In today’s digital world, the power of fundraising emails cannot be denied.
In fact, recent research shows that email marketing results in one-third of online fundraising revenue, and according to a 2021 study, the average open rate for non-profit emails is 25.5% - which is second only to government emails.
Yep, fundraising emails are essential to the success of your charity - and can enable you to reach thousands of potential or existing donors with a simple click of a button. But despite all this, fundraising emails can be tricky to get right.
They’ve got to encourage your donors to give whilst not coming off as desperate and inform them of your cause within a limited word count. And considering the average person receives 121 emails a day, it’s harder still to ensure your email is the perfect piece of craftsmanship to engage with your supporters and encourage them to donate.
But, as ever, help is at hand! Read on to discover how to make your fundraising emails effective…
6 ways to make your fundraising emails as effective as possible
1. Sort out your database
First things first, you need to take a bit of a step back, ensure that your database is up to scratch, and analyse your data. One of the most important ways that you can utilise email is by segmenting your donors and tailoring your emails towards the different segments in order to build trust, strategically increase your donations and boost retention rates - and that all starts by tidying up your database.
By sorting your data and segmenting your donors, you can make sure you provide relevant content to each group of donors and engage with them in a suitable manner for where they are in the donation journey (more on that below!). Plus, whilst you’re at it, you can make sure every subscriber is asked for permission to join your list and ensure all of your privacy terms are up to date.
2. Grab their interest
Once your database is ship shape, it’s time to start planning your email - beginning with the subject line. The subject line of your email is your first chance to grab the reader’s attention, so it’s important to get it right. In fact, HubSpot found that 35% of email recipients actually open an email based solely on the subject line.
If you’re stuck for ideas, some tips include:
- Keep it short but sweet! Fewer than 65 characters is ideal to ensure your subject line isn’t lost on smaller devices.
- Don’t use all capitals or excessive punctuation to grab peoples’ attention - it could end up going the other way and make your email look like spam.
- Create a sense of urgency that inspires them to take action.
3. Make it personal
This is where your data segmentation comes in. Did you know that 84% of people said being treated like an individual rather than a statistic had a huge impact on which brands they chose to support? When you think of it like that, it’s easy to see why personalisation is such an essential part of your fundraising email strategy.
From addressing your supporters by name to tailoring content depending on the type of donor they are (whether that be one-off, regular, or first-time supporter), by getting to know your supporters and making it personal, you can ensure you appeal to and engage with your donors rather than making them feel like just another statistic.
In doing so, you will also keep them happy, make them feel valued, and encourage them to donate to your cause. Win win!
4. Tell them about the impact
A good story is the foundation of a successful fundraising email. As humans, we are hardwired to respond to stories - so, it’s no wonder that 68% of donors say that knowing that their donation has made a difference is really important to them.
Explain the impact their donation has had by including information about what their money will go towards and how it will change the lives of the recipients. They’ll want to know this information right away, so make sure you put it right at the top of your email.
5. Use a multichannel approach
Without a doubt, one of the most important ways to get the most out of your fundraising emails is by using a multichannel approach. By combining emails with print campaigns and direct mail to create a multi-layered campaign, you can drive maximum impact, benefit from even greater engagement and maximise conversions.
Statistics show that campaigns which combine digital and print deliver 25% higher responses than digital campaigns alone. Plus, when an advert is seen online after a mail has been received, people tend to spend 30% longer reading those ads.
So, by combining print and digital methods to engage with your supporters, you can ensure you get the most out of your campaign.
6. Don’t forget to say thank you
The work isn't over once your supporters have donated, though. It’s really important to send a timely thank you response to show how appreciative you are of your donors - and that they’re valued beyond their wallet.
There are plenty of benefits to thanking your supporters. For starters, doing so will help to strengthen donor relationships, build brand loyalty, and increase the lifetime value of your donors. Plus, thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship.
Not doing so could even have a detrimental and undo all of your hard work, with five out of 10 donors being more likely to stop giving or give less if they feel unappreciated - so be sure to find out more about how to suitably thank your supporters here.
Want to work together to deliver powerful fundraising campaigns?
From help with personalisation methods with the use of data, to setting up time-triggered thank you emails, there are numerous benefits to teaming up with a third-party specialist such as Woods Valldata to help with your fundraising emails.
A few ways that we can help include:
- Accuracy – Respecting and valuing the importance of data and ensuring this is used in the right way.
- Speed – Enhancing supporter experiences and ensuring thank yous are sent straight away
- Visibility offering – Providing charities with full visibility of live donor responses, processing and data.
- Clear communications – More specifically, providing a collaborative working relationship where they are contactable as and when needed.
- Cost efficiency – Providing a partnership that helps to drive down unnecessary costs whilst increasing ROI.
So, if you’d like to find out more about how our team can advise you your fundraising campaigns and help with response handling, simply contact us today to arrange your free consultation.
