The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to change the way we do business. For nonprofits, many of these changes revolved around going virtual wherever it was possible. Even though many of these changes helped us all to learn new ways to conduct business, there are some methods of doing business that will always be here. One of these methods that won’t go away is email marketing. With that said, it’s always a good idea to evaluate how your organization uses its email marketing techniques and what improvements you can make.
Rethink The Way You Email
This blog entry is here to provide you with a new perspective on how you send out your marketing emails. If you are throwing information into an email and pressing “send” without much thought, it’s time to rethink your perspective. There are several different techniques that you can use to make your emails more effective. In other words, sprucing up your emails will help increase attendance at your fundraising events.
Take a look at these tips to consider before you hit “send” on your next marketing email:
Personalize It. For nonprofits, it’s never good to come off as too “corporate” with your email messages. Find a way to personalize things with a message that mentions something about your local area or one of your recent fundraising events. You can also utilize different email services, such as Mail Chimp, to help you personalize your emails with names and specific greetings.
Show Off Your Events And Items. When it comes to marketing emails, don’t be afraid to be a little showy. In other words, be proud of your events and other attractions. Put them front and center in your emails to lure in your readers. For example, if you have a particularly enticing auction item coming up at one of your events, give your audience a sneak peek!
Don’t Be Afraid To Use A Video. Nobody wants to read long paragraphs of text when they open an email. This is where a video comes in handy. This can be filmed testimonials or highlights of a previous fundraising event. Either way, your readers will get a lot more excited about your organization by watching a video than they would by reading lots of text (if they even read it!).
Write A Short, Catchy Subject Line. The subject line is one of the most important components of a marketing email. At least 47% of marketers test different subject lines to optimize their emails’ performance. Take your time to craft something that creates a sense of urgency with a personal touch that will entice your readers to open your email. Creating a good subject line has become something like an art form that may take several rounds of practice before you get the hang of it.
*For more information on perfecting the subject line, check out our previous blog. We also talk about how to create an effective Call-To-Action.
Start Tracking The Success Rates Of Your Emails. If you don’t analyze your email data, how will you know what’s really working? For example, start tracking your data by seeing which subject lines worked best. Or, look at the number of emails leading to people clicking on the “Register Now” button for your next event. Understanding what works and what doesn’t is a key step to fine-tuning your marketing email efforts.
Don’t Lose Sight Of Your Marketing Email Campaign
Don’t take your marketing email campaigns for granted. Sending out marketing emails may seem like one of those that operate independently because your organization has been doing it for so long. However, various strategies need to be in place to ensure that your audience is opening the email, reading the email, and then taking action. The five tips mentioned above will help you make sure those things are taking place!
If you are looking for more tips to improve your email marketing campaign at your nonprofit, please reach out to us today. As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe!