I recently sat in on newsletter tips seminar at a non-profit fundraising convention. Imagine my shock when the instructor told the entire audience that e-newsletters are not relevant fundraising tools for non-profits. As in – don’t waste your time.
Yikes.
As I stared at her in shock, my mind started whirling with all of the success stories my clients have had with e-newsletters. Fundraising, events, awareness campaigns, there are so many things that non-profit organizations use e-newsletters for – can it be that my experiences are outliers? Unlikely. More likely the case is that these organizations are not taking the time to integrate quality e-newsletters into a larger fundraising or awareness campaign. The power of the Internet has not been overstated, but many organizations don’t know what they don’t know – and many of them don’t know how to harness the power of online marketing.
So in case you or an organization you know is in that position I’m going to share with you ways to make your e-newsletter help you engage donors, volunteers or your community.
1. Include Stories. The power of storytelling cannot be undervalued, especially in an e-newsletter. Make it concise, compelling and give readers a way to engage with you further on the story. Which leads us to…
2. Include Connection Points. Invite supports to be a part of your mission. Invite them to your facility, to volunteer for a specific event or to participate in an new initiative. Give them many ways to be a part of your organization.
3. Include Media. Video, still photography or even art work can be a powerful way to spread your message or tug at a donor’s heartstrings. Put together a video on your mission, impact or a thank you to your supporters and include it in your e-newsletter. We know that video and images drive opens, clicks and shares more than text. Harness that power!
4. Listen to Them. Review the analytics of your e-newsletters. Where are your supporters clicking? More importantly where aren’t they clicking? Why not? Unclicked space is does nothing for you. Find a way to utilize it better.
5. Social Media Action. Don’t just put up your social media icons. Tell your supporters what they can find on the channels. For example, let them know that they’ll find daily photos on your Instagram feed, or announcements on your Twitter feed.
6. Make it mobile friendly. Yikes, how many times have you opened something on your phone only to find that half the page is cut off? Follow the recommendations of your e-newsletter platform to determine how best to optimize your e-newsletter so your supporters don’t have to scroll around. Scrolling is not your friend, trust us!
Know an organization that can benefit from these tips? Pass them along! Sharing is caring.
