Today I’m sharing with you Welcome Email Strategies – Tools & Tips highlighting how to create a 3-part email series that will increase engagement, optimize your fundraising, and reduce attrition.
What is a welcome email?
A welcome email is the first email you send after someone donates to your organization. It should engage, inform, and show them what they should expect from your organization in the coming months. It is the basis of the beginning of the relationship your organization will have with the donor.
By investing significant effort upfront, it ensures new donors that they are cared about, are important to your organization, and are valued. This is accomplished by engaging with them with three automated emails within a four-week period and providing small amounts of information in each of those emails.
1st Email in a Welcome Series: Welcome Email
Welcome Email Strategies – Tools & Tips
The first email in a welcome series is an important opportunity to make a great first impression. It reaffirms to donors that they’ve made a wise decision to donate. Schedule this email immediately after someone donates.
What should you say in the first email?
The first thing you should do is thank them for donating. Let them know how many more emails over the month they will be receiving and a general idea of the type of future content they will be getting on a monthly basis. A sentence or two about an event, something new, or a program success with a link leading to that specific page, will provide an opportunity for the reader to become more familiar with the structure and content of your website.
Provide ways for them to contact you by providing your email address and phone number. Encourage them to ask a question or request additional information. Make the links easily accessible and visually appealing.
Don’t bombard your new donor with a lot of information. The key here is to keep it short.
2nd Email in a Welcome Series: An Invitation to Connect on Social Media
Welcome Email Strategies – Tools & Tips
Use your second email to provide new donors with information about your social channels, Send it to them about two to three days after the first welcome email. This is a time when your donors are highly engaged and is a perfect opportunity to get your organization in front of your new donors.
Share links to all of your different social media sites and ask them to follow, like, and share. Asking them to connect with you is just the start. Give them a reason to connect with you by informing them that they will be among the first to hear about exciting new developments and updates.
Encourage them to engage with other members of your social communities. Opportunities to engage with online communities create emotional connections with other like-minded people. This sense of belonging strengthens their relationship with your organization too.
3rd Email in a Welcome Series – A Special Email Offer for New Subscribers
Welcome Email Strategies – Tools & Tips
Everyone likes to feel special, and your new donors are no exception. Sent about four days after the invitation to connect on social media, a special offer could be anything from an invitation to tour your facility, to an early-bird invite to your upcoming fundraiser, or a free ticket for the raffle you’re holding. These are all ways to convey to new donors their importance and to get them engaged with your organization.
In your email, you can state that the offer is only for new donors if applicable. Include a clear and concise call to action making it easy for the donor to respond.
Respond back to them in a timely manner when they accept your offer. Provide them with the information they need to attend the event or receive the free raffle ticket. If they are attending an event, have someone from your organization personally greet them.
What All Emails Should Contain
All emails should contain:
Compelling subject lines
Relevant content
An action they need to take
Clear opt-out options
A welcome email series is a great step in building a solid relationship with new donors. It’s an essential building block for creating donor loyalty and for motivating donors to give again. Here are 10 additional tips to use in your online fundraising campaigns.
Need help creating a series of emails designed to welcome donors? Contact Write Choice Marketing today for a free 30-minute phone consultation and we’ll be happy to help.