donor responsive strategies that get results. We offer creative, cost-effective fundraising and marketing solutions.
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